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Ignition interlock costs: installation, monthly lease, calibration & removal

An ignition interlock is a breath-testing device wired into your vehicle: the car starts only after a clean sample, and rolling retests continue while you drive. 18 states require one for every first offender; in the rest it is the price of a restricted license or follows a judge's order.

Who you pay — and why there is no official price

The state orders the device, approves the vendors, and sets the program rules — but the contract is between you and a private vendor (manufacturers such as Intoxalock, Smart Start, LifeSafer and state-approved local installers). That is why no statute or DMV schedule publishes the price: it is a market cost, and any figure on this page is labelled as such, never presented as a state fee.

The four charges

• Installation — a one-time labor charge, commonly about $75–$150 depending on the vehicle.
• Monthly lease — the device rental, commonly about $70–$120 per month for as long as the order runs; a 6-month order at $90/month is $540 in lease payments alone.
• Calibration & monitoring visits — typically every 30–60 days, sometimes included in the lease, sometimes charged per visit.
• Removal — a closing charge at the end of the order, commonly about $50–$100.

Missed appointments, failed samples that trigger a lockout service call, and early-termination fees are vendor charges too — ask for the full fee schedule before you sign, because you usually cannot switch vendors mid-order without paying twice. Some states run indigence funds that reduce interlock costs for qualifying drivers; your state guide notes the program where an official source describes one.

How long the order runs

Periods are set state by state — commonly 6 months for a first offense, longer for high-BAC or repeat offenses, and in mandatory states the clock often runs only while the device is installed and reporting. Your state guide states your statute's period.

Interlock requirement — all 50 states