Arizona Aggravated & Felony DUI Lawyer

Quick Answer

An aggravated DUI is considered a felony in Arizona. Being charged with an aggravated DUI is serious, and we recommend you promptly speak to a criminal defense and DUI attorney who is experienced in handling aggravated DUI cases in Maricopa County.

Free Case Review

What Is Aggravated & Felony DUI Under Arizona Law?

Most DUI charges in Arizona are misdemeanors. Aggravated DUI is not. Under ARS 28-1383, certain DUI arrests are charged as felonies that carry mandatory time in the Arizona Department of Corrections, a three-year license revocation, and the permanent loss of civil rights that comes with any felony conviction. This is prison, not county jail. It is a record that never ages out for future DUI sentencing. And in most cases, the prosecutor cannot simply make the mandatory prison term disappear.

What pushes a DUI from misdemeanor to felony is not how high your blood alcohol reading was. A person can be charged with aggravated DUI at a 0.09. What matters is the presence of one specific aggravating factor at the time of the offense: a suspended license, a third offense in seven years, a child in the car, a required ignition interlock, or driving the wrong way. Any one of these turns an ordinary DUI into a felony. Matthew Lopez Law defends felony DUI charges across Arizona. Contact our firm for a confidential consultation.

The Five Ways a DUI Becomes Aggravated

ARS 28-1383(A) lists five aggravating factors. The presence of any one converts a standard, extreme, or super extreme DUI into a felony:

1. Suspended or revoked license (A)(1). Driving under the influence while your license is suspended, canceled, revoked, or refused, or while your driving privilege is restricted.
2. Third DUI in 84 months (A)(2). A third or subsequent DUI committed within 84 months (seven years) of two prior DUI violations.
3. Child passenger under 15 (A)(3). Committing any DUI while a passenger under 15 years old is in the vehicle.
4. Ignition interlock requirement (A)(4). Driving under the influence while under a court or MVD order requiring a certified ignition interlock device.
5. Wrong-way driving (A)(5). Driving the wrong way on a highway while under the influence. This means driving against the designated direction of travel, not merely crossing a median or coming to rest facing the wrong way after a collision.

Classification: Class 4 or Class 6 Felony

Under ARS 28-1383(O), four of the five aggravating factors produce a Class 4 felony. The child-passenger factor produces a Class 6 felony.

How the 84-Month Lookback Works

The seven-year window under ARS 28-1383(A)(2) is one of the most misunderstood parts of Arizona DUI law. Several rules govern it:

• Measured by offense dates, not conviction dates. The 84 months runs from the date each offense was committed, not when the case resolved.
• Out-of-state DUIs count. A prior conviction from another state counts if the conduct would have been a DUI under Arizona law.
• All DUI levels count. Prior standard, extreme, and super extreme convictions all qualify as priors, not just prior aggravated DUIs.
• Tolling extends the window. Time spent incarcerated or on absconder status from probation does not count toward the 84 months, which effectively lengthens the lookback period.

Mandatory Prison Sentences

Aggravated DUI carries mandatory incarceration in state prison. Unlike misdemeanor DUI, this time cannot be served entirely on work release or home detention, though a limited number of counties operate an aggravated DUI jail program under ARS 28-1383(J) that allows the mandatory term to be served in county jail under specific conditions.

Additional consequences apply to every aggravated DUI conviction: mandatory alcohol or drug screening and treatment, a three-year driver license revocation through the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division, supervised probation with monthly fees, and a 24-month certified ignition interlock requirement after reinstatement (12 months if the DUI involved only drugs).

Felony DUIs Are Permanent Priors

A critical feature of Arizona felony DUI law: once you have a felony aggravated DUI conviction, it can be alleged as a prior for the rest of your life. Misdemeanor DUI priors age out of the 84-month window, but felony DUI priors do not. A second felony DUI committed decades later still triggers the enhanced 2.25-year minimum. This is why the difference between a misdemeanor plea and a felony plea matters far beyond the immediate case.

