Minnesota DWI Penalties for Underage Drinkers
The state of Minnesota has a zero tolerance policy for individuals convicted of DWI offenses if they are under the age of 21. In order to understand the laws you must first understand exactly what the legal drinking age in Minnesota is and how it is applied.
The Legal Drinking Age in Minnesota
The legal drinking age in Minnesota is the age of 21. The law stipulates that an individual may not consume, purchase, attempt to purchase, or even possess alcohol with the intent to consume it. Individuals under the age of 21 are prohibited from even entering a liquor store with the intent to purchase alcohol. The only exception is if an individual under the age of 21 has the permission and is under the supervision of a parent at the time of consumption.
Minnesota drinking laws do not consider a person to be the age of 21 until after 8:00am on his birthday. Violations of these laws will result in a misdemeanor charge and a minimum fine of $100. An individual under the age of 21 will not automatically receive a driver's license suspension unless he was driving or attempted to use his driver's license to purchase alcohol.
Minnesota DUI Penalties for Youth
Minnesota DWI laws are the same for both youth and adult operators. A youthful operator with a blood alcohol level of .08 or above will be subject to the same criminal and administrative penalties as an operator over the age of 21. He will, of course, also be subject to misdemeanor charges associated with being an underage drinker - regardless of his blood alcohol percentage.
It is important to note that drivers ages 16 and 17 do not receive any special privileges when it comes to Minnesota DWI law. Violators of this age will be charged and punished as adults, following the exact same guidelines for criminal fines, prison terms, and administrative license revocation as any other driver.
Minnesota Underage Drinking, Driving, and Zero Tolerance Policies
While Minnesota law stipulates a zero tolerance policy concerning underage drinking and driving, a driver under the age of 21 with a blood alcohol level under .08 will not necessarily be charged with a DWI. He will be charged with a misdemeanor for violating the underage drinking laws but will not be charged with any other violation.
Underage driving offenses involving blood alcohol levels under .08 will be charged as misdemeanors but cannot and will not be used against the driver in the future. This means that if he does have a Minnesota DWI arrest with a blood alcohol level over .08 it will not count towards his total DWI convictions when determining the degree of punishment.
Underage drinking is a very serious offense in the state of Minnesota. If you are under the age of 21 and are facing DWI charges you should immediately consult a Minnesota DWI attorney for assistance.
