District of Columbia ignition interlock & DUI requirements
District of Columbia requires an ignition interlock after a first DUI for 6 months. A repeat offense carries 1 year.
Ignition interlock device rules, approved vendors, SR-22 insurance filing, and license reinstatement in the District of Columbia, cited to the statute and District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV).
- IID on first offense
- Required
- Minimum IID period (first)
- 6 months
- SR-22 filing
- Required · 3 years
The short answers
Do I need an interlock?
- First offense
- Required
- Minimum period
- 6 months
What the source says (2)
- First offense
“a person who holds a driver's license issued by the District and commits a covered offense shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock System Program ("Program") established by this section for: (1) Upon the first commission of a covered offense, a period of 6 months;”
- Minimum period
“(1) Upon the first commission of a covered offense, a period of 6 months; (2) Upon the second commission of a covered offense, a period of one year; and (3) Upon the third or subsequent commission of a covered offense, a period of 2 years.”
What it costs here
- State reinstatement fee
- $115
- Restricted-license fee
- $50.00 program enrollment fee (non-refundable)…
- Reduced-cost rule
- Available — see exemptions below
- Interlock lease, national range
- $50–$150 per month
What the source says (3)
- State reinstatement fee
“Pay reinstatement fee of $115.00 (required if license has been revoked).”
- Restricted-license fee
“Pay program enrollment fee of $50.00. Pay reinstatement fee of $115.00 (required if license has been revoked).”
- Reduced-cost rule
“If a participant is determined to be indigent, the Department shall pay all costs associated with that person's enrollment and participation in the Program.”
How to drive legally now
- Restricted license
- Available after a first offense · Restricted DC DMV driver license
- Hearing-request deadline
- 10 days from the notice
- Driving after a DUI in the District of Columbia: the restricted license
- How to get a license back in the District of Columbia
- Date the hearing deadline with the timeline calculator
What the source says (2)
- Restricted license
“To be eligible for the program, you must: Have a valid DC driver license. If your DC license has been revoked for more than six months, you will be required to retest. Have either been convicted in court or administratively of an alcohol/drug-related driving offense.”
- Hearing-request deadline
“Your request must be received within 10 calendar days of being served with the Official Notice of Proposed Revocation for DC residents or within 15 calendar days if you are a non-DC resident.”
Approved interlock providers
Vendors listed here appear on the District of Columbia 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 Systems | Alcohol Detection Systems website | Find a location |
| LifeSafer | LifeSafer website | Find a location |
| RoadGuard Interlocklisted by the agency as “Roadguard (formerly Draeger)” | RoadGuard Interlock website | Find a location |
| Smart Start | Smart Start website | Find a location |
What District of Columbia law requires
District of Columbia'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: D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a
Ignition interlock requirement
| Item | District of Columbia rule |
|---|---|
| IID on first offense | Required |
| Minimum IID period, first offense | 6 months (1 year for a chemical-test refusal) |
| Minimum IID period, repeat offense | 1 year (second offense); 2 years (third or subsequent); 2 years for a second refusal |
D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a(b) requires a District license holder who commits a covered offense (DUI/DWI/OWI under §§ 50-2206.11, .12, .14, or an out-of-jurisdiction equivalent) to enroll in the Ignition Interlock System Program for 6 months on a first offense. DC DMV states enrollment is mandatory for DUI citations issued after 12/19/2022 (optional before that date) and for refusal citations after 3/16/2023. Test refusal carries a one-year first-offense period under § 50-2201.05a(b-3).
Periods, extensions and device rules from the fee and program pages
- 0.020 BrAC (DC DMV IID FAQ) — Program breath-alcohol setpoint (as of 2026-08)
What the source says (5)
- IID on first offense
“a person who holds a driver's license issued by the District and commits a covered offense shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock System Program ("Program") established by this section for: (1) Upon the first commission of a covered offense, a period of 6 months;”
- Minimum IID period, first offense
“(1) Upon the first commission of a covered offense, a period of 6 months; (2) Upon the second commission of a covered offense, a period of one year; and (3) Upon the third or subsequent commission of a covered offense, a period of 2 years.”
- Minimum IID period, repeat offense
“(2) Upon the second commission of a covered offense, a period of one year; and (3) Upon the third or subsequent commission of a covered offense, a period of 2 years.”
- Ignition interlock statute
“§ 50–2201.05a. Establishment of Ignition Interlock System Program.”
- IID on first offense
“DC license holders who receive a DUI citation after 12/19/2022, enrollment in the IID Program is mandatory.”
Removal: Term-based with extensions, and removal only with the DC DMV director's prior approval. 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 District of Columbia does, the sources below say so.
| SR-22 filing required after a DUI | Yes |
|---|---|
| Filing period | 3 years |
DC DMV lists 'Obtain and maintain SR-22 Insurance' as an IID Program enrollment requirement; the policy must be maintained for three years from the date of conviction.
What the source says (2)
- SR-22 filing required after a DUI
“Obtain and maintain SR-22 Insurance SR-22 Insurance can be purchased from any insurance provider.”
- Filing period
“Once obtained, you must maintain the insurance policy for three years from your date of conviction.”
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 | $115 | 2026-08-29 |
| IID Program enrollment fee | $50.00 | 2026-08 |
| Reinstatement fee as stated in D.C. Code § 50-1301.38(a)(3) | $100 (the DMV's IID enrollment page lists $115; both sources are current) | 2026-09 |
| Indigent participants | Under D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a(e)(2)-(3), the Department pays all enrollment and participation costs for a participant determined indigent (after-tax income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines) | 2026-08 |
What the source says (1)
- License reinstatement fee
“Pay reinstatement fee of $115.00 (required if license has been revoked).”
