I haven’t gotten this question a lot, but it is worth mentioning whether a DUI conviction will affect someone’s credit score.
Generally speaking, a DUI conviction will not show up on a credit report. A conviction stays on a person’s criminal record which is held at the Department of Justice. Although it may be disclosed when someone does a background check, it has nothing to do with financial responsibility. There are, however, some circumstances in which a DUI will affect a credit score indirectly.
If a person fails to pay their fines and/or restitution stemming from a DUI conviction, their credit may be negatively affected. Not only will they be in violation of probation, if a person fails to pay fines and/or restitution, the court can send the case to a collection agency. Collection agencies will report delinquent debt to major credit reporting agencies.
If there is a lawsuit that stems from a DUI for property damage or injury to another person, a judgment against the DUI defendant will be reported to the credit bureaus. This is why it is important to respond to lawsuits. Failure to respond to a lawsuit results in a default judgment. If a person responds and either wins the case or the case is dismissed, their credit score will not be affected.
A DUI conviction can affect a person’s ability to gain employment. Most employers conduct background checks on potential employees. If a person cannot gain employment, it will be difficult for them to satisfy their financial responsibilities and this can indirectly lead to a negative impact on a person’s credit score.
A person who has suffered a DUI conviction will have to deal with increased insurance premiums. While this does not directly affect the person’s credit score, money spend on the increased premiums could have been allocated toward other financial obligations. If this is money the person does not have, other financial obligations cannot be met, which will likely affect the person’s credit score.
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