If you or someone you know was arrested for a DWI in Texas, the charge code on the paperwork controls everything: the maximum jail exposure, the fine ceiling, whether the case is a misdemeanor or a felony, and what the automatic license consequences are. This page maps every Texas DWI-related charge and links to a full breakdown of each one.
📋 Charge Level Determines Everything
- Class B Misdemeanor — 1st DWI: up to 180 days, $2,000 max fine
- Class A Misdemeanor — High BAC or 2nd DWI: up to 1 year, $4,000 max fine
- State Jail Felony — DWI with child passenger: 180 days–2 years, $10,000 max
- 3rd Degree Felony — 3rd DWI or intoxication assault: 2–10 years, $10,000 max
- 2nd Degree Felony — Intoxication manslaughter: 2–20 years, $10,000 max
The Charge Is What They’re Alleging — Not the Final Word
Every element of a DWI charge — the traffic stop, the field sobriety tests, the breath or blood test — can be challenged. The sooner you have a defense attorney reviewing the evidence, the more options you have.