(a) A person commits the crime of driving while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, inhalant, or controlled substance if the person operates or drives a motor vehicle or operates an aircraft or a watercraft

Attorney's Note

Under the Alaska Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class C felonyup to 5 yearsup to $50,000
Class A misdemeanorup to 1 yearup to $25,000
For details, see Alaska Stat. § 12.55.125 and Alaska Stat. § 12.55.135

Terms Used In Alaska Statutes 28.35.030

  • action: includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • commercial motor vehicle: means a motor vehicle or a combination of a motor vehicle and one or more other vehicles
    (A) used to transport passengers or property. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
  • commercial purposes: means activities for which a person receives direct monetary compensation or activities for which a person receives no direct monetary compensation but that are incidental to and done in furtherance of the person's business. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
  • commissioner: means the commissioner of administration. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • criminal justice information: has the meaning given in Alaska Stat. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • department: means the Department of Administration. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
  • driver: means a person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • license: when used in relation to driver licensing, means a license, provisional license, or permit to drive a motor vehicle, or the privilege to drive or to obtain a license to drive a motor vehicle, under the laws of this state whether or not a person holds a valid license issued in this or another jurisdiction. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
  • motor vehicle: means a vehicle which is self-propelled except a vehicle moved by human or animal power. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
  • municipality: means a political subdivision incorporated under the laws of the state that is a home rule or general law city, a home rule or general law borough, or a unified municipality. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • peace officer: means
    (A) an officer of the state troopers. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, organization, business trust, or society, as well as a natural person. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • Presentence report: A report prepared by a court's probation officer, after a person has been convicted of an offense, summarizing for the court the background information needed to determine the appropriate sentence. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • revoke: means the termination, by formal action of the Department of Public Safety or the Department of Administration or by formal action of a court, of a certification, registration, license, permit, or privilege issued or allowed under this title or regulations adopted under this title. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
  • state: means the State of Alaska unless applied to the different parts of the United States and in the latter case it includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • suspend: means the temporary withdrawal, by formal action of the Department of Public Safety or the Department of Administration or by formal action of a court, of a certificate, registration, license, permit, or privilege issued or allowed under this title or regulations adopted under this title, effective for a period of time which must be specifically designated by the appropriate department or by the court. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
  • vehicle: means a device in, upon, or by which a person or property may be transported or drawn upon or immediately over a highway or vehicular way or area. See Alaska Statutes 28.90.990
(1) while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, intoxicating liquor, inhalant, or any controlled substance, singly or in combination; or
(2) and if, as determined by a chemical test taken within four hours after the alleged operating or driving, there is 0.08 percent or more by weight of alcohol in the person’s blood or 80 milligrams or more of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, or if there is 0.08 grams or more of alcohol per 210 liters of the person’s breath.
(b) Except as provided under (n) of this section, driving while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, inhalant, or controlled substance is a class A misdemeanor. Upon conviction,

(1) the court shall impose a minimum sentence of imprisonment of

(A) not less than 72 consecutive hours, require the person to use an ignition interlock device after the person regains the privilege, including any limited privilege, to operate a motor vehicle for a minimum of six months, and impose a fine of not less than $1,500 if the person has not been previously convicted;
(B) not less than 20 days, require the person to use an ignition interlock device after the person regains the privilege, including any limited privilege, to operate a motor vehicle for a minimum of 12 months, and impose a fine of not less than $3,000 if the person has been previously convicted once;
(C) not less than 60 days, require the person to use an ignition interlock device after the person regains the privilege, including any limited privilege, to operate a motor vehicle for a minimum of 18 months, and impose a fine of not less than $4,000 if the person has been previously convicted twice and is not subject to punishment under (n) of this section;
(D) not less than 120 days, require the person to use an ignition interlock device after the person regains the privilege, including any limited privilege, to operate a motor vehicle for a minimum of 24 months, and impose a fine of not less than $5,000 if the person has been previously convicted three times and is not subject to punishment under (n) of this section;
(E) not less than 240 days, require the person to use an ignition interlock device after the person regains the privilege, including any limited privilege, to operate a motor vehicle for a minimum of 30 months, and impose a fine of not less than $6,000 if the person has been previously convicted four times and is not subject to punishment under (n) of this section;
(F) not less than 360 days, require the person to use an ignition interlock device after the person regains the privilege, including any limited privilege, to operate a motor vehicle for a minimum of 36 months, and impose a fine of not less than $7,000 if the person has been previously convicted more than four times and is not subject to punishment under (n) of this section;
(2) the court may not

