First-Offense DUI · Lancaster County, PA
ARD Program in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
If you were arrested for a first-offense DUI in Lancaster County, Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) is usually your single most important opportunity. Below is how ARD works locally — the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office, the Lancastercourthouse process, cost, timeline, and what changed under Act 58 of 2025.
Not sure if you qualify? Take the free ARD Eligibility Quiz — 7 questions, instant result, right next step.
How ARD works in Lancaster County
Lancaster County runs a distinctive Central Court intake for DUI cases and its own ARD track. The DA screens ARD applications alongside the CRN evaluation and requires a completed application packet.
Filing window. Applications are usually filed after Central Court and before the ARD hearing; late-filed packets can be denied on scheduling grounds. You must not have a prior DUI conviction within 10 years and cannot have a prior ARD within 10 years — under Act 58 of 2025, a second DUI within 10 years of a prior ARD is now a new standalone offense under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3802(h) with mandatory penalties.
Lancaster courthouse & hearings
The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas is located at 50 North Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17602. ARD hearings happen there on a regular ARD list, typically after the CRN drug-and-alcohol evaluation is complete and the DA has approved the application.
Preliminary hearings in Lancaster route through the Central Court system rather than individual MDJs for most DUI arrests.
ARD cost in Lancaster County
Lancaster ARD total costs typically range from $1,900 to $2,700 depending on BAC tier and any restitution. That is separate from any restitution owed and separate from your defense attorney's fee. See the full statewide breakdown on the ARD Program pillar page.
License suspension in Lancaster County ARD
License suspension for ARD is a statewide rule set by BAC tier, not by county — 0 days for general impairment (under 0.10), 30 days for high tier (0.10 to under 0.16), and 60 days for highest tier (0.16+) or refusal-eligible cases. Lancaster County follows the same statutory schedule.
Areas we serve in Lancaster County
We handle first-offense DUI and ARD cases across Lancaster County, including Lancaster, Lititz, Ephrata, Manheim, Elizabethtown, Columbia, Millersville, and Willow Street.
Next step
The ARD window closes quickly. We screen ARD eligibility on the first call and walk you through exactly what Lancaster County District Attorney's Office will require for your application.
Charged with DUI in Lancaster?
Free consultations. We handle first-offense DUI and ARD applications across Central Pennsylvania — including Lancaster County.
Other counties
This page is general legal information about Pennsylvania's ARD program in Lancaster County and does not constitute legal advice for your specific case. For advice about your situation, contact a licensed Pennsylvania DUI attorney.