DUI Defense Charges in Kentucky

Kentucky charges impaired driving under KRS 189A.010. Whether an offense counts as a first, second, third or fourth is decided on a ten-year look-back, so the date of a prior conviction matters as much as the fact of it. The license suspension below is administered by the Transportation Cabinet and runs separately from anything the criminal court does.

What the statute carries

First offense	6-month suspension, or 4 months with an approved ignition interlock device
Second offense	18-month suspension, or 12 months with the device
Third offense	36-month suspension, or 18 months with the device
Fourth offense	60-month suspension, or 30 months with the device

Source: KRS 189A.010. Checked 2026-09-20.

Three things people get wrong

The look-back period for counting prior offenses is ten years.
Every offense level requires an approved alcohol or substance abuse program; for a second through fourth offense that program runs a year.
Aggravating circumstances listed in the statute raise the mandatory minimum, so two first offenses are not necessarily treated alike.

Questions people ask about this charge

How Kentucky grades an offense

Grade	Prison or jail	Fine
Class A felony	20 to 50 years, or life	$1,000 to $10,000, or double the gain
Class B felony	10 to 20 years	$1,000 to $10,000, or double the gain
Class C felony	5 to 10 years	$1,000 to $10,000, or double the gain
Class D felony	1 to 5 years	$1,000 to $10,000, or double the gain
Class A misdemeanor	Up to 12 months	Up to $500
Class B misdemeanor	Up to 90 days	Up to $250
Violation	No jail	Up to $250