Georgia DUI Convictions & Your Permanent Record

Georgia law doesn’t permit expungement of a DUI conviction. Once convicted, the record is permanent and will appear on background checks regardless of how much time has passed. That record can affect job applications, professional licensing in fields such as nursing, teaching, and law enforcement, military reenlistment eligibility, and housing applications.

Some post-conviction relief options exist in Georgia, including record restriction for certain offenses, but those options don’t apply to DUI convictions under current Georgia law.

Fighting a first-offense DUI charge preserves the possibility of a non-DUI resolution. A reduced charge, if achievable based on the facts and evidence, may not carry the same permanent record consequences. That possibility isn’t available after a conviction is entered, which is why the decision to challenge the charge is worth making at the outset.