After a DWI in New Hampshire: The IDCMP Explained, Step by Step

Written by Ken Haberland, LCMHC, MLADC, H&H Counseling
Last reviewed October 2026

If you've just been convicted of driving while impaired (DWI) in New Hampshire, you'll have to complete the state's Impaired Driver Care Management Program (IDCMP) before you can get your license back. The process has strict deadlines. For a standard first offense, some begin on the date of conviction; for aggravated or repeat offenses, some deadlines run from release from the county correctional facility. Missing them can make your license loss longer. This guide walks through each step in plain language.

Who's who

Four roles show up again and again in this process. Knowing which is which makes the paperwork much easier to follow.

• The court and the NH Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) set your sentence and your license revocation. The DMV restores your license once you've completed the program and met its other requirements.
• An Impaired Driver Care Management Program (IDCMP) is an agency approved by NH DHHS to run the whole process for you: intake and screening, the substance use evaluation, your service plan, case management, and the final completion report. Everyone convicted of DWI in NH goes through an IDCMP.
• An Impaired Driver Service Provider (IDSP) is a clinician or agency approved by NH DHHS to provide the counseling or recovery support your service plan requires. Your IDSP reports your progress to your IDCMP.
• The Impaired Driver Education Program (IDEP) is a 20-hour education course run by IDCMPs, offered over several sessions or as a weekend program.

Step by step: a first offense

The timeline below applies to a standard (non-aggravated) first offense. The clock starts on the date of your conviction, not your arrest.

1. Book your intake with an approved IDCMP right away

Complete an intake and screening at a NH-approved IDCMP within 14 days of your conviction. Meeting this deadline is what keeps you eligible for a reduced license revocation period. You can choose any approved IDCMP; the state publishes the current list (see sources at the end). Call early, because you'll need time to gather documents.

First-offense flowchart

A positive screen leads to an evaluation, which may add a service plan

Also required: an online victim impact panel

Since January 1, 2026, people convicted of DWI must complete a qualified online victim impact panel program unless the court finds exceptional circumstances. Your sentencing order will say whether it applies to you.

2. Screening

At intake, IDCMP staff use standardized questionnaires and your records (such as your arrest report and any chemical test results) to decide whether a full evaluation is needed. Some facts lead to a referral on their own, for example refusing a chemical test, a blood alcohol level of 0.16 or higher if you were 21 or older, more than one DWI conviction, or a documented history of substance use disorder. Staff can also refer you based on clinical concern.

3a. If your screen is negative

You complete the 20-hour Impaired Driver Education Program (IDEP) and pay your program fees. If you've completed a state-approved education program within the past 5 years, tell your IDCMP and bring proof.

3b. If your screen is positive

You complete a full substance use disorder evaluation with a licensed clinician at the IDCMP, within 30 days of your conviction. It can sometimes happen the same day as the screening. The evaluation looks at your substance use, health, legal, and family history.

A positive screen doesn't automatically mean treatment. If the evaluation finds that no treatment is needed, you finish the same way as a negative screen: complete the IDEP and pay your fees. If it finds that treatment is needed, you move on to a service plan.

4. Your service plan

If the evaluation is positive, the IDCMP writes an individualized service plan and reviews it with you. It spells out the type and amount of counseling or recovery support you need, any required testing, your case management schedule, and the IDEP if you haven't done it recently. You'll be asked to sign it. If you disagree with what it requires, you have the right to request a hearing with the DMV to challenge it.

5. Treatment with an approved IDSP, plus case management

You complete the counseling in your plan with an approved IDSP. That can be the same agency as your IDCMP or a separate provider you choose. Your IDSP sends your treatment plan and monthly progress updates to your IDCMP, and your IDCMP meets with you regularly (in person or by phone) to check in on your progress. Missing appointments or showing up impaired can be reported to the court and DMV as non-compliance.

6. Completion report

When you've finished every requirement and paid your program fees, the IDCMP sends a written completion report to the sentencing court and the DMV and records it in the state's electronic system.

7. Getting your license back

You're not eligible to have your license restored until the completion report is sent and all outstanding fees to the programs, courts, and state are paid. The DMV may have additional reinstatement steps, so check with the NH DMV once your revocation period ends.

If you miss a deadline, you may face the full revocation period, and you'll still need to complete the IDCMP before your license is restored. Limited exceptions exist for documented medical emergencies, a death in the family, or when the IDCMP can't schedule you in time; ask your IDCMP right away if one applies.

