North Dakota
CHAPTER 39-08
REGULATIONS GOVERNING OPERATORS
39-08-01. Persons under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any other drugs orsubstances not to operate vehicle - Penalty.
1. A person may not drive or be in actual physical control of any vehicle upon a
highway or upon public or private areas to which the public has a right of access for
vehicular use in this state if any of the following apply:
a. That person has an alcohol concentration of at least eight one-hundredths of
one percent by weight at the time of the performance of a chemical test within
two hours after the driving or being in actual physical control of a vehicle.
b. That person is under the influence of intoxicating liquor.
c. That person is under the influence of any drug or substance or combination of
drugs or substances to a degree which renders that person incapable of safely
driving.
d. That person is under the combined influence of alcohol and any other drugs or
substances to a degree which renders that person incapable of safely driving.
The fact that any person charged with violating this section is or has been legally
entitled to use alcohol or other drugs or substances is not a defense against any
charge for violating this section, unless a drug which predominately caused
impairment was used only as directed or cautioned by a practitioner who legally
prescribed or dispensed the drug to that person.
2. A person violating this section or equivalent ordinance is guilty of a class B
misdemeanor for the first or second offense in a five-year period, of a class A
misdemeanor for a third offense in a five-year period, of a class A misdemeanor for
the fourth offense in a seven-year period, and of a class C felony for a fifth or
subsequent offense in a seven-year period. The minimum penalty for violating this
section is as provided in subsection 4. The court shall take judicial notice of the fact
that an offense would be a subsequent offense if indicated by the records of the
director or may make a subsequent offense finding based on other evidence.
3. Upon conviction of a second or subsequent offense within five years under this
section or equivalent ordinance, the court must order the motor vehicle number
plates of all of the motor vehicles owned and operated by the offender at the time of
the offense to be impounded for the duration of the period of suspension or
revocation of the offender's driving privilege by the licensing authority. The
impounded number plates must be sent to the director who must retain them for the
period of suspension or revocation, subject to their disposition by the court. The
court may make an exception to this subsection, on an individual basis, to avoid
undue hardship to an individual who is completely dependent on the motor vehicle
for the necessities of life, including a family member of the convicted individual and a
coowner of the motor vehicle, but not including the offender.
4. A person convicted of violating this section, or an equivalent ordinance, must be
sentenced in accordance with this subsection. For purposes of this subsection,
unless the context otherwise requires, "drug court program" means a district
court-supervised treatment program approved by the supreme court which combines
judicial supervision with alcohol and drug testing and chemical addiction treatment in
a licensed treatment program. The supreme court may adopt rules, including rules
of procedure, for drug courts and the drug court program.
a. For a first offense, the sentence must include both a fine of at least two
hundred fifty dollars and an order for addiction evaluation by an appropriate
licensed addiction treatment program.
b. For a second offense within five years, the sentence must include at least five
days' imprisonment or placement in a minimum security facility, of which
forty-eight hours must be served consecutively, or thirty days' community
service; a fine of at least five hundred dollars; and an order for addiction
evaluation by an appropriate licensed addiction treatment program.
c. For a third offense within five years, the sentence must include at least sixty
days' imprisonment or placement in a minimum security facility, of which
forty-eight hours must be served consecutively; a fine of one thousand dollars;
and an order for addiction evaluation by an appropriate licensed addiction
treatment program.
d. For a fourth or subsequent offense within seven years, the sentence must
include one hundred eighty days' imprisonment or placement in a minimum
security facility, of which forty-eight hours must be served consecutively; a fine
of one thousand dollars; and an order for addiction evaluation by an appropriate
licensed treatment program.
e. The execution or imposition of sentence under this section may not be
suspended or deferred under subsection 3 or 4 of section 12.1-32-02 for an
offense subject to subdivision a or b. If the offense is subject to subdivision c or
d, the district court may suspend a sentence, except for ten days'
imprisonment, under subsection 3 or 4 of section 12.1-32-02 on the condition
that the defendant first undergo and complete an evaluation for alcohol and
substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation. If the defendant is found to be in
need of alcohol and substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation, the district
court may order the defendant placed under the supervision and management
of the department of corrections and rehabilitation and is subject to the
conditions of probation under section 12.1-32-07. The district court shall
require the defendant to complete alcohol and substance abuse treatment and
rehabilitation under the direction of the drug court program as a condition of
probation in accordance with rules adopted by the supreme court. If the district
court finds that a defendant has failed to undergo an evaluation or complete
treatment or has violated any condition of probation, the district court shall
revoke the defendant's probation and shall sentence the defendant in
accordance with this subsection.
