Ohio OVI programs · Toledo / Lucas County

Toledo 72-Hour Driver Intervention Program: Rules and Details

In Toledo, the 72-hour Driver Intervention Program (DIP) is three consecutive days at a state-certified program, usually held at a hotel, that a judge may allow in place of the mandatory three-day jail term for a first OVI. You book it yourself, pay the program yourself, and hand proof of completion to the court by your deadline. This page covers the law, Toledo Municipal Court's published rules, what the three days involve, and the programs the state lists for the Toledo area.

What the 72-hour DIP is, and the law behind it

A first OVI conviction in Ohio carries a mandatory jail term of three consecutive days, which Ohio Revised Code 4511.19(G)(1)(a) defines as 72 consecutive hours. The same division lets the court suspend that jail term if it places the person on community control and requires three consecutive days at a drivers' intervention program certified under ORC 5119.38. That is where the "72-hour" name comes from: it matches the jail term it replaces.

Two points follow from the statute. The judge decides, not the driver and not the program. And the court can add conditions: the statute lets it require any treatment or education the program's operators decide you should attend, and have you report your progress.

Who certifies the programs

The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) certifies every driver intervention program. The agency was formerly named the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), and some court pages, including Toledo Municipal Court's, still use the old name. It is the same certification. Under ORC 5119.38 a certificate is valid for three years, and the program standards are in Ohio Administrative Code 5122-29-12. DBH publishes the official list of certified programs by county.

Certified programs the state lists for the Toledo area

These are the entries in the Lucas County section of the official DBH provider list, as of September 30, 2026 (the list itself is dated May 14, 2026). They are shown in the state's own order. This is not a ranking or a recommendation, and no court endorses one program over another here.

The state's section for neighboring Wood County also lists 72-hour hotel programs in Perrysburg and Rossford. Lists change as certificates are issued and expire, so check the current list for phone numbers and dates, and confirm with your court that it will accept the program you pick:

How Toledo Municipal Court handles a DIP order

Toledo Municipal Court's Probation Department describes the DIP as an alternative to the mandatory jail term for a first OVI that judges may allow for eligible defendants. If a Toledo Municipal Court judge orders you to complete one, the court's page sets out these requirements:

The court also spells out what happens if you don't comply. If you haven't completed the program as ordered, you must appear in court on the scheduled completion date. Not providing proof of completion can lead to a contempt of court charge, a summons, revocation of bond, or the suspended jail sentence being imposed.

Other Lucas County courts. Sylvania Municipal Court's probation page says the driver intervention programs it uses are state-certified alternatives to 72 consecutive hours of jail for first-time offenders, and it also describes a six-day program used in place of 144 consecutive hours where the court orders it. That page names specific programs. Court pages can lag behind the state list, so check any name against the current DBH list. We could not find published DIP instructions for the other Lucas County courts. If your case is in Maumee, Oregon, or another court, ask that court's probation department how it handles DIP referrals.

What the 72 hours involve

The state rule sets the floor for every certified 72-hour program. The court order and the program's own schedule fill in the rest.

• You stay on site. The 72-hour format is residential. DBH notes that programs often operate at hotels, and every Lucas County entry on the state list is a hotel program. A staff member must be on site supervising at all times.
• Check-in includes an intake report. At the start of the first day, staff record your prescription and over-the-counter medications, dietary needs, allergies, any special needs, and an emergency contact.
• Bags are inspected. The rule requires programs to check baggage for contraband, which includes illegal drugs, alcohol, and firearms.
• Medications are handled under program rules. Programs can't dispense medication. You take your own, and programs that allow this must have procedures for collecting and storing medications in a locked cabinet. A program can't turn you away only because you take a prescribed psychiatric medication.
• At least 21 hours of programming. One hour of screening and individual contact, 15 hours of education on alcohol, drugs, and traffic safety, and 5 hours of small-group discussion with no more than 15 people in a group.
• Screening. You complete at least two screening instruments and an individual screening interview covering your alcohol and drug use, treatment history, medical problems, and legal history.
• Meals. The program must provide morning, mid-day, and evening meals of at least 30 minutes each.

What to bring

There is no official statewide packing list. Each program sets its own check-in time and house rules, and the state rule requires it to give you its schedule, rules, client rights, and fee agreement. Based on what the rule requires at intake, plan to have:

• Your court paperwork showing the DIP order and your completion deadline.
• Any prescription or over-the-counter medications you take, to declare at intake.
• Notes on allergies and dietary needs, and the name and phone number of an emergency contact.
• If you receive public assistance such as SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, or TANF and are asking about financial help, the document that shows it. The rule says indigent status is verified from a document you have with you at the start of the program.

Ask the program for its check-in time, what it allows in rooms, and its rules on phones and visitors.

What it costs

No official price is published. Ohio doesn't set DIP fees, and Toledo Municipal Court's page says only that participants are responsible for all program fees. Each certified program sets its own price, so ask for the total and what it covers before you book.

DBH says people who receive public assistance may be eligible for help paying, that the department doesn't fund participants directly, and that you should ask providers. On the state list, a star marks programs with access to funding for indigent participants. When we checked, none of the Lucas County entries carried that star, so ask each program directly. In Toledo Municipal Court, if you can't pay, the court's page says to file a motion for more time or a motion to convert the DIP back to jail time.

What happens after the program

The program writes a completion report for each participant. Under the state rule it covers the screening results, any recommendation for a full alcohol and drug assessment, any referrals to treatment, the number of program hours you attended, and a summary of your participation. A copy goes to the court that referred you, with a signed release.

If the screening points to a fuller assessment, that is a separate step, and ORC 4511.19 lets the court make any recommended treatment or education a condition of your community control. In Toledo Municipal Court you are also responsible for getting proof of completion to the Probation Department by your deadline. For the license suspension side, see the Ohio BMV's suspensions and reinstatements page.

72-hour DIP vs. longer and second-offense sentences

State rules also allow a 48-hour residential format (at least 16 program hours) and a non-residential format (at least 13 hours). Every Lucas County entry on the state list is a 72-hour program. Which format and how many days apply to you is set by your sentencing entry, so read it and confirm with your court.