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A calm, plain-language guide to Arizona alcohol/drug screening and DUI education — what it is, how long it takes, what it costs, online vs. in-person, and how your certificate reaches the court and MVD. When you're ready to complete it, we'll point you to the right place.
What is an Arizona DUI screening?
In Arizona, a licensed alcohol/drug screening is required in essentially every DUI case. The screening — a confidential interview with a licensed counselor — determines whether you must complete 16, 20, or 36 hours of court-approved DUI education or treatment, and the result is reported directly to the court.
Step 1
Is the screening mandatory?
Yes. Under A.R.S. § 28-1387, when you are convicted of a DUI the judge must order alcohol/drug screening at a facility approved by the Arizona Department of Health Services.
A DUI sentence in Arizona is not just fines and jail — it includes a mandatory screening. The court uses it to decide whether you also need education or treatment. This is routine: nearly everyone convicted of a DUI goes through it, and completing it is one of the conditions tied to your sentence and, eventually, your license.
The screening is ordered by the court, but it's carried out by a state-approved provider — not the judge and not the MVD. That's where a provider like AES comes in.
Step 2
Will I pass or fail?
Neither. The screening isn't a test. It's a confidential counselor interview that determines your required level of education or treatment.
A screening is a confidential interview with a licensed counselor, usually built around a standardized questionnaire about your alcohol and drug use and history. It typically takes about an hour. There is no pass/fail — its only job is to place you at the right level of follow-up.
Based on that result, you'll be referred to DUI education, or to education plus treatment if the screening indicates higher risk. The next section explains what those hours look like.
Step 3
How many hours will I have to do?
Your screening decides. Most people complete 16 hours of DUI education; higher-risk results add about 20 hours of treatment — the “36 hours” you often hear is those two combined.
The class hours come from Arizona's DUI-services rules (administered by the Department of Health Services), and your screening result decides which applies to you:
| Screening result | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Standard risk | ≈ 16 hours of DUI education |
| Higher risk | ≈ 16 hours education + ≈ 20 hours treatment (often called “36 hours”) |
“36 hours” isn't a separate legal tier — it's simply the 16-hour education and 20-hour treatment added together for higher-risk results. Your exact requirement depends on the screening and your offense.
Step 4
How much is it?
A screening fee plus per-hour class fees — so the total depends on how many hours you're assigned. Because pricing changes, get current numbers from the provider.
There's no single statewide price: cost is a screening fee plus the class fees for however many hours your screening assigns. Someone at 16 hours pays less than someone at 36. For current, exact pricing, check with the provider — AES lists its screening and class pricing directly.
Step 5
Can I do it online?
Often, yes. Arizona allows state-approved DUI education online — common for out-of-state drivers — and the certificate the court receives is the same.
Many people complete their Arizona DUI education online, which is especially useful if you were arrested here but live out of state. The screening and any required treatment may have their own format rules, so confirm what your specific case allows — but for education, online completion is widely accepted and produces the same court-reported certificate.
Step 6
How long do I have before my license is suspended?
Generally 30 days from the arrest to request a hearing on the administrative license suspension (A.R.S. § 28-1385) — not 15. Requesting in time can delay the suspension.
Screening and classes are the long game; the MVD clock is the urgent one. After a DUI arrest, the administrative (“admin per se”) license suspension gives you 30 days to request a hearing before it takes effect. A lot of third-party sites still say “15 days” — for Arizona that's wrong; it's 30.
One nuance worth knowing: if you refused the breath or blood test, the 30-day window to request a hearing is the same, but the consequence is different — a refusal triggers a one-year revocation of your driving privileges under the implied-consent law (A.R.S. § 28-1321). You may qualify for a Special Ignition Interlock Restricted Driver License (SIIRDL) that lets you keep driving during that period. Either way, this is a deadline to act on now. To track your case and deadlines, see the tools on duiinfo.net, and if you're contesting the DUI itself, talk to a lawyer.
Step 7
Do I have to deliver proof myself?
Your provider notifies the court in writing when you finish. For MVD reinstatement, you generally submit completion documentation along with the other requirements.
When you complete screening and education, your provider reports it to the referring court in writing — Arizona's DUI-services rules require that notice. That's how the court confirms you satisfied this part of your sentence.
Getting your license back is a separate, multi-step process with MVD. Finishing classes is one piece; reinstatement usually also involves serving the suspension, a one-year ignition interlock requirement (every alcohol-based DUI conviction carries it — you may qualify for a 6-month deferral if it's a first offense with no extreme BAC, injury, or accident), SR-22 insurance proof, and MVD fees. Completion documentation goes to MVD as part of that process.
Common questions
Educational information only — not legal advice. Sourced from Arizona Revised Statutes and the Arizona Department of Health Services DUI-services rules. Last updated July 1, 2026.
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