Defending an Aggravated DUI Charge

Because the aggravating factor is what creates felony exposure, the most effective defense often targets that factor rather than the impairment itself.

Challenging the aggravating factor. If the license suspension was never properly served or noticed, the (A)(1) charge may fail. Arizona requires proof that the driver knew or should have known of the suspension. Defective MVD notice is a recurring issue.

Attacking the prior convictions. For an (A)(2) charge, each alleged prior must be properly proven. Priors obtained without counsel or without a valid waiver, out-of-state convictions that do not match Arizona elements, and offenses that fall outside the 84-month window can all be excluded.

Actual physical control. Arizona uses “driving or actual physical control,” so a parked car can still support a charge. But when the vehicle was not presenting an immediate danger, the state’s proof of actual physical control can be contested based on engine status, key location, driver position, and surrounding circumstances.

Reasonable suspicion and probable cause. If the traffic stop lacked reasonable suspicion, or the arrest lacked probable cause, the resulting evidence can be suppressed under the Fourth Amendment.

Breath and blood testing challenges. Intoxilyzer calibration and quality-assurance records, the observation period, blood draw authorization, chain of custody, and laboratory methodology all present challenge points that can reduce or eliminate the DUI foundation.

Reduction to misdemeanor DUI. When the aggravating factor is legally weak, prosecutors may amend the charge to a misdemeanor under ARS 28-1381 or ARS 28-1382, eliminating both the felony record and the mandatory prison requirement. This is frequently the single most valuable outcome in a felony DUI case.

Set Aside After Completion

Arizona does not offer expungement for most convictions, but a person who completes all terms of an aggravated DUI sentence may petition to have the conviction set aside under ARS 13-905. A set aside does not erase the conviction, but it releases the person from many of the penalties and disabilities and notes the set aside on any background check.

Contact Matthew Lopez Law

Aggravated DUI is a felony with mandatory prison exposure, and Maricopa County in particular enforces early plea deadlines that are typically withdrawn if not accepted. Early defense work on the aggravating factor, the prior convictions, and the testing evidence is essential to preserving every option.

We serve clients in Tempe, Mesa, Apache Junction, Lake Havasu, Parker, and statewide. Payment plans available. Every interaction confidential. Contact us for a free consultation.

DUI Resources

• Arizona DUI & OUI Defense
• First DUI Offense
• Extreme DUI Defense
• Super Extreme DUI Defense
• Operating Under the Influence (Boating)

Maricopa County Superior Court

• Address 201 W Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85003
• Hours Mon–Fri, 8 AM – 5:00 PM
• Phone 602-506-3204

La Paz County Superior Court

• Address 1316 KoFA Ave., Suite 607, Parker, AZ 85344
• Hours Mon–Fri, 8 AM – 5:00 PM
• Phone (928) 669-6131

Apache Junction Justice Court

• Address Roy Hudson Complex, 575 N Idaho Rd, Apache Junction, AZ 85119
• Hours Mon–Fri, 8 AM – 5:00 PM
• Phone 480-982-2921

Lake Havasu County Courthouse

• Address 1695 Mesquite Ave, UNIT 214 Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403
• Hours Mon–Fri, 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
• Phone928-714-7032

Areas Served

• Maricopa County
• Pinal County
• Pima County
• Yavapai County
• Coconino County
• Yuma County
• Navajo County
• Apache County
• La Paz County
• Gila County
• Graham County
• Greenlee County
• Mohave County
• Cochise County
• Santa Cruz County

