A first DUI in Tennessee: what it can result in
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48 consecutive hours, and seven days at a high reading. Tennessee sets the floor in consecutive hours rather than days, and raises it sharply for a reading: at 0.15 or more the minimum becomes seven consecutive days instead of 48 hours. The fine floor is mandatory unless the judge finds you indigent. A child under 18 in the car adds $1,000 to whatever fine is imposed.
Written any number of ways — a 1st offense DUI, DUI 1st, DUI first offense TN, or a first DUI in TN — and the paperwork will use none of them. Tennessee charges it under a section number, and that is what decides the range below.
Grade. Misdemeanor under § 55-10-402
Confinement. 48 consecutive hours to 11 months and 29 days
Fine. $350 to $1,500
Tennessee Code § 55-10-402 · Tenn. Code § 55-10-402(a)(1); § 55-10-403(a)(1), (5) · checked 2026-09-04
What turns this DUI into something worse
Each line below is a separate provision with its own punishment range. They stack with the arithmetic of prior convictions rather than replacing it.
| The fact | What it makes it | Detail and source |
|---|---|---|
| A reading of 0.15 or more | Seven consecutive days instead of 48 hours | The floor more than triples on the strength of the reading alone. Note that older summaries of this provision cite 0.20 — that figure comes from a version of the subsection that is no longer the one in the code. Tennessee Code § 55-10-402 · Tenn. Code § 55-10-402(a)(1)(B) · checked 2026-09-04 |
The device is a separate track
Tennessee runs the program through the court: you need an Order for Restricted Driver License signed by a judge before any provider will fit the device, plus SR-22 insurance. The order is also what the provider uses to calculate how long you serve, so the paperwork sets the clock.
In Tennessee the interlock term runs Set by the court and is administered by The sentencing court, with the restricted license issued by TN Department of Safety — which is why a plea that settles the criminal case does not settle the device. What counts as a violation on it, and what an agency adds to the term, is its own arithmetic: violations and lockouts. Getting it off at the end is a procedure of its own too — removal and waivers.
Source: The sentencing court, with the restricted license issued by TN Department of Safety
Tennessee DUI questions
Is jail time mandatory for a 1st DUI in Tennessee?
Tennessee sets the floor in consecutive hours rather than days, and raises it sharply for a reading: at 0.15 or more the minimum becomes seven consecutive days instead of 48 hours. The fine floor is mandatory unless the judge finds you indigent. A child under 18 in the car adds $1,000 to whatever fine is imposed.
How likely is jail time for a first DUI in TN?
Start from what the statute forces and what it leaves to the judge. The floor here is 48 consecutive hours to 11 months and 29 days, and it moves on the facts: a reading of 0.15 or more means seven consecutive days instead of 48 hours. Everything above that floor is argued, and the same conviction can end up served in custody, on work release or as a condition of probation depending on the county and the judge. What no one can promise you is a sentence below the statutory minimum — that is not a question of persuasion.
What is the punishment range for a 1st DUI in Tennessee?
Misdemeanor under § 55-10-402: 48 consecutive hours to 11 months and 29 days, and a fine of $350 to $1,500. The range is set by Tenn. Code § 55-10-402(a)(1); § 55-10-403(a)(1), (5), and the figures on this page come from the statute rather than from a summary of it.
What makes it worse in Tennessee?
A reading of 0.15 or more — seven consecutive days instead of 48 hours.
Does an interlock come with it in Tennessee?
Tennessee runs the program through the court: you need an Order for Restricted Driver License signed by a judge before any provider will fit the device, plus SR-22 insurance. The order is also what the provider uses to calculate how long you serve, so the paperwork sets the clock. The device requirement and the criminal penalty are separate tracks: one is handled by the court, the other by The sentencing court, with the restricted license issued by TN Department of Safety.
Other steps in Tennessee: second offense penalties and when it becomes a felony penalties.
All Tennessee DUI rules →Penalties across the states →Tennessee DUI lawyers →Getting the license 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.