(A) suspend execution of sentence or grant probation except on condition that the person

(i) serve the minimum imprisonment under (1) of this subsection;
(ii) pay the minimum fine required under (1) of this subsection;
(B) suspend imposition of sentence; or
(C) suspend the requirement for an ignition interlock device for a violation of (a)(1) of this section involving an alcoholic beverage or intoxicating liquor, singly or in combination, or a violation of (a)(2) of this section;
(3) the court shall revoke the person’s driver‘s license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license under Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181, and may order that the motor vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft that was used in commission of the offense be forfeited under Alaska Stat. § 28.35.036; and
(4) the court may order that the person, while incarcerated or as a condition of probation or parole, take a drug or combination of drugs intended to prevent the consumption of an alcoholic beverage; a condition of probation or parole imposed under this paragraph is in addition to any other condition authorized under another provision of law.
(c)[Repealed, Sec. 34 ch 119 SLA 1990].
(d) Except as prohibited by federal law or regulation, every provider of treatment programs to which persons are ordered under this section shall supply the judge, prosecutor, defendant, and an agency involved in the defendant’s treatment with information and reports concerning the defendant’s past and present assessment, treatment, and progress. Information compiled under this subsection is confidential and may only be used in connection with court proceedings involving the defendant’s treatment, including use by a court in sentencing a person convicted under this section, or by an officer of the court in preparing a presentence report for the use of the court in sentencing a person convicted under this section.
(e) A person who is sentenced to imprisonment for 72 consecutive hours upon a first conviction under this section and who is not released from imprisonment after 72 hours may not bring an action against the state or a municipality or its agents, officers, or employees for damages resulting from the additional period of confinement if

(1) the employee or employees who released the person exercised due care and, in releasing the person, followed the standard release procedures of the prison facility; and
(2) the additional period of confinement did not exceed 12 hours.
(f)[Repealed, Sec. 34 ch 119 SLA 1990].
(g) Notwithstanding (b) of this section, the court may reduce the fine required to be imposed under (b) of this section by the cost of the ignition interlock device.
(h) The court shall order a person convicted under this section to satisfy the screening, evaluation, referral, and program requirements of an alcohol safety action program if such a program is available in the community where the person resides, or a private or public treatment facility approved by the Department of Health, under Alaska Stat. Chapter 47.37 to make referrals for rehabilitative treatment or to provide rehabilitative treatment. If a person is convicted under (n) of this section, the court shall order the person to be evaluated as required by this subsection before the court imposes sentence for the offense.
(i) A program of inpatient treatment may be required by the authorized agency under (h) of this section only if authorized in the judgment, and may not exceed the maximum term of inpatient treatment specified in the judgment. A person who has been referred for inpatient treatment under this subsection may make a written request to the sentencing court asking the court to review the referral. The request for review shall be made within seven days of the agency’s referral, and shall specifically set out the grounds upon which the request for review is based. The court may order a hearing on the request for review.
(j) If a person fails to satisfy the requirements of an authorized agency under (i) of this section, the court

