DUI and DWI Programs in Los Angeles

What DUI program does Los Angeles require, and who licenses it?

Los Angeles follows California rules: DUI programs are licensed by the California Department of Health Care Services, whose Licensing and Certification Division authorizes first offender and multiple offender program services. Your court order or Department of Motor Vehicles notice sets which track you need and how long it runs, so read that document before you call a provider.

A DUI program is an education and counseling course, not medical care. An assessment that finds a substance use disorder can lead to clinical care at the right level, such as outpatient rehab in Los Angeles, an intensive outpatient program or residential rehab. Some listings also report medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder.

Judges in Los Angeles can order treatment as well as the course. The Adult Drug Court works with the Los Angeles Superior Court, and county programs serve people sent by the courts. Options for people sent by a judge are on the court-ordered rehab page.

Course fees and treatment costs are charged separately, so a written fee quote from each program helps with planning. Private insurance or Medi-Cal may pay for treatment that an assessment recommends. Getting a driver’s license back, along with any ignition interlock condition, is handled by the Department of Motor Vehicles rather than by the program.

Can you complete a DUI program online, and how do you get your license back?

The court and the California DMV decide whether a virtual DUI class counts, so get their answer before you enroll anywhere. Some listings offer video sessions for counseling or treatment. A remote option is only useful if your case allows it. Driver’s license reinstatement, and any condition such as an ignition interlock device, is handled by the DMV, not by the program. Ask the admissions team how proof of completion is reported and to whom, and keep your own copies.

Getting to class matters in a city this spread out. Metro bus and rail lines link most neighborhoods, including the D Line along Wilshire. Most trips mix rail and bus. Among DUI listings here, 86 percent sit within 25 miles of a river, most often the Los Angeles River. Elevations range from 30 to 700 feet.

How do you pay for a DUI program or court-ordered treatment in Los Angeles?

DUI course fees and treatment costs are paid separately, so ask each program for its fee in writing. Treatment that an assessment recommends may be covered by private insurance or by Medi-Cal. Public substance use care in the county runs through the Department of Public Health’s Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC). Local Medi-Cal plans include L.A. Care Health Plan, Health Net Community Solutions, Kaiser Permanente and PHC California. Listings also note sliding fees and state-funded rehab. Spanish-language and interpreter services appear on the Spanish-speaking rehab page.

When you call, have these ready:

• your court paperwork
• any assessment results
• your completion deadline

Then ask how the program reports completion to the court and the DMV. For help finding care now, SAPC’s Substance Abuse Service Helpline is 1.844.804.7500. The DHCS statewide referral line is (800) 879-2772, and the national treatment referral line also takes calls. In a crisis, call or text 988. For the rules and programs across California, see DUI and DWI programs in California, or browse all treatment listings in Los Angeles.