DUI classes in California: a licensed program, in person
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California calls it the DUI program licensed by DHCS. It is administered by California Department of Health Care Services.
Completion of a state-licensed program is required before an unrestricted license returns, and enrollment is required even to qualify for the restricted one. Finding the program is the driver’s own responsibility — failing to enroll is reported back and the driving privilege stays suspended.
| Level | What it involves |
|---|---|
| First offence, BAC under 0.20 | Three months and at least 30 hours of education, group counselling and individual interviews |
| First offence, BAC 0.20 or above, or a refusal | Nine months and at least 60 hours |
| Second and subsequent | 18 months: 52 hours of group counselling, 12 hours of education, 6 hours of community re-entry monitoring and biweekly interviews during the first 12 months |
| Third and subsequent | A 30-month programme |
| Wet reckless | 12 hours of educational sessions |
Does an online course count in California?
Not accepted. DHCS licenses no internet DUI programs at all, and says so on its own page: classes offered over the internet do not meet California’s requirement. Los Angeles County repeats the warning on its list — the DMV will not accept such a certificate for reinstatement.
Georgia, Kentucky, California and Florida reject online courses outright. Half the searches in this branch carry the word “online”, and that is the single most expensive assumption people make after a conviction.
Where it sits in the process
Enrolment is required to qualify for the restricted licence; completion is required before the unrestricted one returns.
That order matters more than the course does. People lose months not because the programme was hard but because they took it at the wrong point, or from a provider the state does not recognise, and had to take it again.
The part of the California rule that catches people
The county, not the state, decides which programmes exist: the board of supervisors and the county alcohol and drug administrator recommend applicants for licensure, and DHCS approves the participant fees. There are about 472 licensed programmes across the 58 counties, so what is available near you is a local question with a state answer.
Why the licence matters more than the price
In California the Department of Health Care Services licenses every DUI program and monitors compliance, and it states plainly that it does not license internet DUI programs — classes offered over the internet do not meet the state requirement. Los Angeles County repeats the warning on its own list: online programs are not licensed and will not be accepted by the DMV for reinstatement of driving privileges.
California DHCS, Driving Under the Influence programs · checked 2026-08-30
And the panel is not a class
It is a session where people injured in impaired-driving crashes, or the families of people killed in them, describe what happened to them. There is no test and nothing to pass; attendance is what is recorded. Courts order it alongside education rather than instead of it, and it is usually a single evening rather than a course.
What else has to be satisfied in California
The programme is one of three or four separate obligations that arrive together. California DMV, on the court abstract of conviction runs the interlock side, and a first offence here carries none for a first non-injury offense; 1 year if it caused injury; with one prior, 1 year (2 with injury); with two, 2 years (3 with injury); with three or more, 3 years None of them substitutes for another, and each is reported separately to the agency that holds your licence.
California DUI law in full → · Insurance filing rules in California → · What the interlock costs in California → · How the classes work everywhere →
Questions about California programmes
Are online DUI classes accepted in California?
No. DHCS licenses no internet DUI programs at all, and says so on its own page: classes offered over the internet do not meet California’s requirement. Los Angeles County repeats the warning on its list — the DMV will not accept such a certificate for reinstatement. A certificate from an online course bought elsewhere does not shorten the process; it just costs money before you start the real one.
How many hours is the DUI class in California?
There is no single answer, because California runs tiers rather than one course: First offence, BAC under 0.20 — three months and at least 30 hours of education, group counselling and individual interviews; First offence, BAC 0.20 or above, or a refusal — nine months and at least 60 hours; Second and subsequent — 18 months: 52 hours of group counselling, 12 hours of education, 6 hours of community re-entry monitoring and biweekly interviews during the first 12 months; Third and subsequent — a 30-month programme; Wet reckless — 12 hours of educational sessions. Which one you get is decided by a screening or by the court, not chosen.
What happens if I do not finish it in California?
Enrolment is required to qualify for the restricted licence; completion is required before the unrestricted one returns. Non-completion is reported rather than ignored, and in most states it is the single most common reason a licence stays suspended long after the court case has ended.
Is the class the same as the ignition interlock in California?
No. They are separate requirements with separate providers, and the interlock side is run by California DMV, on the court abstract of conviction. Completing the programme does nothing for the device and the device does nothing for the programme; both usually have to be satisfied before the licence comes back.
Attorney advertising. InterlockDeviceNearMe is not a law firm, does not practice law, and does not give legal advice. Nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship. Requesting a consultation connects you with an independent attorney or a legal referral service, who decide separately whether to take your case. Case outcomes depend on facts we do not know, and no result is ever promised. Deadlines in DUI cases are short and vary by state — speak to a licensed attorney in your state before relying on anything you read here.