How Much Does Bail Cost for a DWI in Dallas County?
Southern Bail Bonds is a local Dallas County bail bondsman that helps families get their loved ones out of jail on DWI charges, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If somebody you know just got picked up for drunk driving in Dallas, you want to know what it’s going to cost to get them home. Based on Dallas County court records, bail for DWI charges usually falls somewhere between $250 to $100,000
Good news though, you don’t need all that money up front. You typically pay a fee of around 10% of the bail amount and Southern Bail Bonds covers the rest. We work with you on payments and don’t run your credit.
Most bail bonds companies will take your money, but getting someone out fast takes experience. Southern Bail Bonds has been working Dallas County courts for over 30 years. We know the judges, we know the process at Lew Sterrett and the city jails, and we know how to move. Most of our clients are out the same day, many within a few hours of the bond being posted.
DWI Bail Amounts in Dallas County
Here’s what bail looks like depending on the charge.
| Charge | Classification | Typical Bail Range |
|---|---|---|
| DWI (First Offense) | Class B Misdemeanor | $250 – $10,000 |
| DWI with Open Container | Class B Misdemeanor | $500 – $10,000 |
| DWI with BAC 0.15 or Higher | Class A Misdemeanor | $1,000 – $2,500 |
| DWI (2nd Offense) | Class A Misdemeanor | $1,500 – $100,000 |
| DWI (3rd or More) | 3rd Degree Felony | $7,500 – $25,000 |
These ranges come from Dallas County court records. Judges have discretion under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 17.15, so individual amounts vary.
How Much Is Bail for a First Time DWI in Dallas?
If this is the first time you or someone you know got pulled over and charged with drunk driving, that’s Texas Penal Code Sec. 49.04(a). The formal charge: “a person commits an offense if the person is intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle in a public place.” Under Texas law, “intoxicated” means either “not having the normal use of mental or physical faculties by reason of the introduction of alcohol, a controlled substance, a drug, or a combination of those substances into the body” or “having an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more.”
A first-offense DWI is a Class B misdemeanor in Texas, punishable by 72 hours to 180 days in jail and a fine up to $2,000. Yes, there’s a mandatory minimum of 72 hours in jail, even on a first offense.
| Stat | Amount |
|---|---|
| Minimum | $250 |
| Median | $1,000 |
| Maximum | $10,000 |
Most first-time DWI defendants in Dallas County received bail between $500 and $1,500. This is the most common DWI charge we see.
How Much Is Bail for a DWI with an Open Container?
If there was an open beer, bottle, or any alcohol in the car when they got pulled over, the charge gets bumped up under Sec. 49.04(c). The statute says: “if it is shown on the trial of an offense under this section that at the time of the offense the person operating the motor vehicle had an open container of alcohol in the person’s immediate possession, the offense is a Class B misdemeanor, with a minimum term of confinement of six days.”
It’s still a Class B misdemeanor, but the mandatory jail time jumps from 72 hours to 6 days. That’s a big difference when you’re the one sitting in a cell.
| Stat | Amount |
|---|---|
| Minimum | $500 |
| Median | $1,250 |
| Maximum | $10,000 |
Bail for DWI with open container runs a little higher than a standard first offense. In the cases we reviewed, most fell between $500 and $2,500.
How Much Is Bail If You Blew Over a .15 in Dallas?
If the blood or breath test came back at 0.15 or higher (almost twice the legal limit), the charge gets upgraded under Sec. 49.04(d): “if it is shown on the trial of an offense under this section that an analysis of a specimen of the person’s blood, breath, or urine showed an alcohol concentration level of 0.15 or more at the time the analysis was performed, the offense is a Class A misdemeanor.”
That bumps it from a Class B to a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in jail and a fine up to $4,000. The court will also require an ignition interlock device on your vehicle as a condition of bond.
| Stat | Amount |
|---|---|
| Minimum | $1,000 |
| Median | $2,005 |
| Maximum | $2,500 |
In the cases we reviewed, bail for high-BAC DWI stayed in a fairly tight range. But your amount could differ depending on the circumstances.
How Much Is Bail for a Second DWI in Dallas?
If this isn’t the first time, the stakes go way up. Under Sec. 49.09(a), “an offense under Section 49.04 is a Class A misdemeanor, with a minimum term of confinement of 30 days, if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the person has previously been convicted one time of an offense relating to the operating of a motor vehicle while intoxicated.”
