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A second or third DUI arrest in Tampa carries far heavier consequences than a first offense. Florida law adds mandatory jail time for a second conviction within five years, makes a third conviction within ten years a third-degree felony, and treats any fourth conviction as a felony no matter how old the prior cases are. Ignition interlock periods, vehicle impoundment, and longer license revocations follow. The Tampa attorneys below handle repeat and felony DUI charges in Hillsborough County.

1. Amarosa Law Firm, P.A.

• Attorney: James R. Amarosa II, Esq., Founder
• Address: 3825 Henderson Blvd, Suite 207, Tampa, FL 33629
• Phone: (813) 251-0700
• Website: amarosalaw.com
• Practice Focus: Multiple DUI, felony DUI exposure, underage DUI, drug and violent crime defense
• Experience: Admitted to The Florida Bar in 2007; U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; past President, Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (2010 to 2012)
• Recognition: Barry Cohen Award for Excellence in Criminal Defense, HCACDL (2024); Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator
• Google Rating: 4.6 ★ (56 reviews)
• Google Business Profile: View on Google Maps
• Social Profiles: Facebook | X | LinkedIn

About: Amarosa Law Firm, P.A. maintains a dedicated Tampa multiple DUI practice for drivers facing a second, third, or later charge. James R. Amarosa II has trial experience in state and federal court and has taught forensic investigation, which helps when challenging breath, blood, and crash evidence. The firm is available 24 hours a day and also defends young drivers charged with DUI.

2. Parks & Braxton, PA

• Attorneys: Michael Braxton, Andrew Parks, Valentina Grizales
• Address: 602 S Boulevard, Suite A, Tampa, FL 33606
• Phone: (813) 708-5388
• Website: tampaduidefenders.com
• Practice Focus: DUI only, including multiple DUI, felony DUI, DUI with injury, and license restoration
• Experience: More than 60 years of combined experience; former prosecutors; Spanish spoken

About: Parks & Braxton focuses solely on DUI and keeps pages for multiple and felony DUI, alternative sentencing, and driver license restoration. Several Google reviewers describe second DUI charges reduced to reckless driving, though results vary by case.

3. Brett Metcalf, Criminal Defense Attorneys, P.A.

• Attorney: Brett Metcalf
• Address: 2011 W Cleveland St, Suite A-1, Tampa, FL 33606
• Phone: (813) 820-6706
• Website: hillsboroughdefense.com
• Practice Focus: Second offense DUI, third offense DUI, felony DUI, criminal defense
• Experience: Former state prosecutor; firm reports a not guilty verdict for a client charged with a fourth DUI

About: Brett Metcalf's firm separates its DUI resources by offense number, with pages for second, third, and felony DUI. It describes practice in the Hillsborough County courts at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse.

4. Brian Palacios Law

• Attorney: Brian Palacios
• Address: 3502 Henderson Blvd, Suite 210, Tampa, FL 33609
• Phone: (813) 461-3457
• Website: brianpalacioslaw.com
• Practice Focus: Second, third, and fourth offense DUI, felony DUI, high BAC DUI, DUI probation
• Experience: Former prosecutor and Lead Trial Attorney, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit; 15+ years of experience

About: Brian Palacios publishes pages for each repeat offense level, from second through fourth DUI. The firm reports a second DUI within five years reduced to reckless driving with no jail, while noting each case is different.

5. Daniel J. Fernandez, P.A.

• Attorney: Daniel J. Fernandez, with Dana M. Herce-Fulgueira, Roxanna Solis Smith, Catherine J. Sams, and Austin Crocker
• Address: 625 E Twiggs St, Suite 102, Tampa, FL 33602
• Phone: (813) 229-5353
• Website: djfernandezlaw.com
• Practice Focus: Felony DUI, DUI manslaughter, driving while license revoked, habitual traffic offender cases
• Experience: 43 years in practice; former prosecutor; more than 500 trials; Spanish spoken

About: The Fernandez team handles felony DUI alongside the license revocation and habitual traffic offender issues that often accompany repeat cases, and it files DHSMV review requests promptly.

