The First 15 Days After an Arizona DUI: Critical Steps to Protect Your License

A clear, step-by-step action plan for Arizona DUI arrestees and the families searching on their behalf.

A DUI stop in Arizona turns your day upside down in an instant.

If you are trying to figure out what to do after an Arizona DUI, you are in the right place. Stonewall DUI Services helps Arizona clients complete required DUI screening, education, and treatment programs online, with clear steps and direct MVD reporting.

One of the most important things to understand right away is that there are two separate processes running at the same time:

• the criminal court case, which can take months to resolve,
• and the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) clock, which starts the moment you are stopped.

This guide focuses on the MVD clock because that is where the urgent 15-day deadline lives.

Step 1:

After a DUI Arrest in Arizona: Steps to Understand Your Admin Per Se Form

When an officer stops you for a suspected DUI in Arizona and takes your license, they hand you a form called the Admin Per Se affidavit. Many people do not realize this at first: that piece of paper, often pink, is your temporary driver’s license for the next 15 days. Do not throw it away.

This form triggers the Arizona MVD’s administrative process separately from anything happening in criminal court. This is known as the Arizona DUI Admin Per Se suspension.

Here is how the timeline works if no action is taken:

The Arizona DUI MVD hearing deadline falls within that same 15-day window. You can request an MVD hearing within those 15 days to pause the suspension while your case is reviewed. We recommend speaking with an attorney about your MVD hearing options.

But here is what matters most for your driving privileges: whether or not you request a hearing, the MVD will ultimately require certified DUI Screening before you can get a restricted license or full reinstatement.

That makes scheduling your screening the most time-sensitive action you can take right now.

Step 2:

Schedule Your DUI Screening 

A DUI Screening (also called an alcohol and drug assessment or evaluation) is an interview with a state-approved DUI screening provider. Completing a DUI screening in Arizona after arrest is the first official requirement that both the courts and the MVD look for. It’s non-negotiable. 

You cannot register for education classes or treatment programs without a completed screening on file.

What does the screening involve?

The screener uses standardized clinical tools to understand your relationship with alcohol or substances. This is not a test you pass or fail. It is a structured evaluation that determines what level of education or treatment you actually need. The outcome of your screening generally determines the number of hours required for your case.

Why the provider you choose matters

Not every agency offering screenings is approved by the State of Arizona. Your screening agency must be state-licensed and connected directly to the MVD reporting database.

If your screening is not reported electronically to the MVD, it may not count, and you would have to repeat the process. Always verify state approval before you book.

Step 3:

Complete Your DUI Education Classes

For most first-time DUIs in Arizona, what you do next is complete at least 16 hours of DUI Education. These classes are distinct from treatment. They focus on building knowledge and awareness rather than addressing a clinical substance use concern.

Some Topics that DUI Education classes cover

• Arizona DUI laws and the legal consequences of violations
• How alcohol and drugs affect the brain, body, and driving ability
• Strategies for responsible decision-making

Stonewall DUI Services offers online DUI classes in Arizona built for exactly this situation: accessible, structured, and fully MVD-compliant.

Step 4:

Undertake DUI Treatment (If Your Screening Requires It)

Your DUI Screening determines whether education alone meets your requirement or whether DUI Treatment is also needed. Treatment is typically mandated when the screening reveals a higher-risk profile, such as:

• A Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) at or above 0.15% (Extreme DUI in Arizona)
• A history of prior DUI charges or alcohol-related incidents
• Screening results that indicate a higher level of required DUI treatment

DUI Treatment is a required step, not a judgment

DUI Treatment provides structured, state-approved education and treatment hours focused on accountability, decision-making, risk awareness, and practical strategies for avoiding future DUI incidents. It is designed to help you complete your Arizona requirements correctly and efficiently.

Hour requirements by treatment level

Arizona’s DUI Treatment programs are tiered based on the seriousness of the offense and the screening outcome. Here is a general overview:

Actual program requirements vary based on individual screening results and court orders.

Completing your required treatment hours is one of the primary conditions the Arizona MVD checks before lifting your suspension and qualifying you for a restricted driving option. 

Your 15-Day Countdown Timeline

Use this table as a quick reference. Check off each item as you complete it.

Take Action Now; Your License Depends On It

DUI is stressful, but it does not have to spiral out of control. The steps outlined here give you a clear, manageable path forward. Every action you take in the first Arizona DUI license suspension within 15 days demonstrates to the state that you are handling this responsibly.

Stonewall DUI Services provides Arizona DUI screening, education, and treatment programs online, so you can complete required steps conveniently and correctly. The team is licensed by the State of Arizona, reports directly to the MVD database, and offers flexible scheduling, including secure telehealth, because they understand that people facing a DUI still have jobs, families, and responsibilities to manage.

Your 15-day window is already running. The best time to schedule your DUI Screening is today.