Guides to a DUI in Helen and Georgia
One question per page, answered from the Official Code of Georgia and the Department of Driver Services and the official offices that handle these cases in White and Habersham counties. Each guide lists its sources and the date it was last reviewed.
Your license
The ALS hearing and the 30-day deadlineAfter a Georgia DUI arrest you have 30 days from the DDS 1205 serve date to request an ALS hearing ($150) or apply for an interlock permit. How each works.Refusing the test: implied consentWhat Georgia's implied consent notice says, what happens to your license if you refuse a state test after a DUI arrest, and how that differs from a failed test.License reinstatement and Risk ReductionDDS reinstatement after a Georgia DUI: the 120-day rule for a first offense, the Risk Reduction certificate, and fees of $200 by mail or $210 in person.The ignition interlock permitWho can choose Georgia's ignition interlock device limited permit instead of an ALS hearing, what DDS needs before issuing it, and how certified providers work.
The court case
Penalties for a first, second, and third DUIFines, jail, community service, Risk Reduction, and license suspension for a Georgia DUI, from O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391 and DDS. Penalties can change.How a White County DUI case movesHow a DUI case in Helen or White County moves: arrest, jail and bond, the 30-day DDS deadline, Helen Municipal Court, Probate Court, and Superior Court.
Getting help
Other situations
These guides are general information, not legal advice. Penalties and requirements can change; confirm with the court or a licensed attorney.