Under Connecticut DWI law 2 separate cases are triggered. First the court case is held in which punishment ranging from jail time, fines, and alcohol abuse counseling is determined, and then the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) case is held in which it is determined how long the defendant will lose their license for.

Connecticut DWI law can be charged under 2 theories; the person is driving while impaired, or under "per se" laws where even if a person can function at a normal capacity, their blood alcohol level (BAC) is above .08.

Under law, anybody who is stopped for a DWI offense is required to provide a blood or breath sample to test alcohol content. Anybody who refuses to provide a sample receives a 6-month license suspention.

Punishments for DWI depend on the amount of prior convictions.

First offense results in; fine between $500 and $1000, maximum 6 month stay in jail or 100 hours of community service, and a 1 year license revocation.

Second offense within 10 years of the first results in; fine between $1000 and $4000, minimum 120 days in jail with maximum being 2 years, community service, 3 year license revocation or until you turn 21 years of age.

Third offense results in; fine between $2000 and $8000, 1 year minimum and 3 years maximum in jail, community service, permanent license revocation.

DMV punishments are separate from court punishments.

If you are under 21 years of age and have a BAC of .02, it results in; 90 day revocation of your license for first offense, 9 months for second offense, and 2 years for a third offense.

If one's BAC is between .08 up to but not including .16, it results in; 90 day revocation of your license for first offense, 9 months for second offense, and 2 years for a third offense.

For test results over .16 it results in; 120 day revocation of your license, 10 months for second offense, and 2 1/2 years of a third offense.