Hudson County IDRC — Class Location, Schedule and Fees

Reviewed by William A. Proetta, Esq. · Updated

If you live in Hudson County and are convicted of DWI or breath-test refusal, the court will order you to complete the Hudson County Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC) program. The 12-hour class meets on a Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. both days, in Jersey City; the exact room is listed on your IDRC scheduling letter. The fee is $264, due on the first day.

Hudson County IDRC at a Glance

Class location Jersey City (the room is listed on your IDRC scheduling letter)
Administrative office 830 Bergen Avenue, 5A, Jersey City, NJ 07306
Class schedule Two consecutive days, Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Fee $264, due on the first day of class
Payment Money order. The county’s page also links to a credit card payment option, so confirm the accepted method when you are scheduled.
Phone (201) 209-2810, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Walk-in hours Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (call first)
Getting there No on-site parking. Use nearby paid lots or metered street parking, or take PATH to Journal Square or an NJ Transit bus.

Details come from the Hudson County IDRC page. Always follow the date and instructions on your own scheduling letter.

Which Hudson County Cases Go to the IDRC

Every DWI and refusal conviction in New Jersey carries an IDRC requirement, whether the case involved alcohol or drugs. In Hudson County, that covers convictions in all 12 municipal courts: Bayonne, East Newark, Guttenberg, Harrison, Hoboken, Jersey City, Kearny, North Bergen, Secaucus, Union City, Weehawken and West New York. What you are assigned depends on the conviction:

  • First offense or refusal: the 12-hour Hudson County program described on this page. See our guide to a first offense DWI.
  • Second offense: a 48-hour regional program served over 48 consecutive hours. Hudson County residents go to the regional program, and the Hudson County IDRC monitors any treatment that follows. See second offense DWI.
  • Third or later offense: the state refers you back to your local 12-hour IDRC to satisfy the multiple-offender requirements. See third offense DWI.
  • Drivers who live outside New Jersey: if you live within 50 miles of New Jersey, a 12-hour requirement must be completed here. If you live farther away, the state Intoxicated Driving Program mails an out-of-state requirements packet. Out-of-state drivers can also ask any New Jersey IDRC to schedule them.

What Happens During the Two Days

The class is part education and part screening. A certified or licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor screens each person. If the counselor decides it is warranted, you can be referred for a fuller evaluation and ordered into treatment, and the IDRC reports your attendance to the court. Under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(f), an ordered treatment referral cannot last longer than one year.

There is a 30-minute lunch break. Bring your own lunch: there is a microwave in the jury room and snack and soda machines on site.

What to Bring

  • Photo ID, such as a driver’s license, passport or visa, or a work or school ID.
  • The $264 fee.
  • Lunch.
  • An interpreter if English is not your first language, or ask to be placed in a Spanish-language class when you are scheduled.

If you have a disability and need an accommodation, tell the IDRC at least two weeks before your class.

Rescheduling and Missed Classes

The Hudson County IDRC reschedules only for documented emergencies:

  • a health emergency, with a doctor’s note;
  • a death in the family, with an obituary notice;
  • a work emergency, with a note from your employer; or
  • a family emergency.

Missing the class without approval starts the noncompliance process. According to the state’s Intoxicated Driving Program, you first get a Warning Notice giving you 10 business days to finish everything you owe. If you do not, the sentencing court receives a Notice of Noncompliance. Not finishing within the next 30 days leads to an additional license suspension, and failing to meet an IDRC requirement is punishable by two days in the county jail. Driving while suspended for a DWI adds further penalties.

If you have received a warning or noncompliance notice, deal with it right away. It is usually far easier to fix before the court acts on it.

How We Help With the IDRC Requirement

We represent drivers in all 12 Hudson County municipal courts. At sentencing we explain exactly what the IDRC will require, and we help clients who have fallen behind on their IDRC requirement get back into compliance before it turns into a new suspension or a jail term. Learn more about our Hudson County DWI defense, our Jersey City DWI practice, and the full list of New Jersey DWI penalties.

Hudson County IDRC FAQs

Where is the Hudson County IDRC class held?

In Jersey City. The exact location is on your IDRC scheduling letter. Classes were long held in the old courthouse at 595 Newark Avenue, which the courts left in 2026 for the Frank J. Guarini Justice Complex, so do not rely on older directions. The IDRC’s administrative office is at 830 Bergen Avenue, but classes are not held there.

How much does the Hudson County IDRC cost?

The 12-hour class costs $264, due on the first day. The county lists money orders as the accepted payment, and its page also links to a credit card option, so confirm the method when you are scheduled.

What days and times does the 12-hour class meet?

Saturday and Sunday on consecutive days, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day. You must attend both days.

Can I reschedule my Hudson County IDRC class?

Only for a documented emergency: a health emergency (doctor’s note), a death in the family (obituary notice), a work emergency (employer’s note), or a family emergency. Call (201) 209-2810 as soon as you know.

What happens if I don’t complete the IDRC?

You get a Warning Notice with 10 business days to comply, then the court receives a Notice of Noncompliance. Failing to finish leads to an additional license suspension, and failing to meet an IDRC requirement is punishable by two days in the county jail.

I live outside New Jersey. Do I still have to attend?

If you live within 50 miles of New Jersey, a 12-hour requirement must be completed in New Jersey. If you live farther away, the state Intoxicated Driving Program mails you an out-of-state requirements packet.