Aggravated, second, or later offenses

The same program applies, with a few important differences:

• No screening step. Everyone with an aggravated, second, or subsequent offense goes straight to a full substance use disorder evaluation.
• Different deadlines. According to NH DHHS, you must schedule your evaluation within 30 days and complete it within 60 days of your release from the county house of corrections. Confirm your exact dates with your IDCMP and attorney.
• Different criminal penalties. Aggravated, second, and later offenses carry different penalties and incarceration requirements depending on the offense and how recent any prior conviction is. Confirm yours with your attorney and your court order.
• Victim impact panel: Second and subsequent DWI offenses also require the qualified online victim impact panel unless the court finds exceptional circumstances. For an aggravated DWI, follow the requirements in your sentencing order.
• More treatment. Service plans for repeat offenses generally require more counseling, and sometimes an intensive outpatient program, than a first offense. Your evaluation and offense history set the exact requirements.
• Unfinished requirements carry over. If you didn't complete aftercare from an earlier DWI, your IDCMP can build it into your new plan.

What to bring to your intake

IDCMPs are required to collect specific documents. Missing paperwork won't stop your intake, but it can stop your screening result, evaluation, or completion report from being finalized. Ask your IDCMP for their exact list; it typically includes:

• A current certified copy of your driving record from the NH DMV, plus any other state where you hold a license or had a DWI arrest or conviction
• Your DMV notice of suspension or revocation
• Your court orders
• Your chemical test results, or documentation that you refused testing
• A copy of your arrest report and narrative
• Proof of any state-approved impaired driver education program you completed in the past 5 years
• The $70 state fee, by certified check or money order payable to "Treasurer – State of New Hampshire" (unless you qualify for a hardship waiver). An IDCMP can't conduct your intake without it.

What it costs

State rules cap what IDCMPs can charge. These are the fees approved IDCMPs currently post; confirm with your program before your intake.

Counseling with your IDSP is billed separately. Many IDSPs accept health insurance for treatment, but IDCMP program fees usually aren't covered by insurance. Ask both providers before you start.

Reduced fees

NH residents who document qualifying public benefits (such as TANF, Social Security disability, or SSI) can have the IDEP fee cut by 50% and the $70 state fee waived. Bring proof of benefits to your intake. Publicly funded treatment may also be available if you can't afford counseling.

Common questions

Can I choose my counselor?

Yes. Your IDCMP will refer you to approved treatment providers and must tell you that you can receive services from the IDCMP itself. You can also choose any other approved IDSP. If you already have a counselor, ask whether they're an approved IDSP before you start, because only approved providers' sessions count toward your plan.

Can I switch programs?

Yes, you can transfer to a different IDCMP. Depending on what you've completed, the new program may need to redo some steps, so ask both programs how a transfer would work before you switch.

Do I have to go to AA or a religious program?

A service plan can recommend a 12-step or faith-based program, but it can't require one if you object.

What happens if I miss an appointment?

Only documented emergencies, like a death in your immediate family or a medical emergency, count as excused. Unexcused absences can be charged, and repeated missed appointments, a positive test, or showing up impaired can be reported to the court, prosecutor, and DMV as non-compliance.

I live in another state. What now?

If your conviction is in New Hampshire and you live elsewhere, you can usually complete some or all of the program in your home state, as long as those providers are approved there for license reinstatement. NH residents generally have to complete the program in New Hampshire, with exceptions for full-time students out of state and active-duty military. Your IDCMP can explain your options.

I was convicted years ago and never got my license back.

You'll most likely still need to complete an IDCMP. Contact one to find out which rules apply to your conviction date.

If your drinking or drug use is a real concern

For some people, a DWI is a one-time mistake. For others, it's a sign that alcohol or drugs have started causing problems. Either way, the evaluation and counseling can be more than a box to check. It's a chance to take an honest look with someone trained to help, without judgment.

• If you want help with substance use beyond what your plan requires, call 211 to reach The Doorway, New Hampshire's statewide access point for substance use help.
• If you're in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988, or call NH Rapid Response at 833-710-6477. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
• Stopping alcohol suddenly after heavy daily drinking can be dangerous. Talk with a medical provider before you quit if that applies to you.

Where H&H Counseling fits

Two of our clinicians are approved by NH DHHS as Impaired Driver Service Providers (IDSPs). That means once an IDCMP has created your service plan, you can choose to complete the counseling it requires with us. We'll work with you on the goals in your plan, coordinate with your IDCMP case manager, and send the progress and completion reports your IDCMP needs.

We see clients in person in Tilton and Concord. To ask about IDSP counseling, visit counselinghh.com/intake or call or text 978-547-8633. Have your service plan handy when you reach out.

Official sources

• NH DHHS Impaired Driving Program, including the current rules and provider lists: dhhs.nh.gov impaired driving program
• Approved IDCMP locations (NH DHHS): IDCMP list
• Approved Impaired Driver Service Providers (NH DHHS): IDSP list
• NH administrative rules, He-A 500 Impaired Driver Programs (adopted January 2024): He-A 500 rule text
• NH statute, RSA 265-A (Alcohol or Drug Impairment), the law that sets the program and its deadlines
• NH Division of Motor Vehicles, for license restoration requirements

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and it doesn't replace your court order, your service plan, or guidance from your IDCMP or attorney.