DUI and DWI Programs in Mississippi

What DUI program does Mississippi require, and who runs it?

After a first-offense DUI conviction, Mississippi requires the Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program, a statewide driver improvement course. The Driver Service Bureau within the Department of Public Safety lists the course as a DUI requirement, and courts and the bureau set different terms for repeat-offense and underage cases.

Clinical treatment falls under a different body. The Mississippi Department of Mental Health oversees addiction services through its Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Services, and its Division of Certification certifies the agencies that deliver them under the department’s Operational Standards. A diagnostic assessment at a department-listed program decides whether treatment is needed beyond the class.

Assessment results point many people to outpatient care, with intensive outpatient or residential treatment when more structure is called for. Online versions of the education course are valid only when the court or the Driver Service Bureau agrees to them, and we found no state source saying they do, so ask before paying for one.

Proof of completion has to reach both the court and the Driver Service Bureau before license reinstatement, which may come with extra conditions set by the court or the bureau, such as fees, a waiting period or an ignition interlock device. Treatment can be paid through private insurance, Mississippi Medicaid, sliding fees or state-funded programs, depending on the provider.

Repeat-offense and underage cases follow different rules, and the hours depend on the offense. Mississippi courts and the Driver Service Bureau set those terms. For teens, Mississippi law lets a minor aged 15 or older consent to treatment by a licensed physician or psychologist for problems related to alcohol or drugs.

How does a DUI assessment decide what treatment you need in Mississippi?

A DUI diagnostic assessment at a Department of Mental Health listed program looks at your alcohol and drug use and sets the level of treatment you need. A counselor usually asks about your drinking and drug history, any past DUIs, and your physical and mental health.

Listed providers in Mississippi report several levels of care for people referred after a DUI. Many people start with outpatient rehab in Mississippi. Others move into intensive outpatient programs or residential rehab when the assessment calls for more structure. Some programs offer medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder; see alcohol rehab and Suboxone clinics in the state.

A judge can also order treatment directly. Mississippi’s intervention courts are certified by the Administrative Office of Courts and follow rules set by the State Drug Court Advisory Board, and they may require treatment as part of a case. More on that route is on court-ordered rehab in Mississippi.

Can you complete a DUI or DWI program online in Mississippi?

An online class counts only if the court or the Driver Service Bureau accepts it, so ask them before you pay for any web-based course. We found no state source saying online MASEP classes are accepted.

Telehealth treatment is a separate question from the education course. Mississippi Medicaid covers medically necessary telehealth in place of an in-person visit, including sessions from home with psychologists, licensed clinical social workers and licensed professional counselors. Programs offering this are on telehealth rehab in Mississippi. Whether a remote session meets a court order is still up to the court.

How do you pay for a DUI course or court-ordered treatment in Mississippi?

The MASEP course fee is paid separately from any treatment. We found no current state-published amount.

Treatment that an assessment recommends can be paid for in several ways. Listings show private insurance, Mississippi Medicaid, sliding fee scales and state-funded programs. Mississippi Medicaid runs managed care through MississippiCAN, and its plans (Magnolia Health, Molina Healthcare and TrueCare) cover behavioral health services. Mississippi has not adopted the adult Medicaid expansion, so many working-age adults do not qualify. See Medicaid rehab, sliding-scale rehab and state-funded rehab in Mississippi.

Spanish-language and interpreter services

Programs that report Spanish-language services or interpreters appear on Spanish-speaking rehab in Mississippi. Individual listings show other languages where providers report them.

What happens after you finish, and how do you get your license back?

After you finish, proof of completion has to reach the court and the Driver Service Bureau before you can move on to license reinstatement. Reinstatement can come with other conditions, such as an ignition interlock device, fees or a waiting period, and the court or the bureau sets those. Nothing here is legal advice. Finishing a program does not mean charges will be reduced or dismissed.

Listed DUI and DWI programs in Mississippi are mostly in towns (53 percent) or rural areas (41 percent), including Jackson, Greenwood, Oxford, Tupelo, Ridgeland and D’Iberville. The median listed program is 15.5 miles from an airport, and Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International is the nearest airport for about three in ten. Fifty-nine percent are within 25 miles of a river, among them the Tallahatchie, the Bouie and Browns Old River.

What to bring, and where to get help now

Before you call a program, have your court paperwork, case number and deadline ready, along with any assessment results you already have. Then ask:

• Can the program do DUI assessments as a Department of Mental Health listed provider?
• How is completion reported, and to whom?
• Which payment types does it accept?
• Are Spanish-language services or interpreters available?

The Department of Mental Health Helpline at 1-877-210-8513 answers around the clock. The national treatment referral line is 1-800-662-4357. You can call or text 988 during a mental health or substance use crisis. To see every program type in the state, go to the Mississippi locations page.