DPS Surcharges have gone away for certain traffic offenses, including DWI. Up until September 2019, if you were convicted of a DWI offense, the Texas Department of Public Safety would issue a surcharge under the Texas Driver Responsibility Program, which could range from $1,000 to $2,000 a year for 3 years depending on the specific charge. The new law not only waives those surcharges, but also clears the way for many already impacted by the surcharges to be able to get their license back.
But even though the State has now eliminated the surcharges above under the Texas Responsibility Program that can take place after a DWI conviction, they added an additional fine associated with a DWI conviction:
- $3,000 for the first conviction within a 36 month period;
- $4,500 for a subsequent conviction within a 36 month period; or
- $6,000 for a conviction if it was shown that the person’s alcohol concentration level was 0.16 or more.
Important Note: the law only requires the additional fine upon conviction, therefore, a person who was granted a deferred adjudication would not be required to pay these additional fines.
