Currituck County DWI Lawyer (Corolla, Carova, and Moyock)

Charged With DWI in Currituck County?

A DWI charge from Corolla, Carova, Moyock, Knotts Island, or anywhere else in Currituck County is heard in Currituck County court at the Currituck County Courthouse, 2801 Caratoke Highway in Currituck. North Carolina’s DWI law is the same statewide, so the charge, the license revocation, and the sentencing levels work the same way they do in Dare County.

DWI stops in Currituck County happen on NC 168 near the Virginia line, on US 158 across the mainland, on NC 12 in Corolla during the summer, and even on the four-wheel-drive beach in Carova. More of our Currituck County DWI clients live in Virginia than in North Carolina.

Daniel Donahue is a Board Certified Specialist in State and Federal Criminal Law, certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. He is the only board-certified criminal law specialist based in Dare County. He holds NHTSA certification in standardized field sobriety testing, and he handles DWI cases in Currituck County court.

Charged with DWI in Corolla, Carova, Moyock, or anywhere in Currituck County? Call or text Donahue Defense at 252-715-5785. Some deadlines run in the first 10 days.

DWI on the Beach in Carova

North Carolina’s DWI statute, N.C.G.S. Section 20-138.1, applies on any highway, street, or public vehicular area. Under N.C.G.S. Section 20-4.01, a public vehicular area includes any beach area used by the public for vehicular traffic. That means driving on the four-wheel-drive beach north of Corolla while impaired, or with an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more, can be charged as DWI, the same as driving on NC 12.

Virginia Residents Charged With DWI in Currituck County

Mainland Currituck borders Virginia, and Virginia residents make up the largest share of our Currituck County clients. A Currituck County DWI affects a Virginia driver in two places.

• In North Carolina: under N.C.G.S. Section 20-16.5, a result of 0.08 or more, or a refusal, brings an immediate civil revocation of your privilege to drive in North Carolina for at least 30 days. You must surrender your license to the court, including a Virginia license.
• In Virginia: a North Carolina DWI conviction is reported to Virginia under the Driver License Compact. Under Va. Code Section 46.2-389, Virginia DMV must revoke a Virginia license for one year after a conviction in another state for an offense substantially similar to Virginia’s DUI law, and it will not reinstate the license until the driver completes any alcohol safety action program a court required.

For drivers from other states, see out-of-state DWI in the Outer Banks.

What Happens After a Currituck County DWI Arrest

1. You are taken before a magistrate. With a result of 0.08 or more, or a refusal, a civil revocation of at least 30 days is ordered, and you pay a $100 fee to get your license back afterward.
2. You can request a hearing to contest the civil revocation within 10 days.
3. After at least 10 days of a 30-day revocation, you may qualify for a pretrial limited driving privilege if you obtain a substance abuse assessment and meet the other requirements.
4. A refusal also brings a separate 12-month revocation from NC DMV. See refusal and license revocation.
5. Your case proceeds in Currituck County District Court.
6. If you are convicted, a first offense brings a one-year revocation, and the judge sentences you at one of six DWI sentencing levels.

Evidence in Currituck County DWI Cases

Roadside field sobriety tests may be given at night on the shoulder of US 158 or NC 168, or on sand in Carova, and those conditions matter when the results are evaluated. North Carolina uses the EC/IR II for evidentiary breath tests, and the results are admissible only if the testing rules were followed. See breath tests and field sobriety tests.

Stopped on Currituck Sound or other nearby waters? See boating while impaired. Under 21? See underage DWI.

How We Can Help

• Explain what a Currituck County DWI could mean for your license, your record, and your insurance, in North Carolina and at home
• Help you request a hearing or a pretrial limited driving privilege within the deadlines
• Obtain and review the evidence, including video and breath or blood test records
• Evaluate field sobriety testing against the NHTSA standards officers are trained on
• Tell you early which Currituck County court dates need you in person
• Communicate in Spanish through our legal assistant, Kaitlyn Fernandez

Currituck County DWI FAQs

Can I be charged with DWI for driving on the beach in Carova?

Yes. A beach used by the public for vehicular traffic is a public vehicular area under North Carolina law, and the DWI statute applies there.

Will Virginia suspend my license for a North Carolina DWI?

Virginia law requires DMV to revoke a Virginia license for one year after a conviction in another state for an offense substantially similar to Virginia’s DUI law.

Where is court for a Currituck County DWI?

At the Currituck County Courthouse, 2801 Caratoke Highway, Currituck, NC 27929.

Do I have to come to court?

It depends on your case and how it is resolved. If your case goes to trial, plan to be there. We will tell you early which dates need you in person.

Talk to a Currituck County DWI Lawyer

If you were charged with DWI in Currituck County, call or text 252-715-5785. We will explain what happens to your license, here and at home, and what comes next in court. Got a ticket instead? See Currituck County speeding tickets. Se habla español.

Please do not include confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail.

This page is general information about North Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation.