Arkansas ignition interlock & DWI (DUI) requirements
Arkansas requires an ignition interlock after a first DUI.
In Arkansas the offense is called DWI, driving while intoxicated; this page uses the statute's term. Ignition interlock device rules, approved vendors, SR-22 insurance filing, and license reinstatement in Arkansas, cited to the statute and Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Driver Services.
- IID on first offense
- Required
- Minimum IID period (first)
- 6 months (length of suspension)
- SR-22 filing
- Not required
The short answers
Do I need an interlock?
- First offense
- Required
- Minimum period
- 6 months (length of suspension)
What the source says (2)
- First offense
“Individual must have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle for a period equal to the driver’s license suspension time. They must submit a “Confirmation of Interlock Requirement” form to Driver Control.”
- Minimum period
“Statutory Reference: § 5-65-103 Suspension periods for DWI/BWI Alcohol offenses are as follows: 1 st offense = 6 months suspension. 2 nd offense = 24-month suspension (if 2 nd offense was within a 5-year time span).”
What it costs here
- State reinstatement fee
- $150
- Interlock lease, national range
- $50–$150 per month
What the source says (1)
- State reinstatement fee
“Individual must pay a $150 reinstatement fee. Payments may be made in person at any State Revenue Office, by mail or online at mydmv.arkansas.gov.”
How to drive legally now
- Restricted license
- Available in some first-offense cases · Interlock restricted license or restricted driving permit
- Hearing-request deadline
- 7 days from the notice
- Driving after a DWI in Arkansas: the restricted license
- How to get a license back in Arkansas
- Date the hearing deadline with the timeline calculator
What the source says (2)
- Restricted license
“The individual may also request an uncontested hearing with Driver Control to determine their eligibility for an interlock restricted license or a restricted driving permit contingent on the type of DUI/DWI/BUI/BWI offense.”
- Hearing-request deadline
“The individual has the right to request an administrative hearing with a Driver Control Hearing Officer within seven (7) calendar days to contest the administrative suspension.”
Approved interlock providers
Vendors listed here appear on the Arkansas licensing agency's approved-device list. Listing order is alphabetical and is not a ranking or endorsement. Installation locations are on each vendor's own locator.
Where to get it installed — the official approved-installer list: Agency approved-vendor list
| Vendor | Website | Location finder |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Detection Systemslisted by the agency as “Alcohol Detection Systems, Inc.” | Alcohol Detection Systems website | Find a location |
| ALCOLOCK | ALCOLOCK website | Find a location |
| Guardian Interlock | Guardian Interlock website | Find a location |
| Intoxalock | Intoxalock website | Find a location |
| LifeSafer | LifeSafer website | Find a location |
| Low Cost Interlock | Low Cost Interlock website | Find a location |
| RoadGuard Interlock | RoadGuard Interlock website | Find a location |
| Simple Interlocklisted by the agency as “Simple Interlock, LLC” | Simple Interlock website | Find a location |
| SkyFine USAlisted by the agency as “SkyFineUSA” | On the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Driver Services list | |
| Smart Start | Smart Start website | Find a location |
What Arkansas law requires
Arkansas's ignition interlock, SR-22, and reinstatement rules are set by the statute and agency rules cited below. The values in the tables on this page are taken from those sources and are not interpretations of how they apply to any particular case.
Primary source: Ark. Code Ann. § 5-65-118
Ignition interlock requirement
| Item | Arkansas rule |
|---|---|
| IID on first offense | Required |
| Minimum IID period, first offense | Period equal to the driver's license suspension (6 months for a first offense per DFA) |
| Minimum IID period, repeat offense | Period equal to the driver's license suspension (24 months for a second offense within 5 years per DFA) |
The DFA Office of Driver Services states that, for an alcohol-related DWI/BWI conviction (first offense = 6-month suspension under § 5-65-104), the individual 'must have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle for a period equal to the driver's license suspension time' before the license may be reinstated, and must submit a 'Confirmation of Interlock Requirement' form. Act 841 of 2025 (amending § 5-65-118(b)(1)) likewise provides that when the office restricts a person to an interlock in conjunction with an ignition interlock restricted license under § 5-65-104, the interlock period runs until the original suspension has been completed. The codified text of § 5-65-118 was not available online when the record was verified, so the statutory basis is recorded from the Act and the DFA page.
Periods, extensions and device rules from the fee and program pages
- 60-day extension — Interlock violation extension: confirmed violation in the final 60 days of the period extends the interlock requirement by 60 days (Act 841 of 2025, § 5-65-118(h), effective July 1, 2026) (as of 2026-08)
What the source says (6)
- IID on first offense
“Individual must have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle for a period equal to the driver’s license suspension time. They must submit a “Confirmation of Interlock Requirement” form to Driver Control.”
- Minimum IID period, first offense
“Statutory Reference: § 5-65-103 Suspension periods for DWI/BWI Alcohol offenses are as follows: 1 st offense = 6 months suspension. 2 nd offense = 24-month suspension (if 2 nd offense was within a 5-year time span).”
- Minimum IID period, repeat offense
“2 nd offense = 24-month suspension (if 2 nd offense was within a 5-year time span). 3 rd offense = 30-months suspension (if 3 rd offense was within a 5-year time span).”
- Ignition interlock statute
“SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 5-65-118, concerning ignition interlock devices, is amended to add an additional subsection to read as follows:”
- Interlock violation extension: confirmed violation in the final 60 days of the period extends the interlock requirement by 60 days (Act 841 of 2025, § 5-65-118(h), effective July 1, 2026)
“DWI/BWI Refused to Test administrative convictions require the following state statute requirements be completed before the licensee may be reinstated: Individual must attend a Victim Impact Panel class [...] Individual must pay a $150 reinstatement fee.”
- IID on first offense
“if the office restricts the person to using an ignition interlock device in conjunction with the issuance of an ignition interlock restricted license under § 5-65-104, the time the person is required to use the ignition interlock device shall be until the original suspension imposed under §”
Removal: Compliance-certified removal (Act 841 of 2025, adding § 5-65-118(h), effective July 1, 2026): on completion of the required period the person requests that the interlock provider certify that there was no violation… Full rule and source
SR-22 requirement
An SR-22 is a certificate an insurer files with the state to confirm that a driver carries the liability coverage the state requires. Some states use an FR-44 or a different form for alcohol-related offenses; where Arkansas does, the sources below say so.
| SR-22 filing required after a DUI | No |
|---|---|
| Filing period | Not applicable |
The DFA DUI/DWI reinstatement page enumerates every requirement for reinstatement after an alcohol-related DWI/BWI conviction (education/treatment program, Victim Impact Panel, ignition interlock for the suspension period, $150 reinstatement fee, re-examination if revoked); no SR-22 or financial-responsibility filing is among them. The DFA Safety Responsibility page describes financial-responsibility requirements only in connection with accidents (SR-1 accident report, proof of insurance, security deposit); a DWI conviction is not among the listed triggers. Arkansas therefore is recorded as not requiring an SR-22 after a DWI.
What the source says (1)
- SR-22 filing required after a DUI
“Individual must complete a state sanctioned Drug and Alcohol Education or treatment program. [...] Victim Impact Panel class [...] ignition interlock device [...] Individual must pay a $150 reinstatement fee. [...] pass all phases of the Arkansas Driver’s License Exam.”
Program costs
Fees set by the state are cited to the fee schedule. Vendor charges vary by vendor and are shown as published ranges with the month they were checked.
| Item | Amount | As of |
|---|---|---|
| License reinstatement fee | $150 | 2026-08-29 |
| Reinstatement fee after a chemical-test refusal suspension(DFA Office of Driver Services) | $150 | 2026-08 |
What the source says (1)
- License reinstatement fee
“Individual must pay a $150 reinstatement fee. Payments may be made in person at any State Revenue Office, by mail or online at mydmv.arkansas.gov.”
