A first DUI in Maryland is generally classified as a misdemeanor (DUI = higher; DWI = lesser).
Jail: none – DUI: 1 year · DWI: 2 months
Fine: $0–$1,200 (DUI up to $1,000–1,200 · DWI up to $500)
License suspension: DUI: 6 months (12 points → revocation exposure) · DWI: (8 points → suspension exposure) – varies via MVA; hardship: Ignition Interlock Program in lieu of suspension
Ignition interlock: Required — Since Oct 1 2024, IID is required for essentially all drunk-driving dispositions — INCLUDING PBJ (Maryland's 'interlock for all').
Alternative disposition: Probation Before Judgment (PBJ): no conviction entered, no points — the standard MD first-offense goal. But post-2024 an IID is still required, and PBJ is limited to once per 10 years.
DUI = 12 points (revocation-eligible); DWI = 8 points (suspension-eligible).
Lookback period: no fixed statutory washout (priors count; PBJ limited to once per 10 years). Maryland has no simple lookback for criminal enhancement — prior convictions count, and subsequent-offense penalties escalate; PBJ is unavailable if you received one for DUI in the prior 10 years.
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