If you are convicted of DWI for the fourth time and the three prior DWI convictions occurred within the past ______ years, your fourth conviction will be considered a felony.

In North Carolina, the law designates a DWI (Driving While Impaired) conviction as a felony if a person has been convicted of DWI three or more times within a span of seven years leading up to the fourth conviction. This seven-year period is crucial in determining whether the fourth DWI offense escalates to a felony charge, reflecting the state’s efforts to address habitual offenders more strictly. As a result, the law recognizes the significant risk that repeat offenders pose to public safety, and thus enforces harsher penalties for those who continue to drive impaired within a short timeframe. This context explains why seven years is the correct timeframe in this scenario.