Exemptions and special cases
Four questions readers ask once an interlock is ordered — motorcycles, employer vehicles, medical inability to give a breath sample, and reduced-cost programs — answered as Arkansas's interlock program page or statute states them.
| Question | Arkansas rule |
|---|---|
| Motorcycles | Not addressed on the official pages read Neither Ark. Code § 5-65-118 (as restated by Act 1221 of 2015 and amended by Act 1094 of 2017 and Act 841 of 2025) nor § 5-65-123 (Act 299 of 2015), the DFA Office of Driver Services DUI/DWI and Interlock Providers pages, nor the Department of Health ignition interlock regulations mentions motorcycles. |
| Employer-owned vehicle | Exempt with conditions Two provisions. (1) Ark. Code § 5-65-118(g) (added by Act 1094 of 2017): a first offender required to have a device may petition the court, and the court may waive the installation requirement where the person is required to operate an employer's motor vehicle in the course and scope of employment and the business entity that owns the vehicle is not owned or controlled by the person; the court enters an order and transmits it to the Office of Driver Services. (2) Ark. Code § 5-65-123(f)(2) (Act 299 of 2015), cross-referenced in § 5-65-118(a)(2) as 'an exemption allowed under § 5-65-123(f)': where the court has previously found the person is required to operate a motor vehicle in the course and scope of employment, the person may operate an employer-owned vehicle without a device during regular working hours for the purposes of employment if the employer has been notified of the driving privilege restriction and proof of that notification is with the motor vehicle; this does not apply if the business entity that owns the vehicle is owned or controlled by the person, or if the restriction results from a second or subsequent offense. What the source says“(A) The person is required to operate an employer’s motor vehicle in the course and scope of employment and the business entity that owns the vehicle is not owned or controlled by the person;” |
| Unable to provide a breath sample | Available Ark. Code § 5-65-118(g) (Act 1094 of 2017): a person who violated § 5-65-103 for a first offense may petition the court with jurisdiction for a waiver of the requirement to install a device, and the court may waive it where the person is certified by a medical doctor as being unable to provide a deep lung breath sample for analysis by an ignition interlock device; on finding the condition present the court enters an order and transmits it to the Office of Driver Services for compliance. The waiver provision is limited to a first offense. What the source says“(B) The person is certified by a medical doctor as being unable to provide a deep lung breath sample for analysis by an ignition interlock device; or” |
| Reduced-cost / indigent program | Not addressed on the official pages read No reduced-fee or indigent program appears in § 5-65-118 (Acts 1221 of 2015, 1094 of 2017, 841 of 2025), on the DFA DUI/DWI, Interlock Providers or Refusals pages, or in the Department of Health interlock regulations. § 5-65-118(b)(7) requires the person to pay the reasonable cost of leasing or buying and monitoring and maintaining the device and allows the office to establish a payment schedule for that cost (see 'other'). |
| Payment schedule for device costs | Ark. Code § 5-65-118(b)(7) (Act 1221 of 2015): the office requires the person to pay the reasonable cost of leasing or buying and monitoring and maintaining the device and may establish a payment schedule for that cost. What the source says“(7)(A) Require the person to pay the reasonable cost of leasing or buying and monitoring and maintaining the ignition interlock device. (B) The office may establish a payment schedule for the reasonable cost of leasing or buying and monitoring and maintaining the ignition interlock device.” |
| No certified provider within 100 miles (first offense waiver) | Ark. Code § 5-65-118(g)(2)(C) (Act 1094 of 2017): the court may waive the installation requirement for a first offender if a state-certified ignition interlock provider is not available within one hundred miles of the person's residence. What the source says“(C) A state-certified ignition interlock provider is not available within one hundred (100) miles of the person's residence.” |
| Third or subsequent offense: ability to afford | Ark. Code § 5-65-118(a)(1)(B)(i) (Act 1221 of 2015): for a third or subsequent offense the office places the interlock restriction 'after finding that the person is financially able to afford the ignition interlock device'. What the source says“in addition to any other penalty authorized by this chapter and after finding that the person is financially able to afford the ignition interlock device.” |
