If you're under 21, California's zero-tolerance law applies, and it's strict. Any measurable alcohol, a BAC of 0.01% or higher, can cost you your license for a full year even if you weren't impaired and even if you were nowhere near the adult 0.08% limit.
There are a few overlapping rules to understand. The zero-tolerance provision and Vehicle Code 23140 both target underage drivers with low BAC levels and are handled largely through the DMV and infractions. But if your BAC was 0.08% or higher, or you were actually impaired, you can also be charged as an adult under Vehicle Code 23152, on top of the underage consequences. The penalties stack.
Refusing a preliminary alcohol screening (PAS) test as an underage driver is also different from an adult refusal. Because you gave implied consent by driving, refusing can trigger its own one-year suspension.
For a young person, the license loss often hurts the most. Getting to school, work, and internships suddenly becomes a real problem. A restricted "critical need" license is sometimes available, but the rules are narrow.
The 10-day deadline to request a DMV hearing still applies, so acting fast matters as much here as in any DUI.
Read more on the underage DUI page and the DMV hearings page.
This is general information, not legal advice, and every case is different. For a free consultation, call (858) 622-7280 or visit /contact.