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Georgia DUI programs · Risk Reduction

Georgia DUI Risk Reduction Program: $360 and 20 Hours

Georgia is unusual: the price of "DUI school" is not something each school decides. The DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Program costs $360.00 statewide, and it comes in two required parts — a 130-question assessment and a 20-hour intervention course. Here is exactly what that buys, in what order, and how to find a school whose certificate the state will actually accept.

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Quick answer: cost, hours, and format

$360.00 total, 20 hours of class, in person. The Department of Driver Services (DDS) publishes the fee as $100 assessment + $235 intervention + $25 workbook. DDS will not accept a Certificate of Completion from a self-paced online Risk Reduction course for any driver-license purpose. Confirm the school and the format with the court handling your case before you pay.

What the $360 actually covers

ComponentFeeWhat it is
Assessment Component $100.00 A 130-question comprehensive screening instrument. Completed first, before the class.
Intervention Component $235.00 A 20-hour course delivered over several sessions.
Workbook $25.00 Required student materials.
Total $360.00 The figure DDS publishes for the full program.

The reason the number does not move much from school to school is regulatory: Georgia rule 375-5-6-.26 says fees charged to students for any program component "shall be in strict accordance with O.C.G.A. § 40-5-83(e)," and that the materials fee is set by the Department and is not optional. So if a provider quotes you a very different total, that is worth a question — and worth checking the current DDS figure yourself, since statutory fees can be amended.

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The order matters: assessment first, then the class

DDS is explicit that the Assessment Component is completed first, and the Intervention Component is administered after it. The assessment is a 130-question screening instrument — you are not "passing" or "failing" a test so much as producing a profile that shapes the intervention you then sit through.

The Intervention Component is 20 hours across several sessions. Georgia rule 375-5-6-.15 sets the scheduling boundaries: all sessions must be completed within four weeks, no more than two sessions may be scheduled in a single day, and every student must attend the full 20 hours. In practice that means you cannot cram it into a weekend, and you cannot skip the tail end of it.

Risk Reduction is not the same as a clinical evaluation. DDS requires documented proof of a completed state-approved clinical evaluation from anyone reinstating a license suspended because of two or more DUI convictions within the past ten years. That is a separate, in-depth professional evaluation — finishing the 20-hour Risk Reduction course does not satisfy it. If you have a second DUI, ask DDS which of the two (or both) applies to your reinstatement.

Why the online course you found probably will not count

DDS states it plainly in its DUI FAQs: Certificates of Completion from online DUI, Alcohol, or Drug Use Risk Reduction courses cannot be accepted by DDS for any purposes related to a driver's license or driving privileges. Some DDS-certified schools do offer a live, instructor-led virtual version of the class — that is a different thing from a self-paced course sold by a national website. If a site is promising you a fast Georgia "DUI class online," check it against the DDS certified-schools list before you hand over a card number, and confirm the format with your court.

Find a DDS-certified DUI school

Only a school certified by the Georgia Department of Driver Services can issue a Certificate of Completion that DDS will honor. Start from the official list, then call the school to confirm the schedule and format:

Source & accuracy: fees, hours, the 130-question assessment, the online-certificate rule, and the clinical-evaluation requirement are quoted from the Georgia Department of Driver Services' own DUI FAQs; the scheduling and fee-authority rules are from the Georgia Rules and Regulations, Subject 375-5-6. Fees set by statute can change and program rules are amended periodically — check the current official pages and confirm with the court handling your case before enrolling or paying. We are an independent directory: we do not run classes, we cannot enroll you, and none of these links are affiliate links. This is general information, not legal advice. Sources: dds.georgia.gov/dui-faqs, dds.georgia.gov — Risk Reduction Program, rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/375-5-6.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Georgia Risk Reduction Program cost?

The Georgia Department of Driver Services states the total cost of the course is $360.00 — the Assessment Component ($100.00), the Intervention Component ($235.00), and a workbook ($25.00). Georgia rule 375-5-6-.26 requires that fees charged by certified schools be "in strict accordance with O.C.G.A. § 40-5-83(e)," so this is a statewide figure rather than a price each school sets on its own. Confirm the current amount with DDS or the school before you pay.

How long is the Georgia DUI Risk Reduction class?

The Intervention Component is a 20-hour course made up of several sessions, taken after you complete the Assessment Component. Georgia rule 375-5-6-.15 requires schools to schedule all intervention sessions so they finish within four weeks, with no more than two sessions in a single day, and requires every student to attend the full 20 hours.

What is the NEEDS assessment in the Georgia Risk Reduction Program?

DDS describes the Assessment Component as a 130-question comprehensive screening instrument, completed first, before the 20-hour Intervention Component. It is a screening tool used to shape the intervention — it is not the same thing as the separate state-approved clinical evaluation required for some license reinstatements.

Can I take the Georgia Risk Reduction course online?

Not as a self-paced internet course. DDS states that Certificates of Completion from online DUI, Alcohol, or Drug Use Risk Reduction courses "cannot be accepted by the DDS for any purposes related to an individual’s driver’s license or driving privileges." Some DDS-certified schools offer a live, instructor-led virtual format, but the standard delivery is in person at a certified school. Confirm the exact format with DDS and with the court handling your case before you enroll or pay.

Do I also need a clinical evaluation in Georgia?

Sometimes. DDS requires documented proof of a completed state-approved clinical evaluation from anyone reinstating a Georgia license or driving privileges suspended because of two or more DUI convictions within the past ten years. That evaluation is separate from — and in addition to — the Risk Reduction Program.

How do I find a DDS-certified DUI school in Georgia?

Use the official DDS certified DUI schools directory. Only schools certified by the Department of Driver Services can issue a Certificate of Completion that counts, so verify the school is on the current DDS list and confirm with your court or probation officer before enrolling.

Written by Michelle Brown, Editor · Last reviewed · Checked against public court, DMV, and government sources. See our editorial standards.