The state of California takes the crime of driving under the influence (DUI) seriously. That is why there are significant consequences for a DUI conviction, both criminally and in other ways.
If you are convicted of a California DUI, then it will go on two separate records — your driving record and your criminal record.
A DUI will remain on your driving record for a period of 10 years, which starts the day that you were arrested (instead of the date that you were convicted or pled guilty to the charge). Having a DUI on your driving record will affect your ability to obtain insurance at a good rate, and will impact decisions that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) makes about your license. This may include whether to suspend, revoke, or reinstate your license. There is not currently a way to have a DUI taken off of your driving record early.
In contrast, a DUI conviction will stay on your criminal record permanently — whether it is a felony or a misdemeanor offense. However, in certain cases, you can have a DUI expunged and then cleared from your criminal record with the help of a criminal attorney Orange County, CA. If you have served all penalties (including probation), your sentence did not include prison, and you are not currently facing any other criminal charges, you may qualify for expungement of your DUI conviction.
