'RHOP' Star Karen Huger Released From Prison After DUI Conviction

2:05 PM PT -- Karen Huger is diving right back into civilian life after doing 6 months behind bars ... and she's enjoying some luxuries she didn't have in prison ... like celebrity hairstylists.

Check out this video from Karen's first day out ... she's getting her hair done.

It's good to be on the outside.

Karen Huger has been released from prison after being found guilty of DUI ... TMZ has learned.

The Montgomery County Detention Center in Maryland tells TMZ ... Huger was released Tuesday at 10 AM ET -- after she served 6 months behind bars.

The 'Real Housewives of Potomac' star is getting out of the clink 6 months earlier than expected -- having been convicted on 7 of 8 charges prosecutors brought against her ... including DUI, negligent driving, failing to control her vehicle’s speed to avoid a collision, and more.

Moving forward ... Karen won't allowed behind the wheel for a year. She'll also serve 5 years of supervised probation upon release -- with an interlock device required once she's cleared to drive again. If there aren't any violations, probation will switch to unsupervised after 3 years.

TMZ broke the story ... Huger's March 2024 crash in Potomac, Md. went down when she struck a median and crosswalk sign at an intersection before slamming into a parking sign and coming to a stop just off the roadway.