DUI Checkpoint Laws by State

State

Checkpoints?

Legality

Frequency

Code Section/Case Law

AL

Yes

Under the federal Constitution

Throughout the year

See case law: Smith v. State, 515 So. 2d 149, 150, 151 (Ala. Crim. App.
1987)

AK

Not allowed

None

N/A

N/A

AZ

Yes

Under the federal Constitution

Can be at least once a month

See case law: State v. Superior Court, 143 Ariz. 45, 691 P.2d 1073) (1984)

AR

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Can be weekly

See case law: Brouhard v. Lee, 125 F.3d 656 (8th Cir. 1997)

CA

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Over 2,500 annually

California Vehicle Code 2814.2, Case law: Ingersoll v. Palmer, 743 P.2d 1299 (Cal. 1987)

CO

Yes, see Colorado DUI Checkpoint Manual

Under state and federal Constitution

One-two times a month

Case law: People v. Rister, 803 P.2d 483 (Col. 1990)

CT

Yes

Under state Constitution

N/A

Case law: State v. Mikolinski, 775 A.2d 274 (Conn. 2001)

DE

Yes

Under state law and federal Constitution

Conducted monthly January to June; weekly July through December

Case law: Delaware v. Prouse, 440 U.S. 648 (1979)

DC

Yes

Under federal Constitution

One-two times a month

Case law: Galberth v. U.S., 590 A.2d 990 (D.C. App. 1991); U.S. v. McFayden, 865 F.2d 1306 (D.C. Cir. 1989)

FL

Yes

Under federal Constitution

Several times throughout the month

State v. Jones, 483 So. 2d 433 (1986); Campbell v. State, 679 So.2d 1168 (Fla. 1996

GA

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Weekly

State v. Golden, 318 S.E.2d 693 (Ga. App. 1984); Evans v. State, 380 S.E.2d 332 (Ga. App. 1989); Seagraves v. State, 442 S.E.2d 312 (Ga. App. 1994); Hooten v. State, 442 S.E.2d 836 (Ga. App. 1994); Burns v. State, 454 S.E.2d 152 (Ga. App. 1995); Brent v. State, 510 S.E.2d 14 (Ga. 1998)

HI

Yes

Statute

Weekly

HAW. REV. Stat. 286-162.5 and 286-162.6

ID

No

N/A

N/A

Case law: State v. Henderson, 756 P.2d 1057 (Idaho 1988)

IL

Yes

Under federal Constitution

Several hundred annually

Case law: People v. Bartley, 486 N.E.2d 880 (Ill. 1985)

IN

Yes

Under state Constitution

N/A

Case law: Indiana v. Gerschoffer, Supreme Court of Indiana, No. 71S05-0102-CR-106, March 5, 2002

IA

No

N/A

N/A

Chapter 312 Road Use Tax Fund does not authorize sobriety checkpoints

KS

Yes

Under state law and federal Constitution

One-two a month

Case law: State v. Deskins, 673 P. 2d 1174 (Kansas 1983)

KY

Yes

Under federal Constitution

Weekly

Case law: Kinslow v. Commonwealth, 660 S.W.2d. 677 (Ky. 1984)

LA

Yes

Under state Constitution

N/A

Case law: State v. Jackson, 764 So.2d 64 (La. 2000)

ME

Yes

Under federal Constitution

N/A

Case law: State v. Leighton, 551 A.2d 116 (Me. 1988); State v. McMahon, 557 A.2d 1324 (Me. 1989); State v. Babcock, 559 A.2d 337 (Me. 1989)

MD

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Weekly

Little v. State, 479 A.2d 903 (Md. 1984)

MA

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Throughout the year

Commonwealth v. Shields, 521 N.E.2d 987 (Mass. 1988); Commonwealth v. Cameron, 545 N.E.2d 619 (Mass. App. Ct. 1989)

