New Hampshire DWI Laws 
Chapter 265-A Alcohol or Drug Impairment 
Driving or Operating Under the Influence of Drugs or Liquor

 RSA 265-A:18  (2010)

265-A:18  Penalties for Intoxication or Under Influence of Drugs Offenses.

  I. Except as otherwise provided in this section:

   (a) Any person who is convicted of any offense under RSA 265-A:2, I shall be:

      (1) Guilty of a class B misdemeanor;

      (2) Fined not less than $500;

      (3) Required to furnish proof of successful completion of an impaired driver intervention program prior to the restoration of the person's driver's license or privilege to drive, provided that, if the person has previously completed, or been required by a court or the department of safety to complete, an impaired driver intervention program (I.D.I.P.) or any similar program in any jurisdiction, the person shall be required to furnish proof of successful completion of the multiple DWI offender intervention detention center program (M.O.P.) or an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner of health and human services;

      (4) The person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked for not less than 9 months and, at the discretion of the court, such revocation may be extended for a period not to exceed 2 years. The court may suspend up to 6 months of this sentence, provided that the person has entered into the relevant driver intervention program required by subparagraph (3) within 45 days after conviction, or as soon thereafter as any extenuating circumstances approved by the department of health and human services allow;

      (5) The sentencing court may sentence the person to additional alcohol and/or drug treatment and counseling, or to a treatment program approved by the commissioner of health and human services, or both. In addition, the court may require the person to submit to random urinalysis or such other tests as the court may deem appropriate; and

      (6) The court in which the person was convicted may reduce the conviction to a violation upon a motion filed by either party at least one year after the date of the conviction. In deciding whether to reduce the conviction to a violation, the court may consider the person's subsequent driving record, any evidence of drug or alcohol treatment, the hardship that having a criminal record may cause for the person, and any other factors that the court deems relevant.

   (b) Any person who is convicted of any aggravated DWI offense under RSA 265-A:3, except as provided in subparagraph (c), shall be:

      (1) Guilty of a class A misdemeanor;

      (2) Fined not less than $750;

      (3) Sentenced to a mandatory sentence of not less than 10 consecutive days of which 3 consecutive 24-hour periods shall be served in the county correctional facility and 7 consecutive days shall be served at the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center established under RSA 265-A:40, which sentence shall begin no later than 21 days after conviction. In the event that the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center has no available space, the person shall be assigned to an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner of health and human services. The person shall begin following any treatment recommendations arising out of the final evaluation given to the person at the multiple DWI offender intervention detention center or equivalent program within 60 days after the person has completed serving the required 7 consecutive days or such other time as the court may order;

      (4) The person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked for not less than 18 months and, at the discretion of the court, such revocation may be extended for a period not to exceed 2 years. Except for good cause found by the court and noted in writing, the court may suspend up to 6 months of this sentence, provided that the person has entered into the relevant driver intervention program required by subparagraph (3) as soon as any circumstances approved by the department of health of human services allow;

      (5) The sentencing court may sentence the person to additional alcohol and/or drug treatment and counseling, or to a treatment program approved by the commissioner of health and human services, or both. In addition, the court may require the person to submit to random urinalysis or such other test as the court may deem appropriate; and

      (6) A person who leaves the relevant driver intervention program required by subparagraph IV(a)(3) before completion and fails to return and complete it as soon as extenuating circumstances approved by the department of health and human services allow or who fails to begin following treatment recommendations within the time required by subparagraph IV(a)(3) shall be in contempt of court and shall serve a minimum of 14 days in the county correctional facility.

   (c) Any person who is convicted of aggravated DWI under RSA 265-A:3, I(b) or II(b), shall be:

      (1) Guilty of a class B felony;

      (2) Fined not less than $1,000;

      (3) Sentenced to a mandatory sentence of not less than 21 consecutive days of which 14 consecutive 24-hour periods shall be served in the county correctional facility followed by 7 consecutive days served at the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center established under RSA 265-A:40, which sentence shall begin no later than 21 days after conviction. In the event that the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center has no available space the person shall be assigned to an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner of health and human services, and the remainder of the sentence may be deferred at the court's discretion. The person shall begin following any treatment recommendations arising out of the final evaluation given to the person at the multiple DWI offender intervention detention center or equivalent program within 60 days after the person has completed serving the required 7 consecutive days or such other time as the court may order. The court may, at the satisfactory completion of any ordered treatment, suspend any remaining deferred sentence. Failure to successfully complete any court-ordered intervention program or recommended treatment shall result in the imposition of any remaining deferred sentence; and

      (4) The person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked for not less than 18 months and, at the discretion of the court, such revocation may be extended for a period not to exceed 2 years. Except for good cause found by the court and noted in writing, the court may suspend up to 6 months of this sentence, provided that the person has entered into the relevant driver intervention program required by subparagraph (3) as soon as any extenuating circumstances approved by the department of health and human services allow.

II. Any person convicted of a violation of RSA 265-A:19, II shall be subject to the penalties set out in this section for a violation of RSA 265-A:3. Any person convicted of a violation of any other provision in RSA 265-A:19 or a violation of RSA 265-A:2, II shall be subject to the penalties set out in this section for a violation of RSA 265-A:2, I.

