How Long Does a DUI Stay On My Driving Record in Pennsylvania?

August 25, 2025

In Pennsylvania, a DUI conviction will stay on your driving record for 10 years. Your DUI will no longer count towards sentencing for repeat offenses after 10 years. However, during the full decade that PennDOT is tracking your DUI, it can significantly affect your license status, employment options, insurance rates, and penalties for future DUIs during that time.

At the Law Office of Stephen W. Grosh, our Lancaster, PA, DUI defense attorney can help fight your charges to avoid a conviction or mitigate your potential penalties, negotiate alternatives, such as Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD), or appeal license suspensions that could otherwise haunt you for years.

There’s a Difference Between Your Criminal Record and Driving Record

It’s important to separate your driving record from your criminal record. Your driving record tracks points, suspensions, and DUI convictions for 10 years. It’s primarily used for sentencing and license decisions.

Your criminal record, on the other hand, maintains your DUI conviction permanently unless you qualify for expungement or a pardon. Employers, landlords, and licensing boards usually look at this, not just PennDOT records. This means that even if PennDOT clears your DUI after a decade, a background check by a new employer may still uncover the conviction on your criminal record.

Why the 10-Year Window is Crucial

Pennsylvania’s DUI law also uses a 10-year look-back period, meaning any DUI on your driving record in the last 10 years can increase penalties if you’re arrested again. For instance, a first-time offender may face probation, treatment, or a limited suspension. A second DUI within 10 years brings mandatory jail time, higher fines, and a much longer license suspension.

This 10-year period also matters for insurance. Drivers with a DUI typically pay substantially higher premiums compared to drivers with clean records. In addition, you can’t request the early removal of your DUI conviction. Depending on your situation, however, a Lancaster DUI defense lawyer may prevent it from going on your record in the first place by:

Challenging the legality of the traffic stop or breath test.
Negotiating entry into the ARD program, which, if completed, allows you to avoid a conviction and later seek expungement.
Arguing for reduced charges, such as reckless driving, which may carry less severe consequences.
Represent you in license suspension hearings to safeguard your ability to drive.

10 years is a long time to carry higher insurance rates, risk of harsher sentencing, and potential restrictions on your license. Waiting without acting can cost you thousands of dollars in premiums and limit your ability to drive for work. If you’re a CDL driver, you face even higher stakes. A single DUI can disqualify you from driving commercially for a year. For repeat offenders, the disqualification can be for life, even if the DUI is later cleared from their regular driving record.

Let Our Lancaster, PA, DUI Defense Lawyer Handle Your Case

If you’ve been charged with a DUI, reach out to the Law Office of Stephen W. Grosh today. With the right defense, our Lancaster, PA, DUI defense attorney may be able to keep it off your record, reduce your penalties, or protect your license. Dial 717-208-4599 or complete our online form to schedule your confidential case evaluation.