f. For purposes of this section, conviction of an offense under a law or ordinance
of another state which is equivalent to this section must be considered a prior
offense if such offense was committed within the time limitations specified in
this subsection.
g. If the penalty mandated by this section includes imprisonment or placement
upon conviction of a violation of this section or equivalent ordinance, and if an
addiction evaluation has indicated that the defendant needs treatment, the
court may order the defendant to undergo treatment at an appropriate licensed
addiction treatment program and the time spent by the defendant in the
treatment must be credited as a portion of a sentence of imprisonment or
placement under this section.
5. As used in subdivision b of subsection 4, the term "imprisonment" includes house
arrest. As a condition of house arrest, a defendant may not consume alcoholic
beverages. The house arrest must include a program of electronic home detention
in which the defendant is tested at least twice daily for the consumption of alcohol.
The defendant shall defray all costs associated with the electronic home detention.
This subsection does not apply to individuals committed to or under the supervision
and management of the department of corrections and rehabilitation.
39-08-01.1. Prior offenses.
For purposes of this chapter, chapter 39-06.1, and chapter
39-20 a previous conviction does not include any prior violation of section 39-08-01 or equivalent
ordinance if the offense occurred prior to July 1, 1981.
39-08-01.2. Special punishment for causing injury or death while operating avehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
1. The penalty provided in this section applies when:
a. A person is convicted of an offense under chapter 12.1-16 and the conviction is
based in part on the evidence of the person's operation of a motor vehicle while
under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
b. A person is convicted of violating section 39-08-03 based in part on the
evidence of the person's operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence
of alcohol or drugs and the violation caused serious bodily injury, as defined in
section 12.1-01-04, to another person; or
c. A person is convicted of violating section 39-08-01 and the violation caused
serious bodily injury, as defined in section 12.1-01-04, to another person.
2. If the defendant was at least eighteen years of age at the time of the offense under
chapter 12.1-16, the sentence under that chapter must be at least one year's
imprisonment. If the defendant was at least eighteen years of age at the time of the violation of section 39-08-01 or 39-08-03, the sentence under either section must be
at least ninety days' imprisonment. The sentence under chapter 12.1-16 or section
39-08-01 or 39-08-03 may not be suspended unless the court finds that manifest
injustice would result from imposition of the sentence. The sentence must be served
in its entirety, without benefit of parole or pardon.
3. If the defendant was less than eighteen years of age at the time of the offense, the
punishment may be in accordance with subsection 2 or chapter 27-20.
39-08-01.3. Alcohol-related traffic offenses - Ignition interlock devices and theseizure, forfeiture, and sale of motor vehicles.
A motor vehicle owned and operated by a
person upon a highway or upon public or private areas to which the public has a right of access
for vehicular use may be seized, forfeited, and sold or otherwise disposed of pursuant to an order
of the court at the time of sentencing if the person is in violation of section 39-08-01 or an
equivalent ordinance and has been convicted of violating section 39-08-01 or an equivalent
ordinance at least one other time within the five years preceding the violation. The court may
also require that an ignition interlock device be installed in the person's vehicle for a period of
time that the court deems appropriate.
39-08-01.4. Driving while under the influence of alcohol while being accompaniedby a minor - Penalty.
It is a class A misdemeanor for an individual who is at least twenty-one
years of age to violate section 39-08-01 if the violation occurred while a minor was accompanying
the individual in a motor vehicle.
39-08-02. Person conveying passengers not to engage drivers addicted tointoxicants - Penalty.
No person owning or having the direction or control of any vehicle for the
conveyance of passengers in this state may employ or continue in the person's employment as a
driver of such vehicle any person who is known to the actor to be addicted to a controlled
substance or given to the excessive use of controlled substances or intoxicating liquors. Any
person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of an infraction and is liable for all damages
sustained by reason of such violation.
