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Provincial Impaired Driving Information

Getting a DUI in Saskatchewan : SK Impaired Driving Laws

The legal limit of blood alcohol content for drivers in Saskatchewan is 0.08, though Saskatchewan does issue consequences for drivers with a BAC of 0.04 or higher.

License Suspensions

If stopped by a police officer who suspects you have been drinking, your license will immediately be suspended for 24 hours if:

  • You register a blood alcohol content of greater than 0.04
  • You refuse to give a breath sample

If caught driving with a BAC of .04, the consequences are as follows:

  • First offense: 24 hour license suspension
  • Second offense: 24 hour license suspension and a mandatory Driving Without Impairment class
  • Third offense or greater: 90 day license suspension and mandatory addiction screening
Saskatchewan Flag

If convicted of driving while impaired (registering a BAC higher than 0.08), you will face the follow penalties:

  • First offense: one year license suspension
  • Second offense: three year license suspension
  • Third offense or greater: five year license suspension

Saskatchewan, like many other provinces in Canada, has special laws for novice drivers. If you are a driver with less than one year of experience, the following applies if you have any alcohol in your body:

  • First offense: 30 day license suspension and a mandatory Driving Without Impairment class
  • Second offense: 90 day suspension and addiction screening

Alcohol Education or Additional Programs

Before getting your license back, you will have to undergo addiction screening and assessment, for which you must pay a $150 fee. Assessments are based on answers to questions about your previous alcohol and drug use. If addiction is detected, you will be referred to a treatment program that may include weekly meetings or inpatient care depending on the severity of the addiction. Otherwise, you will be assigned to the Driving Without Impairment (DWI) class, where you will learn about the risks associated with drinking and driving. Assigned classes or programs must be completed to reinstate your license.

Do you go to Jail for a DUI?

If convicted of impaired driving in Saskatchewan, you can face up to 14 years in jail. If you are not an America citizen, you will be barred from entering the United States.

If caught driving without a license, you will face the following consequences:

  • Your car can be impounded for 30 days and you must pay for all towing and storage expenses
  • A $2,000 fine
  • Two years imprisonment

Fines, Vehicle Impounding and Additional Conditions

Minimum court fines begin at $1,500 for impaired drivers, which includes a $500 penalty under the Safe Driver Recognition program. Fines have no maximum and are up to the judge's discretion.

In addition, impaired drivers lose many of the benefits of insurance. If an impaired driver is at fault in an accident, they must pay for all damages in full. They also face a minimum fine of $600 with no maximum. Impaired drivers can also expect their insurance premiums to rise.

Some offenders may be eligible to have their license reinstated earlier if they choose to participate in the Ignition Interlock Program. Ignition interlock is a breathalyzer mounted in a vehicle which the driver must blow into before the car will start. The device records all instances or ignitions and must be checked by the installer every 30-60 days.

You may benefit from the Ignition Interlock Program if:

  • You were convicted of driving with a BAC of greater than 0.08 or refusal to blow
  • You have completed all required addiction screening, education and recovery programs

In addition, you must wait for the following duration of time to pass, or a time set by the court, whichever is greater:

  • First offense: three months
  • Second offense: six months
  • Third offense: twelve months

The Ignition Interlock Program is not free. The costs associated with the program include:

  • A one time $150 installation and training fee
  • A $30 administration fee
  • A daily $3.45 monitoring fee
  • A $50 removal fee once the program has ended or a $210 fee if the device must be removed early due to violation

Once installed, the device must remain in the vehicle for the following duration:

  • First offense: one year
  • Second offense: two years
  • Third offense: three years