(1) may impose any portion of a suspended sentence; however, if the person was convicted under (n) of this section, the court shall impose a part or all of the remaining portion of any suspended sentence;
(2) may punish the failure as contempt of the authority of the court under Alaska Stat. § 09.50.010 or as a violation of a condition of probation; and
(3) shall order the revocation or suspension of the person’s driver’s license, privilege to drive, and privilege to obtain a driver’s license until the requirements are satisfied.
(k) Imprisonment required under (b)(1)(A) of this section shall be served at a community residential center or by electronic monitoring at a private residence under Alaska Stat. § 33.30.065. If a community residential center or electronic monitoring at a private residence is not available, imprisonment required under (b)(1)(A) of this section may be served at another appropriate place determined by the commissioner of corrections. Imprisonment required under (b)(1)(B) – (F) of this section may be served at a community residential center or at a private residence if approved by the commissioner of corrections. Imprisonment served at a private residence must include electronic monitoring under Alaska Stat. § 33.30.065 . The cost of imprisonment resulting from the sentence imposed under (b)(1) of this section shall be paid to the state by the person being sentenced. The cost of imprisonment required to be paid under this subsection may not exceed $2,000. Upon the person’s conviction, the court shall include the costs of imprisonment as a part of the judgment of conviction. Except for reimbursement from a permanent fund dividend as provided in this subsection, payment of the cost of imprisonment is not required if the court determines the person is indigent. For costs of imprisonment that are not paid by the person as required by this subsection, the state shall seek reimbursement from the person’s permanent fund dividend as provided under Alaska Stat. § 43.23.140. A person sentenced under (b)(1)(B) of this section shall perform at least 160 hours of community service work, as required by the director of the community residential center or other appropriate place, or as required by the commissioner of corrections if the sentence is being served at a private residence. In this subsection, “appropriate place” means a facility with 24-hour on-site staff supervision that is specifically adapted to provide a residence, and includes a correctional center, residential treatment facility, hospital, halfway house, group home, work farm, work camp, or other place that provides varying levels of restriction.
(l) The commissioner of corrections shall determine and prescribe by regulation a uniform average cost of imprisonment for the purpose of determining the cost of imprisonment required to be paid under (k) of this section by a convicted person. The regulations must include the costs associated with electronic monitoring under Alaska Stat. § 33.30.065.
(m) If the act for which a person is convicted under this section contributes to a motor vehicle accident, the court shall order the person to pay the reasonable cost of any emergency services that responded to the accident, if the convicted person or the convicted person’s insurer has not already paid the cost of the emergency services. If payment is required under this subsection, the payment shall be made directly to the emergency service and shall be equal to the actual cost of responding to the accident or the previous year’s annual average cost of responding to a motor vehicle accident, whichever is higher. In this subsection, “emergency service” includes a peace officer, fire department, ambulance service, emergency medical technician or emergency trauma technician.
(n) A person is guilty of a class C felony if the person is convicted under (a) of this section and either has been previously convicted two or more times since January 1, 1996, and within the 10 years preceding the date of the present offense, or punishment under this subsection or under Alaska Stat. § 28.35.032 (p) was previously imposed within the last 10 years. For purposes of determining minimum sentences based on previous convictions, the provisions of (u)(4) of this section apply. Upon conviction, the court

(1) shall impose a fine of not less than $10,000, require the person to use an ignition interlock device after the person regains the privilege to operate a motor vehicle for a minimum of 60 months, and impose a minimum sentence of imprisonment of not less than

(A) 120 days if the person has been previously convicted twice;
(B) 240 days if the person has been previously convicted three times;
(C) 360 days if the person has been previously convicted four or more times;
(2) may not

(A) suspend execution of sentence or grant probation except on condition that the person

(i) serve the minimum imprisonment under (1) of this subsection;
(ii) pay the minimum fine required under (1) of this subsection;
(B) suspend imposition of sentence; or
(C) suspend the requirement for an ignition interlock device for a violation of (a)(1) of this section involving an alcoholic beverage or intoxicating liquor, singly or in combination, or a violation of (a)(2) of this section;
(3) shall permanently revoke the person’s driver’s license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license subject to restoration of the license under (o) of this section;
(4) may order that the person, while incarcerated or as a condition of probation or parole, take a drug or combination of drugs intended to prevent the consumption of an alcoholic beverage; a condition of probation or parole imposed under this paragraph is in addition to any other condition authorized under another provision of law;
(5) shall order forfeiture under Alaska Stat. § 28.35.036 of the vehicle, watercraft, or aircraft used in the commission of the offense, subject to remission under Alaska Stat. § 28.35.037; and
(6) shall order the department to revoke the registration for any vehicle registered by the department in the name of the person convicted under this subsection; if a person convicted under this subsection is a registered co-owner of a vehicle or is registered as a co-owner under a business name, the department shall reissue the vehicle registration and omit the name of the person convicted under this subsection.
(o) Upon request, the department shall review a driver’s license revocation imposed under (n)(3) of this section and, unless the revocation was ordered under (v) or (w) of this section or in a case in which the person was also convicted of a crime under Alaska Stat. § 11.41.100 – 11.41.210, 11.41.280, 11.41.282, or a similar law in another jurisdiction,

