Operating While Intoxicated (OWI)

Key points

1. OWI means a BAC of .08 or higher, or any amount of a controlled substance in your system.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “is defined as having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher or operating with any amount of controlled substance in your system.”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

2. Even without a criminal conviction, an OWI means revocation for at least 180 days.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “your driving privileges will still be revoked for a minimum of 180 days if you operate while intoxicated.”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

3. Repeat OWI offenses bring longer revocations and harsher penalties.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “Repeat offenses for operating while intoxicated are increasingly severe, resulting in longer driver’s license revocations and harsher criminal penalties.”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

4. Holding an Iowa license means you agree to a field sobriety test when police demand it.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “As a holder of an Iowa driver’s license, you are contractually agreeing to consent to a field sobriety test upon demand by law enforcement”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

5. Refusing a breath test means automatic revocation for 1 year and a fine of at least $1,250.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “with an automatic one year revocation of your license and a minimum $1,250 fine.”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

6. The consequences of refusing a breath test are more severe than failing one.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “The consequences for refusing a breathalyzer test are more severe than failing a test”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

7. Being awake 18 hours straight impairs you as much as a 0.08 BAC.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “Being awake for 18 hours straight is as impairing as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Iowa practice test

1. 1. For a driver age 21 or older operating a noncommercial vehicle in Iowa, what is the lowest BAC covered by the general alcohol per se threshold?

   1. .02 or higher
   2. .05 or higher
   3. .08 or higher
   4. .10 or higher
   Show answer

   .08 or higher. For the general adult OWI definition, Iowa uses a BAC of .08 or higher. The .02 figure belongs to the stricter underage rule, while .05 and .10 are not the threshold stated for this definition. The manual also explains that OWI can involve any amount of a controlled substance, so the BAC number is not the only route to the offense. Do not treat .08 as a safe-driving target: impairment can begin earlier, and the posted legal threshold describes enforcement, not a recommended amount before driving.

2. 2. What happens to Iowa driving privileges after operating while intoxicated, even without an OWI conviction in criminal court?

   1. They remain valid unless a judge orders a suspension
   2. They are revoked for a minimum of 180 days
   3. They are suspended for exactly 30 days
   4. They are revoked only after a second offense
   Show answer

   They are revoked for a minimum of 180 days. Iowa still revokes driving privileges for at least 180 days after operating while intoxicated, even when criminal court does not produce an OWI conviction. The choice “They remain valid unless a judge orders a suspension” confuses the criminal case with the separate licensing consequence. Thirty days is shorter than the period stated, and the choice “They are revoked only after a second offense” incorrectly makes the rule depend on repetition. Treat the administrative driving consequence as its own issue after an intoxicated-driving event. The key cue is the phrase even if you are not convicted, which signals that the revocation does not wait for a criminal judgment.

3. 3. Besides a BAC of .08 or higher, what substance condition can meet Iowa's OWI definition?

   1. Any amount of a controlled substance in the driver's system
   2. Only an open alcohol container
   3. Only a prescription label in the car
   4. Any amount of caffeine in the driver's system
   Show answer

   Any amount of a controlled substance in the driver's system. Iowa's OWI definition includes operating with any amount of a controlled substance in the driver's system, in addition to the .08 BAC standard. An open container is a separate alcohol rule, and a prescription label or caffeine level is not the condition stated here. The word any is important: the manual does not set a minimum quantity for the controlled substance in this definition. Avoid driving after using a substance that could impair you, and remember that the chemical category is separate from whether alcohol is present.

Source: the Iowa Driver's Manual, Chapter 3: Alcohol and Drugs. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.