How long do Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) convictions stay on your driving record?

An Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) conviction in Wisconsin remains on your driving record for life, which is why this option is correct. This lifetime presence on your record can have significant implications, such as impacting insurance rates, future driving privileges, and the potential for harsher penalties if you are convicted of a subsequent OWI offense.

The idea behind maintaining such a record is to encourage responsible driving behavior and to deter individuals from engaging in impaired driving, considering the severe risks it poses to public safety. Over significant time, the burden of past mistakes can impact various aspects of an individual’s life, which highlights the seriousness with which OWI offenses are treated in Wisconsin.