• Maricopa County: 85003, 85004, 85006, 85007, 85008, 85009, 85012, 85013, 85014, 85015, 85016, 85017, 85018, 85019, 85020, 85021, 85022, 85023, 85024, 85027, 85028, 85029, 85031, 85032, 85033, 85034, 85035, 85037, 85040, 85041, 85042, 85043, 85044, 85045, 85048, 85050, 85051, 85053, 85054, 85083, 85085, 85086, 85087, 85142, 85201, 85202, 85203, 85204, 85205, 85206, 85207, 85208, 85209, 85210, 85212, 85213, 85215, 85224, 85225, 85226, 85233, 85234, 85248, 85249, 85250, 85251, 85253, 85254, 85255, 85256, 85257, 85258, 85259, 85260, 85262, 85264, 85266, 85268, 85269, 85281, 85282, 85283, 85284, 85295, 85296, 85297, 85298, 85301, 85302, 85303, 85304, 85305, 85306, 85307, 85308, 85310, 85323, 85326, 85327, 85331, 85338, 85339, 85340, 85345, 85351, 85353, 85358, 85363, 85373, 85374, 85375, 85378, 85379, 85381, 85382, 85383, 85387, 85388, 85390, 85392, 85395
• Pinal County: 85118, 85119, 85120, 85121, 85122, 85123, 85128, 85130, 85131, 85132, 85137, 85138, 85139, 85140, 85141, 85143, 85145, 85172, 85173, 85191, 85192, 85193, 85194, 85272, 85273, 85292
• Pima County: 85629, 85641, 85653, 85654, 85658, 85701, 85704, 85705, 85706, 85707, 85708, 85710, 85711, 85712, 85713, 85714, 85715, 85716, 85718, 85719, 85723, 85724, 85726, 85730, 85735, 85736, 85737, 85739, 85741, 85742, 85743, 85745, 85746, 85747, 85748, 85749, 85750, 85755, 85756, 85757
• Yavapai County: 86301, 86302, 86303, 86304, 86305, 86312, 86313, 86314, 86315, 86320, 86321, 86322, 86323, 86324, 86325, 86326, 86327, 86329, 86331, 86332, 86333, 86334, 86335, 86336, 86337, 86338, 86340, 86341, 86342, 86343, 86351
• Coconino County: 86001, 86002, 86003, 86004, 86005, 86011, 86015, 86016, 86017, 86018, 86020, 86022, 86023, 86024, 86035, 86036, 86038, 86040, 86044, 86045, 86046, 86047, 86053, 86054
• Yuma County: 85346, 85347, 85348, 85349, 85350, 85356, 85364, 85365, 85366, 85367, 85369
• Navajo County: 85901, 85902, 85911, 85912, 85920, 85924, 85925, 85926, 85928, 85929, 85930, 85931, 85932, 85934, 85935, 85936, 85937, 85939, 85940, 85942, 86025, 86028, 86029, 86031, 86032, 86033, 86034, 86042
• Apache County: 85920, 85925, 85939, 86502, 86503, 86504, 86505, 86506, 86507, 86508, 86510, 86511, 86512, 86514, 86515, 86520, 86535, 86538, 86540, 86544, 86545, 86547
• La Paz County: 85325, 85328, 85334, 85344, 85346, 85348, 85354, 85357, 85359, 85360
• Gila County: 85192, 85501, 85530, 85532, 85535, 85539, 85541, 85542, 85543, 85544, 85545, 85546, 85547, 85550
• Graham County: 85531, 85534, 85536, 85543, 85546, 85548, 85550, 85551, 85552, 85553
• Greenlee County: 85533, 85534, 85540
• Mohave County: 86401, 86402, 86403, 86404, 86405, 86406, 86409, 86411, 86412, 86413, 86426, 86427, 86429, 86430, 86431, 86432, 86433, 86434, 86435, 86436, 86437, 86438, 86439, 86440, 86441, 86442, 86443, 86444, 86445, 86446
• Cochise County: 85602, 85603, 85605, 85606, 85607, 85608, 85609, 85610, 85611, 85613, 85615, 85616, 85617, 85619, 85620, 85625, 85626, 85627, 85630, 85632, 85635, 85636, 85638, 85643, 85644, 85645, 85650
• Santa Cruz County: 85621, 85624, 85628, 85633, 85637, 85640, 85646, 85648