III. Any person who is convicted of an offense under RSA 265-A:2, I, RSA 265-A:3, or RSA 630:3, II and the offense occurred while the person was under the age of 21 shall be sentenced according to the provisions of this section, except that in all cases the person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked for not less than one year.

IV. Upon conviction of any offense under RSA 265-A:2, I or RSA 265-A:3, based on a complaint which alleged that the person has had one or more prior convictions under RSA 265-A:2, I, RSA 265-A:3, or RSA 630:3, II, or under reasonably equivalent offenses in an out-of-state jurisdiction, within 10 years preceding the date of the second or subsequent offense, the person shall be subject to the following penalties in addition to those provided in paragraph I:

   (a) For a second offense:

      (1) The person shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

      (2) The person shall be fined not less than $750.

      (3)  (A) If the complaint alleges that the prior conviction occurred within 2 years preceding the date of the second offense, the person shall be sentenced to a mandatory sentence of not less than 37 consecutive days of which 30 consecutive 24-hour periods shall be served in the county correctional facility followed by 7 consecutive days to be served at the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center established under RSA 265-A:40 within 21 days after conviction, except that in circumstances where the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center has no available space the person shall be assigned to an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner of health and human services. The person shall begin following any treatment recommendations arising out of the final evaluation given to the person at the multiple DWI offender intervention detention center or equivalent program within 60 days after the person has completed serving the required 30 consecutive 24-hour periods or such other time as the court may order.

         (B) If the complaint alleges that the prior conviction occurred more than 2 but not more than 10 years preceding the date of the second offense, the person shall be sentenced to a mandatory sentence of not less than 10 consecutive days of which 3 consecutive 24-hour periods shall be served in the county correctional facility and 7 consecutive days shall be served at the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center established under RSA 265-A:40, which sentence shall begin no later than 21 days after conviction. In the event that the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center has no available space the person shall be assigned to an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner of health and human services. The person shall begin following any treatment recommendations arising out of the final evaluation given to the person at the multiple DWI offender intervention detention center or equivalent program within 60 days after the person has completed serving the required 7 consecutive days or such other time as the court may order.

      (4) The person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked for not less than 3 years.

      (5) The person shall pay a fee to the commissioner, as established under RSA 126-A:43, for the costs of the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center program prior to license restoration. If the person attends an approved equivalent 7-day residential intervention program, the fees and costs shall be paid to the program.

      (6) A person who leaves the program before completion and fails to return and complete it as soon thereafter as extenuating circumstances approved by the department of health and human services allow, or who fails to begin following treatment recommendations within the time required by subparagraph IV(a)(3) shall be in contempt of court and shall serve a minimum of 30 days in the county correctional facility.

      (7) The sentencing court may sentence the person to additional alcohol and/or drug treatment and counseling, or to a treatment program approved by the commissioner of health and human services, or both. In addition, the court may require the person to submit to random urinalysis or such other tests as the court may deem appropriate.

   (b) For a third offense, any person convicted under this paragraph shall be subject to all the penalties of subparagraph (a) except that:

      (1) The person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked indefinitely and shall not be restored for at least 5 years. At the end of the 5-year minimum revocation period the person may petition the court for eligibility to reapply for a driver's license and the court, for good cause shown, may grant such eligibility subject to such terms and conditions as the court may prescribe. Any untimely petition under this subparagraph shall be dismissed without a hearing. If such petition is granted and the person is otherwise eligible for license restoration, the person may then apply to the director for restoration of driver's license, but the license shall not be restored until the provisions of RSA 263:65-a and all other requirements under law are met.

      (2) The person shall be sentenced to a mandatory sentence of not less than 180 consecutive days of which 30 consecutive 24-hour periods shall be served in the county correctional facility following which the person shall complete at the person's own expense a residential treatment program of at least 28 days duration or an intensive course of substance abuse treatment based upon a formal evaluation by a licensed alcohol and other drug counselor and approved by the department of health and human services before the driver's license may be restored. The remainder of the sentence may be deferred for a period of up to 2 years. The court may, at the satisfactory completion of any ordered treatment, suspend any remaining deferred sentence. Failure to successfully complete any court-ordered intervention program or recommended treatment shall result in the imposition of any remaining deferred sentence.

      (3) The sentencing court may sentence the person to additional alcohol and/or drug treatment and counseling or to a treatment program approved by the commissioner of health and human services, or both. In addition, the court may require the person to submit to random urinalysis or such other tests as the court may deem appropriate.

   (c) For a fourth or subsequent offense, any person convicted under this paragraph shall be subject to all the penalties of subparagraphs (a) and (b) except that the person shall be guilty of a felony, and the person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked indefinitely and the person shall not petition for eligibility to reapply for a driver's license as provided in subparagraph (b)(1) for at least 7 years.

   (d) For a third or subsequent offense when any prior offense under this paragraph is negligent homicide under RSA 630:3, II, or reasonably equivalent offense in an out-of-state jurisdiction, the person convicted under this paragraph shall be subject to all the penalties of subparagraphs (a) and (b) except that the person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked indefinitely and the person shall not petition for eligibility to reapply for a driver's license as provided in subparagraph (b)(1) for at least 10 years.