MI

No

N/A

N/A

Sitz v. Mich. Dept. of State Police, 506 N.W.2d 209 (Mich. 1993)

MN

No

N/A

N/A

Ascher v. Comm. of Public Safety, 519 N.W.2d 183 (Minn. 1994); Gray v. Comm. of Public Safety, 519 N.W.2d 187 (Minn. 1994

MS

Yes

Under federal Constitution

Weekly

Case law: Miller v. State, 373 So.2d 1004 (Miss. 1979)

MO

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

One-two times a month

Case law: State v. Welch, 755 S.W.2d 624 (Mo. App. 1988);

MT

Yes, only as a "spot check"

By statute

N/A

Statute: Mont. Code Ann. §§46-5502

NE

Yes

Under state law

Several a month

Case law: State v. McCleery, 560 N.W.2d 789 (Neb. 1997)

NV

Yes

By statute

One-two times per month

NEV. REV. STAT. 484.359 and 484.3591

NH

Yes, only by court approval

By statute

Weekly

Statute requires prior judicial authorization: N.H. REV. STAT. ANN. 265:1-a

NJ

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

One-two times a month

Case law: State v. Mazurek, 567 A.2d 277 (N.J. Super. A.D. 1989)

NM

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

N/A

Case law: City of Las Cruces v. Betancourt, 735 P.2d 1161 (N.M. App. 1987); State v. Bates, 902 P.2d 1060 (N.M. App. 1995); State v. Madalena, 908 P.2d 756 (N.M. App. 1995)

NY

Yes

Under federal Constitution

Weekly

Case law: People v. Scott, 473 N.E.2d 1 (N.Y. 1984)

NC

Yes

By statute

Weekly

Statute: NC GS 20-16.3A

ND

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

N/A

Case law: City of Bismark v. Uhden, 513 N.W.2d 373 (N.D. 1994).

OH

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Throughout the year

Case law: State v. Bauer, 651 N.E. 2d 46 (Ohio App. 10 Dist. 1994)

OK

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

One-two times monthly

Case law: Geopfert v. State Ex Re. DPS, 884 P.2d 1218 (Okla. App. 1994)

OR

No, illegal under state constitution

N/A

N/A

Case law: State v. Boyanovsky, 743 P.2d 711 (Or. 1987)

PA

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Throughout the year

Case law: Commonwealth v. Yastrop, 768 A.2d 318 (Pa. 2001)

RI

No, illegal under state Constitution

N/A

N/A

Case law: Primental v. Rhode Island, 561 A.2d 1348 (R.I. 1989)

SC

Yes

N/A

N/A

No state authority, but legal.

SD

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Weekly

Case law: State v. Claussen, 522 N.W.2d 196 (S.C. 1994)

TN

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

One-two times per month

Case law: State v. Downey, 945 S.W.2d 102 (Tenn. 1997)

TX

No

N/A

N/A

Illegal under Texas' interpretation of federal Constitution, case law: State v. Holt, 887 S.W. 2d 16 (Tex. Cr. App. 1994)

UT

Yes

By statute

Every other month

Statute: UTAH CODE ANN. 77-23-101 et seq

VT

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Weekly

Case law: State v. Martin, 496 A.2d 442 (Vt. 1985) and State v. Record, 548 A.2d 422 (Vt. 1988)

VA

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Weekly

Case law: Lowe v. Commonwealth, 337 S.E.2d 273 (Va. 1985)

WA

No, illegal under state Constitution

N/A

N/A

Case law: City of Seattle v. Mesiani, 755 P.2d 775 (Wash. 1988)

WV

Yes

Under state and federal Constitution

Weekly

Case law: Carte v. Cline, 460 S.E.2d 48 (W.Va. 1995)

WI

No, prohibited by state statute

N/A

N/A

Statute: WIS. STAT. ANN. 349.02(2)(a)

WY

No

N/A

N/A

Statute: WYO. STAT. ANN. 7-17-101 et seq.