DUI Classes

A Georgia DUI class is officially called the DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Program (RRP). So how long is a DUI class? Its classroom portion is a state-mandated course of at least 20 hours. The program has two parts: a risk assessment component and an intervention component. Under Georgia's license suspension law, a person convicted of DUI in Alpharetta, Milton, or Crabapple must submit proof of completing the RRP before a suspended license is reinstated. The Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) certifies all providers and sets the program requirements statewide.

How Long Is a DUI Class in Georgia?

The 20 hours is the intervention component, the classroom half of the RRP. DDS rules define that component as at least 20 hours of instruction. The assessment component is a separate, shorter step, and it is not part of those 20 hours. It is a standard screening instrument the DDS designates, covering your alcohol and drug use and its impact on your driving. The intervention component covers education, behavioral strategies, and Georgia DUI law. The DDS sets the duration and content standards for both components. No certified provider can shorten the intervention below the 20 hour minimum.

Most Alpharetta DUI school providers offer class formats that work around your job and school. DDS rules require all intervention sessions to finish within four weeks, with no more than two sessions in a single day. Compressed formats run the hours over consecutive days. Part-time evening formats spread sessions across those four weeks. Classes are held one or two nights per week.

Those two rules shape every schedule you will be offered. A provider cannot pack the whole course into one long day. It also cannot let the sessions drift past the four-week mark. So the calendar you sign up for lands somewhere between a pair of intensive weekends and a month of evening classes.

Before starting the intervention portion, you must complete the risk assessment screening. This step is a prerequisite under the statute. Depending on the provider's scheduling, this interview may happen on a separate day. Or it may happen at the start of the first session.

Plan for roughly two to four weeks from enrollment to certificate in hand. The timeline depends on the provider's class schedule. It also depends on how quickly you complete the assessment.

What Happens Inside a DUI Risk Reduction Program

The RRP covers two distinct components. Each component has a different purpose.

Assessment Component

The assessment is a standard screening instrument the DDS designates, and every certified program uses the same one. It screens for the extent of your alcohol and drug use and its impact on your driving. The goal is to determine whether you may benefit from additional substance abuse treatment beyond the RRP itself. In some cases, the assessment leads to a recommendation for further clinical evaluation or counseling. Only clinical evaluators licensed by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities may conduct those clinical evaluations.

Two things set the assessment apart from the class. First, it is a screening, not instruction. You answer a set of questions rather than sit through a lesson. Second, its time does not count toward the 20 hours. Finishing the screening does not shorten the classroom time you owe. The screening also has to come first, so book it early if your provider handles it on a separate day.

Intervention Component

The DDS defines the intervention component as therapeutic education about alcohol, drug use, and driving, paired with peer group counseling. Both run across at least 20 hours. The methodology and the curriculum have to be approved by the department, which is why the class does not change from one school to the next.

The intervention portion is the educational core of the program. Topics generally include:

• Georgia DUI laws and penalties
• How alcohol and drugs affect driving ability and judgment
• Decision-making strategies to prevent future offenses
• Behavioral change techniques and relapse prevention

Expect a classroom, a certified instructor, and group discussion rather than a lecture you can tune out. The peer group portion is built into the design of the course. Programs also work from required student materials, which is what the separate materials fee pays for.

Instructors must hold DDS certification. Certification is renewed every four years. The DDS sets uniform standards for course content, attendance requirements, and examinations. All certified providers in the Alpharetta area deliver the same state-approved curriculum. The substance of the class does not vary from one school to another.

Attendance and Missed Sessions

The attendance rules are strict, and they are worth knowing before you enroll. Students must attend the intervention component for the entire 20 hours. No student may be admitted late to a session. No student may be dismissed early. Arriving after a session starts can cost you that whole session.

Missing a session is the harder problem. Under DDS rules, a student with an excused absence may attend another intervention course to complete the sessions they missed. The rules spell out what counts as excused: being called for military duty, a personal medical emergency, a medical emergency involving an immediate family member, or a death in the immediate family. An absence outside those categories is not treated as excused.

The four-week window keeps running while you arrange a make-up. That is the practical reason scheduling deserves thought up front. A format with no slack in it leaves you scrambling for a make-up date if anything goes wrong. Ask the provider how make-ups work before you pay, and ask what its own attendance policy adds on top of the state rules.

Cost, Scheduling, and Certificate of Completion

Georgia law sets the fees for the RRP. Certified risk reduction programs charge $100.00 for the assessment component and $235.00 for the intervention component. An additional fee covers required student program materials. The DDS sets this amount. These fees are uniform across all providers. No provider can charge more or less than the statutory amount.

Finding a Program in Alpharetta and North Fulton

To find a DDS-certified provider in the Alpharetta and North Fulton area, check the Georgia DDS website. The site lists all approved programs. This step matters more than it sounds. Classes taken at a school that is not DDS-certified are not accepted for licensing, reinstatement, or court requirements. Confirm the certification before you pay anyone.

Most North Fulton residents look for a program in or near Alpharetta, Roswell, or the GA 400 corridor rather than driving into Atlanta for class. Drivers in Milton, Crabapple, and Johns Creek tend to weigh the same handful of options. A few practical questions help you sort them. How close is it to your home or your job? How will you get to every single session if your license was suspended at arrest, since you will need a ride to each one? Which class formats does it actually run, as opposed to list?

Scheduling options typically include:

• Weekend intensives: Full-day Saturday and Sunday sessions that complete the intervention hours in one or two weekends
• Weeknight sessions: Three- or four-hour evening classes spread over several weeks

How Your Certificate Reaches DDS and the Court

After you complete both components, the provider issues a certificate of completion. Certified programs report completions to DDS electronically through the department's Online Certification Reporting Application, or OCRA. It is the same system that handles driver training and driver improvement courses. In most cases the electronic report updates your driving record without you lifting a finger.

Paper certificates still exist. DDS rules let programs issue them, and each one carries the instructor's handwritten signature. If you need to get a certificate to DDS yourself, the rules allow hand delivery to the Driver's License Services Section at the department's headquarters, or first class or certified mail.

One point deserves emphasis. The rules put the burden on you, not on the program and not on the post office. It is your responsibility to make sure DDS actually receives the certificate within the time the law allows. If a mailed certificate goes missing, a replacement still has to arrive inside that original window. Keep a copy for yourself. Then confirm receipt instead of assuming it.

The sentencing court is a separate delivery. If the court ordered the RRP as a condition of your sentence, you file the certificate with the court to show that condition is satisfied. Do not assume the DDS record reaches the courtroom on its own, because the two are separate systems. Courts in Alpharetta and Fulton County generally set deadlines for RRP completion. Missing one may result in additional penalties, and you could face a probation violation.

What the Certificate Does for Your License

The certificate is what turns a suspension into a reinstatement. Under Georgia's license suspension law, a suspended license stays suspended until proof of RRP completion is submitted. That makes the class more than paperwork. It is the condition standing between you and driving again.

For some drivers, the road back runs through a limited permit instead. An ignition interlock limited permit comes with its own checklist. DDS asks for proof that an approved device is installed on the vehicle you intend to drive. It asks for the risk reduction certificate. It also asks for authorization from the court that handled the DUI charge. The class certificate is one item on that list rather than the whole list.

Either way, the certificate does the same job. Until DDS has it, nothing else in the file moves.

Should I Complete DUI Classes Before My Alpharetta DUI Case Is Decided?

Many Georgia DUI defense attorneys suggest completing the RRP before sentencing. Proactive completion shows the court that you take the charge seriously. It demonstrates that you are willing to address the underlying conduct. In Alpharetta Municipal Court and Fulton County State Court, judges and prosecutors may view early completion favorably. This is true during plea negotiations and at sentencing.

However, this decision carries risk. Your attorney may negotiate a reduction to a non-DUI offense, such as reckless driving. The RRP may not be required as part of the final sentence. Certified providers generally do not refund fees once you complete the program. You could spend $335 or more on a class you did not need.

The level of the charge matters too. A repeat offense charged as a felony DUI is handled in superior court rather than state court, and the sentencing picture differs from a first misdemeanor case. The class itself does not change. The curriculum is set statewide, so the 20 hours look the same either way. What changes is how the finished certificate fits into a much larger file.

The right choice depends on several factors. Consider the circumstances of your case. Evaluate the strength of the evidence. Think about the realistic range of outcomes. Consult with a DUI defense attorney before enrolling. An attorney familiar with Alpharetta courts can evaluate whether proactive completion will likely help your case. They can also advise whether waiting for a resolution makes more strategic sense.

Speak With an Alpharetta DUI Defense Attorney

Decisions about DUI classes require professional guidance. When should you enroll? Which DDS-certified provider should you choose? How may completion affect your case? An attorney who handles DUI cases in Alpharetta and Fulton County courts can answer these questions. The timing of your enrollment can influence plea negotiations and sentencing outcomes. The wrong move may cost you money or leverage.

Kohn & Yager LLC focuses on Georgia DUI defense. We are familiar with the procedures at Alpharetta Municipal Court and Fulton County State Court. Call for a free consultation to discuss your case. Every situation is different. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Is a DUI Class in Georgia?

The intervention component, which is the classroom part, runs at least 20 hours. A separate risk assessment screening comes first and is not counted in those hours. DDS rules require all intervention sessions to finish within four weeks. Providers offer both compressed multi-day formats and evening sessions spread across those weeks. The timeline depends on your provider's schedule.

How Much Does the Georgia DUI Risk Reduction Program Cost?

Under Georgia law, certified providers charge $100.00 for the assessment component and $235.00 for the intervention component. An additional fee covers required student materials. These fees are set by statute. Every certified provider charges the same amounts.

Can I Take a Georgia DUI Class Online?

The DDS sets the standards for how certified RRP providers deliver instruction. Online or virtual options may be available. This depends on current DDS rules and provider offerings. Check with the Georgia Department of Driver Services. You can also contact a certified provider directly to ask about available formats.

What Happens if I Don't Complete My DUI Class on Time?

Courts typically set deadlines for RRP completion. These deadlines are part of sentencing or probation conditions. Failing to complete the class on time may result in a probation violation. You could also face additional fines or other penalties. The DDS also requires the certificate for license reinstatement. Missing the deadline can delay getting your license back.

Do I Need to Complete a DUI Class Before My Case Goes to Court in Alpharetta?

You are not legally required to complete the class before your case is resolved. However, some defense attorneys recommend proactive completion. Early completion demonstrates responsibility at sentencing. Before making this decision, consult with an attorney. The right strategy depends on your specific circumstances and the potential outcomes of your case.