Super Extreme DUI in Arizona
Super extreme DUI is a BAC of .20 or more, the highest misdemeanor DUI tier. The mandatory jail floor is 45 days. The whole case rests on the reading, and the reading is challengeable.
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- Super extreme DUI means a BAC of .20 or higher. It is the top tier of misdemeanor DUI, one step below a felony aggravated DUI.
- It carries a 45-day mandatory jail floor. All but 14 of those days can be suspended when you complete alcohol screening and install a certified ignition interlock.
- It is still a class 1 misdemeanor, not a felony, unless an aggravating factor turns it into an aggravated DUI.
- At .20 and above, the reading is the whole case. The accuracy of the breath or blood test is where the fight is.
What Makes a DUI "Super Extreme" in Arizona
Super extreme DUI is the highest misdemeanor DUI tier, a BAC of .20 or more. The mandatory jail floor climbs to 45 consecutive days, the fines rise, and the interlock period runs longer. It sits one step below a felony aggravated DUI.
Because the tier is defined entirely by the number, the accuracy of that number is where these cases are won or lost. Breath machines have a margin of error, blood samples can be drawn or stored badly, and alcohol keeps rising after the last drink. A lower proven reading can pull the charge down a tier, and a real problem with the stop can end it.
How Arizona Charges Super Extreme DUI
| The charge | What the law says | What is at stake |
|---|---|---|
| Super extreme DUI, BAC .20 or more | A.R.S. § 28-1382(A)(2) | Class 1 misdemeanor, 45 consecutive days in jail, all but 14 suspendable with a certified interlock. |
| Extreme DUI, the tier below | § 28-1382(A)(1) | BAC .15 to .199, a 30-day floor. |
| Regular DUI, the baseline | § 28-1381 | Impaired to the slightest degree or BAC .08 to .149. |
| If an aggravating factor applies | § 28-1383 | A suspended license, a child under 15, or a third DUI turns it into a felony. |
Where a Super Extreme DUI Can Break
Challenge the stop
If the police lacked a real reason to pull you over, the breath or blood evidence that followed can be suppressed.
Challenge the number
At .20 and up the reading is everything. We order an independent blood retest and question the machine's calibration, the margin of error, and how the sample was drawn and stored.
Pull the tier down
A proven reading below .20 drops the charge to extreme DUI and cuts the jail floor from 45 days to 30. Below .15 it drops again to a regular DUI.
Protect your license
We handle your Arizona MVD hearing in-house at no extra cost, so the fight for your license is not one more thing on you.
Your defense is led by Brielle Schumpe, our lead criminal defense lawyer.
Brielle leads criminal defense at Future First. She built her practice around one job: protecting people when their record, their job, and their freedom are on the line.
She challenges the stop, tests the evidence, protects your rights, and pushes the prosecutor for the best result your case allows.
You will know her by name. She will tell you the truth about your case, not what is easy to hear.
We Have Done This Before
Recent Maricopa County outcomes our clients have lived: a Tolleson super extreme DUI reduced two tiers to the slightest degree, a Phoenix super extreme DUI with the 18-month interlock waived and jail days cut, and a Desert Ridge super extreme DUI reduced two tiers to a standard DUI. Every case turns on its own evidence, and past results do not guarantee a future one.
For the full picture, read our Arizona DUI defense overview and the Arizona DUI laws guide. The tier below is extreme DUI, and if a factor applies, see aggravated DUI.
I have been where you are.
When I was young, I got a DUI. I owned the mistake and took the plea. My public defender told me to go to the MVD and get a new license. I trusted him.
A month later I was a passenger in a friend’s car, not driving, when a police officer pulled us over for expired tags. The officer took everyone’s ID. Because my license was suspended the moment I handed mine over, he treated my real license as a fake ID and arrested me.
I offered my passport to prove who I was. The officer told me to tell it to the judge. The prosecutor said the same. I was a broke college student, so I represented myself at trial. The judge said he did not have the power to drop it. Only the officer or the prosecutor did, and they refused. I was convicted for handing over my own ID.
I finished law school in two years, seventh in my class, and passed the bar on my first try. The conviction still cost me a year of my career and a job I had already earned.
Everyone who was supposed to protect me failed me. The officer, the prosecutor, the limits on the judge, and my own lawyer. This is why Future First exists. You need someone in your corner who fights for you and tells you the truth.
Super Extreme DUI Questions People Ask
What is a super extreme DUI in Arizona?
It is a DUI with a BAC of .20 or higher, the top tier of misdemeanor DUI. The jail floor and fines are the steepest of any misdemeanor DUI, but the reading that defines the tier is challengeable.
What BAC is super extreme DUI?
A blood or breath alcohol concentration of .20 or more. Between .15 and .199 the charge is extreme DUI, with a shorter jail floor.
How much jail time does a super extreme DUI carry?
The mandatory floor is 45 consecutive days. Arizona law lets a judge suspend all but 14 of those days when you complete alcohol screening and install a certified ignition interlock.
Is a super extreme DUI a felony?
No, not by itself. It is a class 1 misdemeanor. It becomes a felony only if an aggravating factor applies, like a suspended license, a child under 15 in the car, or a third DUI within seven years.
Can a .20 reading be challenged?
Yes. Breath machines carry a margin of error, blood can be mishandled, and alcohol keeps absorbing after the last drink. A lower proven reading pulls the charge down a tier, and sometimes out of the extreme range entirely.
What is the difference between super extreme and extreme DUI?
The number. Super extreme is .20 or higher with a 45-day floor. Extreme is .15 to .199 with a 30-day floor. See our extreme DUI page for that tier.
Will I lose my license for a super extreme DUI?
A conviction brings a license suspension, and there is a short window to request an MVD hearing to fight it. We handle that hearing in-house at no extra cost.
Do I need a lawyer for a super extreme DUI?
Yes. This is the highest misdemeanor DUI tier, with a 45-day floor, and the case rests on a single number. A lawyer who knows how to attack the stop and the testing is what protects your record and your freedom.
The Highest Tier Is Still a Fight You Can Win
The sooner we start, the more we can protect. Tell us what happened in a free, confidential consultation, and you will leave knowing your options, your deadlines, and your exact flat fee.