| Controlled-substance intoxication | Ark. Code § 5-65-118(a)(1)(A)(iii) and (B)(iii) (Act 1221 of 2015): the interlock restriction does not apply to a person arrested for violating § 5-65-103 if the person was intoxicated by the ingestion of or use of a controlled substance. What the source says“The restriction under subdivision (a)(1)(A)(i) of this section does not apply to a person who is arrested for violating § 5-65-103 for a first or second offense if the person was intoxicated by the ingestion of or by the use of a controlled substance.” |
| Employer-vehicle defense under § 5-65-123(f)(2) | Ark. Code § 5-65-123(f)(2) (Act 299 of 2015): the employer-vehicle allowance requires a prior court finding, employer notification, proof of notification in the vehicle and regular working hours, and does not apply where the business entity is owned or controlled by the person or the restriction results from a second or subsequent offense. What the source says“the person may operate that motor vehicle during regular working hours for the purposes of his or her employment if: (i) The employer has been notified of the driving privilege restriction; and (ii) Proof of that notification is with the motor vehicle.” |
Compare: motorcycles by state · employer, medical and reduced-cost exemptions by state
Frequently asked questions
- Is an ignition interlock required after a first DWI in Arkansas?
- According to the Arkansas DFA Office of Driver Services, an individual convicted of an alcohol-related DWI/BWI 'must have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle for a period equal to the driver's license suspension time' before reinstatement, and must submit a Confirmation of Interlock Requirement form. DFA lists the first-offense suspension under § 5-65-104 as 6 months.
- How long is the Arkansas interlock period?
- DFA states the interlock period equals the driver's license suspension: 6 months for a first offense, 24 months for a second offense within 5 years, and 30 months for a third offense within 5 years. Act 841 of 2025 (§ 5-65-118(h), effective July 1, 2026) allows the period to be extended by 60 days if the provider confirms a violation such as a failed start attempt above 0.025% during the final 60 days.
- What does it cost to reinstate an Arkansas license after a DWI?
- DFA lists a $150 reinstatement fee for an alcohol-related DWI/BWI conviction, payable at a State Revenue Office, by mail, or online at mydmv.arkansas.gov. Reinstatement also requires completing a state-sanctioned drug and alcohol education or treatment program and a Victim Impact Panel class; a person with a revoked status must pass all phases of the Arkansas driver's license exam.
- Does Arkansas require an SR-22 after a DWI?
- The DFA reinstatement requirements for an alcohol-related DWI/BWI conviction list an education/treatment program, a Victim Impact Panel, an ignition interlock for the suspension period, and a $150 fee; an SR-22 filing is not among them. DFA's Safety Responsibility page ties proof of financial responsibility to accident reporting (SR-1) rather than DWI convictions.
- Who approves ignition interlock devices in Arkansas?
- The Arkansas Department of Health's Office of Alcohol Testing adopts the Rules for Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Devices under Ark. Code § 5-65-118 and maintains the list of approved devices; Act 841 of 2025 requires approved devices to capture a digital image of the person at each test. DFA publishes the list of approved devices, manufacturers, and service providers (effective May 15, 2023).
Sources
- Arkansas DFA Office of Driver Services – DUI, DWI, BUI, BWI Offenses (suspension periods, interlock requirement, $150 reinstatement fee)
- Arkansas DFA Office of Driver Services – Interlock Providers (approved BAIIDs, manufacturers and service providers, effective May 15, 2023)
- Arkansas DFA Office of Driver Services – Refusals (reinstatement requirements after refusal)
- Arkansas DFA Office of Driver Services – Safety Responsibility (financial responsibility after an accident)
- Act 841 of 2025 (HB1875) amending Ark. Code § 5-65-118, Arkansas General Assembly
- Arkansas Department of Health – Regulations for Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Devices (2nd revision, effective April 1, 2015)
- Code of Arkansas Rules – Part 21, Arkansas Rules for Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Devices (authority: Ark. Code § 5-65-118)
Record history
- — Record verified against primary sources.