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Underage DUI

If you are under 21 years of age, you may face license suspension and other penalties for driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.02. This is a much lower threshold than the 0.08 standard for convicting a person over 21 of driving under the influence (DUI). The suspension is automatic, which you can appeal through an administrative hearing with the Department of Motor Vehicles. The state of Florida follows a strict zero-tolerance policy in regards to underage drunk driving. These strict policies result in harsh penalties that carry long-term consequences for the individual. These policies are used to reduce underage drunk driving in Florida.

Brooksville, Florida Underage DUI Lawyer

Being able to use your driver’s license is an issue that can critically affect your day-to-day life. If you have received a license suspension for underage DUI in Hernando County, Sumter County, Citrus County, or the surrounding areas and wish to fight this suspension in a DMV administrative hearing for DUI, begin your defense immediately by contacting The Law Office of Ashley Aulls, P.A.. Ashley Aulls is a skilled and knowledgeable Hernando County DUI defense attorney who treats his clients with respect through education and open communication.

With a family history of successful lawyers, he knows what it takes to win a successful appeal in an administrative hearing for DUI. To find out more about what The Law Office of Ashley Aulls, P.A. can do for your administrative license suspension for underage DUI and the rest of your Brooksville area DUI case, call (352) 593-4115 today and schedule your initial case consultation.


Hernando County, Florida Underage DUI Information Center


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Underage Florida DUI in Hernando County Defined

In Florida, you can face a license suspension for underage DUI if you drive or are in actual physical control of a vehicle and have a blood or breath alcohol concentration (BAC) of .02 or higher. Under Florida Statute § 322.2616 the threshold is much lower for those under 21 than for those over 21. Actual physical control does include driving. However, many factors contribute to determining whether you were in actual physical control of a vehicle, such as if you had the keys in your possession or on your person, your location in or around the car, and whether the vehicle is operable. No matter the circumstances surrounding your underage DUI accusation, whether you were driving or met other Florida specifications, the advice of an experienced DUI defense lawyer serving Hernando County is strongly recommended.


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Penalties for Underage DUI in Florida

The penalties that come with an accusation of underage DUI in Florida are extensive and can vary based on the circumstances of your case. Under Florida Statute § 322.2616, a determination of underage DUI results in:

  • Driver’s license suspension for six months, or one year if you have a prior underage DUI
  • Mandatory substance abuse course, at your expense, if your blood or BAC is 0.05 or higher
  • One year of administrative driver’s license revocation for the first refusal to take a BAC test. A second or subsequent refusal will result in an 18-month driver’s license suspension
  • A minor under the age of 18 years proven to be driving with a blood-alcohol or breath-alcohol level of 0.02 or higher may be taken by a law enforcement officer directly to an “addictions receiving facility” in the county in which the minor was driving

You may request an administrative hearing to appeal your driver’s license suspension with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days after the issuance of the notice of suspension. An experienced DUI defense lawyer serving the Brooksville area can help you fight a license suspension and other DUI penalties in Hernando County.


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Additional Penalties for Florida Underage DUI

A person with a BAC of 0.08 or higher will face the same criminal charges a person over 21 would be faced with. You face jail time, fines, driver’s license suspension, and other penalties depending on the circumstances of the case and whether it is your first, second, third, or subsequent charge of DUI in Florida. An experienced DUI defense lawyer serving the Brooksville area can help you fight against these charges and other DUI penalties in Hernando County. Certain circumstances are considered aggravating circumstances for DUI in Florida no matter your age or if this is your first or a subsequent charge. If you had a BAC of 0.15 or higher or were accompanied by a minor in the commission of your DUI offense, you will face additional penalties. You face even more severe penalties if you are accused of causing or even contributing to cause property damage, injury, or death.


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Resources for Underage DUI in Florida

Florida DUI Laws – The Florida Highway Safety Site gives details on Florida DUI Laws. Learn about the penalties one can face in regards to DUI stops. Florida Statutes for DUI –The site for Florida Statutes showcases all the penalties for driving under the influence. Get full details on the penalties involving driving under the influence.


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Find an Underage DUI Attorney in Hernando County, Florida

If you are facing a license suspension for underage DUI in Hernando County, Citrus County, or Sumter County, contact The Law Office of Ashley Aulls, P.A.. Experienced DUI defense attorney Ashley Aulls has practiced law since 1996. Call (352) 593-4115 today to see what experienced defense lawyer Ashley Aulls can do for your DUI case.