How long does it take for cops to test your blood if you’ve given your blood after a DUI arrest?

Answer:
Most people are surprised to learn that if you’re arrested for DUI and provide a blood sample, it typically takes at least 60 days — and possibly up to 90 — for the government to test it. Blood is placed in a vial, shipped via FedEx to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in Decatur, and joins samples from arrests across the entire state. It’s stored, allegedly refrigerated, and processed amid a significant testing backlog. Expect a wait of 60 to 90 days before you’ll know your blood alcohol content or drug test results. If you have questions about this and you’re in the Northeast Georgia area, give us a call.

Where the Blood Sample Actually Goes

DUI blood samples from across Georgia are sent to the GBI’s Division of Forensic Sciences headquarters, located on Panthersville Road in Decatur. It’s the state’s central toxicology lab, meaning your sample isn’t processed in isolation — it enters a queue alongside blood evidence from arrests happening statewide, seven days a week, in every county.

Why the Wait Has Gotten Longer

This isn’t a new complaint, and it isn’t unique to any one county. Local prosecutors across Georgia have publicly acknowledged that as more agencies shifted from breath testing to blood testing in DUI cases, the added lab work has strained the GBI’s testing capacity, alongside a growing volume of drug cases involving substances like fentanyl. The result is a real, documented backlog that directly affects how long DUI blood results take to come back.

What Happens to Your Case During the Wait

Many DUI cases involving a blood draw sit without a final charging decision until the lab results actually come back, since prosecutors typically want the toxicology report in hand before deciding how to proceed. That means an arrest doesn’t automatically translate into a formal accusation right away — there’s often a real gap where the case is effectively on hold.

Your Right to Independent Testing of the Sample

While the state’s testing is pending, you’re not limited to waiting on the GBI’s results alone. Georgia regulations allow for independent examination of evidence, including blood samples, supervised by the Division of Forensic Sciences. That means your own attorney can pursue independent testing rather than relying solely on the state’s timeline and the state’s lab.

Why the Wait Isn’t Necessarily Bad for the Defense

A long wait for results cuts both ways. It also gives your attorney real time to evaluate whether the traffic stop itself was lawful, review body camera and dashcam footage, and gather other evidence well before a final charging decision is made — work that’s often far more valuable done early than after an accusation is already filed.

What to Do Next

If you have questions about this and you’re in the Northeast Georgia area, give us a call.

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I tried to write this several times and it brought me to tears. First may I say this has been the hardest three years of my life. Five lawyers I interviewed and none even understood the law as it applied to my case. So I thought I would try one more and it was Brett. From our first conversation together I knew he understood the law and was the perfect one for the case. I want to say how he prepared the case and presented it, achieving a full dismissal and ruling the police violated my first amendment rights. Complete genius!!!!

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