V. Voluntary completion of an impaired driver intervention program, or an appropriate equivalent, and commencement of treatment recommended by the program may be considered by a court when determining a sentence under this section.

VI. If any person is convicted of a violation of RSA 265-A:2, I or RSA 265-A:3, and the conviction is not based upon a complaint which alleges prior convictions as provided in paragraph IV, but the person is found to have had one or more such prior convictions in this state or in an out-of-state jurisdiction within 10 years preceding the date of the offense, the person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked for not less than one year nor more than 3 years. Except for good cause found by the court and noted in writing, the court may suspend up to 6 months of this sentence, provided that within 45 days after conviction the person has entered the 7-day program at the state-operated multiple DWI offender intervention detention center program or an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner of health and human services, as provided in rsa 265-A:40 and RSA 265-A:42. The person's license shall not be restored until the person has successfully completed the program. The court may further order attendance at a residential treatment center, for a period not to exceed 30 days, at the person's own expense.

VII. For the purposes of this section:

   (a) "Revocation" or "revoked" means revocation as defined in RSA 259:90 and also includes, if the person is a nonresident, the revocation of the person's privilege as an out-of-state driver to drive on any ways of this state.

   (b) "Out-of-state jurisdiction" includes any governmental entity that issues driver's licenses that are valid for operating a motor vehicle on the ways of this state as provided in RSA 263:37, and that has laws relating to driving while intoxicated that are reasonably equivalent to the laws of this state.

   (c) "Successful completion" means meeting further counseling requirements, if any, arising out of the final evaluation given to the offender at the I.D.I.P. or the M.O.P. or its equivalent; provided, however, that the offender shall have the right to a hearing before the commissioner or designee, who shall determine whether the further counseling requirements arising out of the final evaluation are warranted and appropriate, and whether the offender should be eligible for license restoration. The definition in this subparagraph shall also apply to RSA 265-A:42.

   (d) A person shall be presumed to have furnished proof of successful completion of an impaired driver intervention program if the person furnishes a report indicating that he or she has successfully completed the I.D.I.P., the M.O.P., or an equivalent program, including, but not limited to, that he or she has met all further counseling requirements of the program and that he or she has paid all assessed program fees. The presumption may be overcome by a hearing requested by the department, or the I.D.I.P., the M.O.P., or an equivalent program, with notice to the person and an opportunity for the person to be heard, where the department and/or the I.D.I.P., the M.O.P., or an equivalent program shall have the burden of proving that the person has not successfully completed an impaired driver intervention program.

   (e) The I.D.I.P., the M.O.P., or an equivalent program shall inform the department of safety in writing of any further treatment it deems necessary in order to be considered a completed program before a license suspension should be restored. The department of safety shall notify the licensee of his or her ability to request a hearing to dispute the findings and the licensee shall inform the department of safety if the licensee requests a hearing within 20 days of receipt of such notice. At such hearing the I.D.I.P., the M.O.P., or an equivalent program shall have the burden of proving the person has not successfully completed an impaired driver intervention program. The I.D.I.P., the M.O.P., or an equivalent program shall inform the department of safety in writing within 5 days after the successful completion, including meeting all further counseling requirements, of the program attended by the licensee.

VIII. No portion of the minimum mandatory sentence of imprisonment and no portion of the mandatory sentence of the period of revocation and no portion of any fine imposed under this section shall be suspended or reduced by the court. No case brought to enforce this section shall be continued for sentencing for longer than 35 days. No person serving the minimum mandatory sentence under this section shall be discharged pursuant to authority granted under RSA 651:18, released pursuant to authority granted under RSA 651:19, or in any manner, except as provided in RSA 623:1, prevented from serving the full amount of such minimum mandatory sentence under any authority granted by RSA title LXII or any other provision of law.

IX. Upon conviction under the provisions of RSA 265-A:2, I or RSA 265-A:3, the prosecutor shall present to the court a certified copy of the defendant's record of convictions of motor vehicle offenses under RSA title XXI and reasonably equivalent offenses in out-of-state jurisdictions which are on record at the New Hampshire division of motor vehicles or known to the prosecutor, or a signed statement that the defendant has no such prior convictions within the preceding 7 years. Prior to sentencing the court shall note on the complaint the number of prior convictions for drug or alcohol-related motor vehicle offenses, or the absence of any such prior convictions, as shown on such report or statement.

X. Any conviction under RSA 265-A:2, I or RSA 265-A:3 shall be reported to the department of safety, division of motor vehicles, and shall become a part of the motor vehicle driving record of the person convicted.

XI. Any person convicted of a violation of RSA 265-A:2, I, RSA 265-A: or RSA 265-A:19, II, and who at the time of driving or attempting to drive a vehicle or off highway recreational vehicle or operating or attempting to operate a boat was transporting a person under the age of 16, shall have the driver's license or privilege to drive revoked for the maximum time period under the section violated and the person's license or privilege to drive shall not be restored until the offender has successfully completed a 7-day program at the state-operated multiple DWI offender program or an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner at the person's own expense.