Nevada DUI School: Rules, Policies, Costs & More

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In the state of Nevada, required DUI (driving under the influence) school is just one of numerous penalties for drunk driving, and it's there for good reason – in 2019, fatal traffic crashes clocked in at 302 statewide, according to the Nevada Departments of Public Safety and Transportation's Zero Fatalities initiative. Virtually anyone convicted of a DUI in Nevada is required to take these DUI courses, so it's key to know the basic ins and outs.

DUI School Enrollment for a First Offense

Per Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 484C, all first-time offenders found guilty of a misdemeanor DUI in Nevada are required to complete a state-certified DUI education program, in addition to penalties such as fines, suspended jail sentences and driver's license revocation. DUI programs may also be required if the defendant is charged with reckless driving rather than a DUI.

As Shouse Law Las Vegas Defense Group notes, DUI offenders with particularly high blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels may be ordered by the judge to attend a Coroner's DUI program in addition to standard DUI school. In these programs, attendees are subjected to often graphic images of dead DUI victims as a deterrent. Similarly, second-time offenders are not usually ordered to take the class again, but may need to complete longer substance abuse or alcohol awareness courses or even enroll in years-long rehab programs (not to mention escalating fines, license revocation and jail time).

Typically, the judge hearing the DUI case sets a deadline for the completion of a standard DUI course. If the defendant fails to complete the course within the deadline (usually three to six months), they may be punished with up to six months in jail, though the judge can grant extensions depending on individual circumstances.

Only Certain DUI Schools Count

Unlike laws common in other states, Nevada accepts both in-person and online DUI courses for satisfying DUI penalties, though both types must be approved by the state. In fact, it's more common to take online courses in Nevada than in-person ones. Out-of-state residents often opt for online courses, too, though they may choose to take in-person classes in their home state with the permission of the Nevada court. Additionally, Nevada accepts correspondence courses, according to Las Vegas attorneys Holland & Tomsheck.

Nevada accepts both in-person and online DUI courses for satisfying DUI penalties, though both types must be approved by the state.

To clear up a common confusion, DUI school is not traffic school, and attending traffic school does not satisfy the court-ordered requirement to attend a DUI program. Perhaps even more confusingly, many establishments that offer state-approved DUI programs also offer traffic school and even have the words "traffic school" in their names. A Nevada DUI course must be taught by a state-certified DUI instructor and approved by the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Certified DUI Schools in Nevada

The Nevada DMV provides a full, up-to-date list of certified DUI schools throughout the state. As of late 2020, that list of in-person, online and correspondence courses includes:

  • 0 1 2 3A Method Driving School (online).

  • 01 DUI Society (online).

  • $59 DUI School (online).
  • $60 DUI School (online).
  • 123 Drive Safe LLC (online).
  • 123 DUI Online (online).
  • 1CheapDUISchool (online).
  • 3R DUI School (Winnemucca).
  • 702 Online Schools (online).
  • A Bargain Nevada Traffic School (online).
  • A Better Nevada Online DUI School (online).
  • AAA Driving Academy (Las Vegas).
  • Abacus DUI Treatment Center (Sparks).
  • ABC Drive Safe (online).
  • ABC Therapy (online, correspondence, Henderson, Las Vegas).
  • Advanced DUI School & Court Counseling Services (Reno).
  • Alcohol Educational Services (online, correspondence).
  • All American Driving School (online, Sparks).
  • Alliance Marijuana DUI School and Counseling (Reno).
  • Anytime Traffic School (online).
  • Aztec DUI and Traffic Safety School (online, correspondence, Las Vegas).
  • Bailey Counseling Associates (Reno).
  • BOSS Court Education LLC (online).
  • Blue Mountain Education, Inc. (online).
  • Cantor's Driving School (online).
  • Center for Behavioral Health Reno (Reno).
  • City of Las Vegas First Offender DUI Program (online, correspondence, Las Vegas).
  • Community DUI School (correspondence, Fallon).
  • Counseling Action Project (correspondence, Las Vegas).
  • Driver Education Center (online).
  • DriveSafeToday.com (online).
  • Good Medicine DUI School (Las Vegas).
  • GotoTrafficSchool.com (online).
  • IMPROV Traffic School (online).
  • Journey to Recovery (correspondence, Las Vegas, Pahrump).
  • LRS Systems, Ltd. (online, correspondence, Las Vegas).
  • Mesa Family Counseling (correspondence, Las Vegas).
  • National Driving and Traffic School (online).
  • New Beginnings Counseling Center (correspondence, Las Vegas).
  • North DUI School (Las Vegas).
  • Northern Nevada Associates (online, correspondence, Elko).
  • Nye Communities Coalition (Pahrump).
  • Options Diversionary Programs LLC (correspondence, Las Vegas).
  • Online CE LLC (online).
  • Online Traffic Education (online).
  • Rural Nevada Counseling (Dayton, Fernley, Yerington).
  • Sierra Counseling Center (Sparks).
  • Smart Choices (online, correspondence, Las Vegas).
  • Solutions DUI Counseling Center (Sparks).
  • Spectrum Accountable Care Company (Henderson, Las Vegas).
  • Stay Alive Traffic School (online, Las Vegas).
  • Tahoe Counseling Center (Stateline).
  • TKO DUI (Battle Mountain).

Nevada DUI Class: What to Expect

In the Sagebrush State, DUI school consists of an eight-hour drug and alcohol-oriented education course. Whether taken at a physical or virtual location, attendees experience a series of lectures, live exercises, homework and audio-visual presentations. Class discussions are also part of the in-person proceedings. At the end of the course, students take a multiple-choice exam and are typically given one chance to retake it upon failing.

As for the subject matter, the Shouse Law says that courses often cover the effects of driving under the influence; DUI laws and consequences; the physical and psychological effects of substance abuse and addiction; the personal and community impacts of DUI; and alternative behaviors and approaches toward drinking and driving.

When taking the in-person route, the driver completes the class in a single, long session with a short break. Online DUI classes offer more flexibility and can typically be taken at the enrollee's individual pace.

Nevada DUI School Fees

DUI school isn't free, and defendants who are convicted of a DUI are expected to pay their own way. As of 2020, enrollees can expect to pay about $60 to $225 for their state-approved DUI course. Higher-level classes imposed as penalties for multiple offenders or those with a high BAC level can cost up to about $325, while fees for Coroner's programs runs roughly $150. While the Nevada DMV licenses and monitors schools, it does not regulate pricing or schedules.

It's also a common business tactic for state-certified DUI classes to offer some sort of guarantee that the enrollee will pass the exam if they pay the course fees. In most cases, students can retake their DUI course's final exam once without having to pay any additional fees.

If all this sounds a little overwhelming, there's no need to worry – court clerks in Nevada can provide defendants with plenty of information about where and how to successfully complete a required DUI program.

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