(1) may restore the driver’s license if

(A) the license has been revoked for a period of at least 10 years;
(B) the person has not been convicted of a driving-related criminal offense or a felony in the 10 years preceding the request for restoration of the license; and
(C) the person provides proof of financial responsibility;
(2) shall restore the driver’s license if

(A) the person has been granted limited license privileges under Alaska Stat. § 28.15.201 (g) and has successfully driven under that limited license for three years without having the limited license privileges revoked;
(B) the person has successfully completed a court-ordered treatment program under Alaska Stat. § 28.35.030 or 28.35.032″ class=”unlinked-ref” datatype=”S” sessionyear=”2023″ statecd=”AK”>Alaska Stat. § 28.35.028 or a rehabilitative treatment program under Alaska Stat. § 28.15.201 (h);
(C) the person has not been convicted of a violation of Alaska Stat. § 28.35.030 or 28.35.032 or a similar law or ordinance of this or another jurisdiction since the license was revoked;
(D) the person is otherwise eligible to have the person’s driving privileges restored as provided in Alaska Stat. § 28.15.211; in an application under this subsection, a person whose license was revoked for a violation of Alaska Stat. § 28.35.030 (n) or 28.35.032 (p) is not required to submit compliance as required under Alaska Stat. § 28.35.030 (h) or 28.35.032(l); and
(E) the person provides proof of financial responsibility.
(p)[Repealed, Sec. 7 ch 56 SLA 2006].
(q) For purposes of this section, the director of the division within the department responsible for administration of this section or a person designated by the director may request and receive criminal justice information available under Alaska Stat. Chapter 12.62. In this subsection, “criminal justice information” has the meaning given in Alaska Stat. § 12.62.900.
(r)[Repealed, Sec. 12 ch 85 SLA 2010].
(s) In a prosecution under (a) of this section, a person may introduce evidence on the amount of alcohol consumed before or after operating or driving the motor vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft to rebut or explain the results of a chemical test, but the consumption of alcohol before operating or driving may not be used as a defense that the chemical test did not measure the blood alcohol at the time of the operating or driving. Consumption of alcohol after operating or driving the motor vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft may be used to raise such a defense.
(t) Notwithstanding (b) or (n) of this section, the court shall waive the requirement of the use of an ignition interlock device when a person operates a motor vehicle in a community included on the list published by the department under Alaska Stat. § 28.22.011 (b).
(u) In this section,

(1) “inhalant” has the meaning given to the phrase “hazardous volatile material or substance” in Alaska Stat. § 47.37.270;
(2) “operate an aircraft” means to navigate, pilot, or taxi an aircraft in the airspace over this state, or upon the land or water inside this state;
(3) “operate a watercraft” means to navigate a vessel used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water for recreational or commercial purposes on all waters, fresh or salt, inland or coastal, inside the territorial limits or under the jurisdiction of the state;
(4) “previously convicted” means having been convicted in this or another jurisdiction within the 15 years preceding the date of the present offense of any of the following offenses; however, convictions for any of these offenses, if arising out of a single transaction and a single arrest, are considered one previous conviction:

(A) operating a motor vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft in violation of this section or in violation of another law or ordinance with similar elements, except that the other law or ordinance may provide for a lower level of alcohol in the person’s blood or breath than imposed under (a)(2) of this section;
(B) refusal to submit to a chemical test in violation of Alaska Stat. § 28.35.032 or in violation of another law or ordinance with similar elements; or
(C) operating a commercial motor vehicle in violation of Alaska Stat. § 28.33.030 or in violation of another law or ordinance with similar elements, except that the other law or ordinance may provide for a lower level of alcohol in the person’s blood or breath than imposed under Alaska Stat. § 28.33.030 (a)(2).
(v) In addition to the penalties imposed under (n) of this section, if a person is convicted under (n) of this section and has been convicted two or more times under (n) of this section or a similar law of another jurisdiction at any time preceding the date of the present offense, upon conviction, the court shall permanently revoke the person’s driver’s license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license.
(w) In addition to the penalties imposed under (b) of this section, if a person is convicted under (a) of this section and the person has previously had the person’s driver’s license restored under (o) of this section or under Alaska Stat. § 28.35.032 (q), upon conviction, the court shall permanently revoke the person’s driver’s license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license.
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