6. The Matassini Law Firm, P.A.

• Attorneys: Nicholas G. Matassini, Christina Matassini
• Founded: 1976
• Address: 2811 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
• Phone: (813) 680-3004
• Website: matassinilaw.com
• Practice Focus: DUI defense, criminal defense, federal crimes
• Experience: Nicholas Matassini is Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law; both partners are former Thirteenth Circuit prosecutors with 20+ years each

About: Matassini Law has served Tampa since 1976 and recently published a guide on how second and third DUI penalties escalate in Tampa.

7. StechLaw Criminal Defense

• Attorney: Ben Stechschulte
• Founded: 2012
• Address: 1105 W Swann Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
• Phone: (813) 491-1073
• Website: tpatrialattorneys.com
• Practice Focus: DUI, special DUI cases, DUI manslaughter, license reinstatement
• Experience: Florida Bar Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer; former Hillsborough County prosecutor

About: StechLaw pairs board certification with prosecution experience and addresses getting a license back after a DUI.

8. The Hardy Law Firm, P.A.

• Attorney: David C. Hardy
• Founded: 2010
• Address: 1710 N 19th St, Suite 215, Tampa, FL 33605
• Phone: (813) 734-7190
• Website: thehardylawfirm.com
• Practice Focus: DUI, refusal cases, breath and blood testing, reckless driving reductions
• Experience: Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law by The Florida Bar (2010) and NBTA (2014); former Tampa prosecutor; fluent in Spanish

About: David Hardy covers testing evidence in detail and explains when a DUI may be reduced to reckless driving in Florida.

9. The Law Offices of Andrew Shein, P.A.

• Attorneys: Andrew Shein, Stephanie McEnery, Doug Warlick
• Address: 3605 W Azeele St, Tampa, FL 33609
• Phone: (813) 877-4357
• Website: andrewshein.com
• Practice Focus: DUI defense, hardship license, state and federal criminal defense
• Experience: Andrew Shein is Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law

About: The Shein firm handles DUI defense along with hardship license applications through DHSMV, a key concern after repeat offenses.

10. Sammis Law Firm

• Attorneys: Jason D. Sammis, Leslie M. Sammis, Joshua Monteiro, and three associates
• Address: 1005 N Marion St, Tampa, FL 33602
• Phone: (813) 250-0500
• Website: criminaldefenseattorneytampa.com
• Practice Focus: DUI, administrative suspension, habitual traffic offender cases
• Experience: Six attorneys; members of NACDL, FACDL, and HCACDL

About: Sammis Law Firm handles DUI and habitual traffic offender matters from four Florida offices and offers same-day consultations on request.

About This List

Amarosa Law Firm, P.A. sponsors this article and appears first. The other nine firms were chosen because their websites show repeat, felony, or general DUI defense and each has a Tampa office with a public Google Business Profile. Ratings were recorded on October 19, 2026. This list is not a ranking. Verify credentials through The Florida Bar before hiring.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the penalties for a second DUI in Florida?

A second conviction carries a fine of $1,000 to $2,000, up to 9 months in jail, and an ignition interlock device for at least 1 year. If the second offense occurred within 5 years of the prior conviction, the court must impose at least 10 days in jail.

When does a third DUI become a felony?

A third conviction for an offense within 10 years of a prior conviction is a third-degree felony, with at least 30 days in jail and an interlock for at least 2 years. A third offense more than 10 years after the prior carries a fine of $2,000 to $5,000 and up to 12 months in jail.

Is a fourth DUI always a felony?

Yes. A fourth or later conviction is a third-degree felony regardless of when the prior convictions occurred, with a fine of at least $2,000.

Do out-of-state DUI convictions count?

Yes. Statute 316.193 treats prior DUI or similar alcohol or drug driving convictions from other states as prior convictions.

What happens if my BAC was 0.15 or higher on a repeat offense?

A second conviction with a BAC of 0.15 or higher, or with a minor in the vehicle, raises the fine to $2,000 to $4,000 and the maximum jail term to 12 months, with an interlock of at least 2 years.