That’s a Class A misdemeanor with a mandatory 30 days in jail that cannot be waived or suspended, up to 1 year total, and a fine up to $4,000. The court will also require an ignition interlock device and your license gets suspended for at least a year.
| Stat | Amount |
|---|---|
| Minimum | $1,500 |
| Median | $3,500 |
| Maximum | $100,000 |
Most second-offense DWI bail in Dallas County fell between $1,500 and $5,000. That $100,000 outlier likely involved other charges or a history of missed court dates. Your amount will depend on your record and the judge.
How Much Is Bail for a Felony DWI (3rd or More) in Dallas?
A third DWI is where it goes from bad to life-changing. Under Sec. 49.09(b), “an offense under Section 49.04 is a felony of the third degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the person has previously been convicted two times of any other offense relating to the operating of a motor vehicle while intoxicated.”
That’s a 3rd degree felony in Texas, punishable by 2 to 10 years in state prison (TDCJ) and a fine up to $10,000. This is prison time, not county jail. You also lose your right to vote, own firearms, and it can end professional licenses.
| Stat | Amount |
|---|---|
| Minimum | $7,500 |
| Median | $8,750 |
| Maximum | $25,000 |
Felony DWI bail in Dallas County consistently runs $7,500 and up. In the cases we reviewed, most fell between $7,500 and $15,000, though yours could be higher depending on your history.
Will My License Get Suspended for a DWI in Texas?
Almost certainly, yes. Texas has two separate ways to suspend your license after a DWI arrest.
Administrative License Revocation (ALR): This happens automatically through the Texas Department of Public Safety, separate from the criminal case. If you failed the breath or blood test, your license gets suspended for 90 days (first offense) or 1 year (if you have a prior). If you refused the test, it’s 180 days (first) or 2 years (prior).
Criminal conviction suspension: If you’re convicted, the court suspends your license for 90 days to 1 year on a first offense, 1 year mandatory on a second, and 180 days to 2 years on a felony DWI.
You have 15 days from your arrest to request an ALR hearing to fight the administrative suspension. If you miss that window, the suspension goes into effect automatically on the 40th day after arrest.
Will I Need a Breathalyzer on My Car?
An ignition interlock device (a breathalyzer wired into your car’s ignition) is required in these situations:
- BAC of 0.15 or higher on any DWI (as a condition of bond)
- Second DWI within 5 years (mandatory under Sec. 49.09(h))
- Third or subsequent DWI (mandatory)
- As a condition of getting an occupational (restricted) license during suspension
The device costs come out of your pocket and it has to stay installed for at least a year after your license is reinstated.
Why Is My Bail Amount Different From Someone Else’s?
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 17.15 requires judges to consider 7 factors when setting bail:
- The defendant’s ability to pay
- The nature of the offense and circumstances
- The defendant’s criminal history
- Whether the defendant poses a safety risk
- The defendant’s ties to the community (employment, family, length of residence)
- Whether the defendant is a U.S. citizen
- Any prior failures to appear in court
Bail isn’t a fixed number for any charge. Two people arrested for the same DWI offense can receive different bail amounts based on these factors.
Can They Deny Bail for a DWI in Dallas?
It’s rare for DWI, but possible. Under Texas Proposition 3 (effective January 1, 2026), judges can deny bail for defendants charged with violent offenses who are already out on bail for another felony. A felony DWI (3rd or more) could fall under this if you’re already out on bond for something else.
In the Dallas County records we reviewed, no DWI defendants had bail denied. But bail can still be set very high if you have a long record or outstanding warrants.
What If Bail Is Too High? Can It Be Lowered?
If bail is set higher than you can afford, a defense attorney can file a motion to reduce bail under Article 17.15. The attorney argues that the bail amount is excessive based on the defendant’s circumstances: income, employment, community ties, and lack of flight risk.
Bail reduction hearings are common in Dallas County. They don’t guarantee a lower amount, but they’re worth pursuing when bail creates an unreasonable financial burden.
Need Help Posting Bail for a DWI in Dallas?
Southern Bail Bonds posts bail bonds for all DWI charges in Dallas County, from first-offense misdemeanors to felony third-offense DWI. Licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance (Dallas County License #258, BBB A+ rated), our agents are available 24/7 and can process your bond by phone.
You don’t need the full bail amount. With a bail bond, you pay a percentage of the bail (typically 10%) and Southern Bail Bonds posts the rest. Flexible payment plans are available with no credit check required.
Call (214) 372-2500 Now – Agents standing by across from Lew Sterrett Justice Center
If you enjoyed this article, check out these other articles regarding cost of bail bonds:
How to Get Someone Out of Jail When You Cannot Afford Bail
How Much Is Bail for Assault Charges?