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 District of Columbia's interlock program page or statute states them.
| Question | District of Columbia rule |
|---|---|
| Motorcycles | Not addressed on the official pages read D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a, 18 DCMR § 311 (Ignition Interlock Program), the DC DMV IID Program FAQ, the IID Program Enrollment Requirements page and the IID Program Application do not mention motorcycles; they refer to 'motor vehicle' and 'vehicle'. The words 'Motorcycle Endorsement' on the DMV pages are only a site-navigation link. |
| Employer-owned vehicle | No exemption No employer-vehicle exemption is stated. D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a(c)(1) requires a participant not to operate a motor vehicle that is not equipped with a functioning, certified ignition interlock system; 18 DCMR § 311.7 and § 311.11 restrict the participant to the vehicles identified in the application, and only while they remain equipped with a functioning device, and § 311.13(d) makes operating a vehicle not listed in the application a program violation. DC DMV states the T restriction means the driver must have an IID on any vehicle they are driving, and the application's operator certification states 'I must have an IID in any vehicle that I operate'. What the source says“A participant shall only operate a vehicle identified in the application and only if the vehicle remains equipped with a properly functioning device, approved for use under this program.” |
| Unable to provide a breath sample | Not addressed on the official pages read No medical waiver or alternative for a person unable to provide a breath sample is stated in D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a, 18 DCMR § 311, the DC DMV IID Program FAQ, the Enrollment Requirements page or the IID Program Application. (The 'Medical Requirements' link on DMV pages is site navigation for driver-license medical forms.) |
| Reduced-cost / indigent program | Available D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a(e): a participant pays all costs of enrolling and participating, except that before enrollment the Department determines whether the participant is indigent and, if so, the Department pays all costs associated with that person's enrollment and participation. 'Indigent' means annual after-tax income of 150% or less of the federal poverty guidelines. 18 DCMR § 311.13(o) makes failure to provide re-certification documentation for indigent participants a program violation. The D.C. Law Library page states that the § 701 modification of subsection (e)(2) by D.C. Law 21-155 has been implemented. No DC DMV page read (FAQ, Enrollment Requirements, application) describes how to apply for the indigent determination. What the source says“If a participant is determined to be indigent, the Department shall pay all costs associated with that person's enrollment and participation in the Program.” |
| Indigent definition (150% of federal poverty guidelines) | For the indigent cost provision, 'indigent' means annual after-tax income of 150% or less of the federal poverty guidelines published by HHS. What the source says“the term "indigent" means a person who receives an annual income, after taxes, of 150% or less of the federal poverty guidelines as updated periodically in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services” |
| Commercial driver license holders | A CDL holder must downgrade to a noncommercial driver license to participate in the IID Program. What the source says“If you have a CDL, you are required to downgrade to a noncommercial driver license (NCDL) to participate in the IID Program.” |
| No DC-registered vehicle of one's own | A participant who does not own a District-registered vehicle may use another person's vehicle with a valid District registration if that owner completes the supplement form of the application; only DC-registered vehicles qualify. What the source says“If you do not own a vehicle that’s registered in the District, then you have the option of using another person’s vehicle as long as it has a valid District vehicle registration and they complete the supplement form of the application.” |
| Restricted license from another jurisdiction | A person with a restricted, suspended or revoked license from another jurisdiction for the same or similar offense who applies for a DC license may apply to enter the program; a denial is not subject to a hearing. What the source says“If an individual has a restricted, suspended or revoked license issued by another jurisdiction for the same or similar offense as set forth in this section and applies for a District of Columbia license, that person may apply to enter the program under the terms set forth in this section.” |
| Servicing-interval extension | The Director may grant an extension of the 30-day servicing requirement on written request for good cause shown. What the source says“The Director, in his or her discretion, may grant an extension to the servicing requirement established in § 311.8 upon a written request and for good cause shown.” |
Compare: motorcycles by state · employer, medical and reduced-cost exemptions by state
Frequently asked questions
- Is enrollment in the DC ignition interlock program mandatory after a first DUI?
- Yes for current offenses. D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a(b) requires a District license holder who commits a covered offense to enroll in the Ignition Interlock System Program for 6 months on a first offense. DC DMV's IID FAQ states enrollment is mandatory for DUI citations received after 12/19/2022 and for refusal-to-test citations after 3/16/2023.
- How long does the DC IID requirement last for repeat offenses?
- Under D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a(b), the program period is 6 months for a first covered offense, one year for a second, and 2 years for a third or subsequent offense. Under subsection (b-3), refusing chemical testing carries one year, 2 years, or 3 years depending on prior offenses or refusals.
- Does DC require an SR-22 to enroll in the IID program?
- Yes. The DC DMV IID Program Enrollment Requirements page lists 'Obtain and maintain SR-22 Insurance,' which can be purchased from any insurance provider and must be maintained for three years from the date of conviction.
- What DC DMV fees apply to the IID program?
- DC DMV lists a $50.00 program enrollment fee and a $115.00 reinstatement fee (required if the license has been revoked). Under D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a(e), participants pay all program costs unless the Department determines they are indigent, in which case the Department pays those costs.
- Which vendors are approved for the DC IID program?
- The DC DMV enrollment page states the device must be installed by one of four approved vendors: Smart Start, Alcohol Detection Systems, Roadguard (formerly Draeger), and LifeSafer. The device must be installed in all vehicles registered in the participant's name with DC DMV.
Sources
- D.C. Code § 50-2201.05a (Establishment of Ignition Interlock System Program) — D.C. Law Library (Council of the District of Columbia)
- DC DMV — IID Program Enrollment Requirements (approved vendors, SR-22, fees)
- DC DMV — IID Program Frequently Asked Questions
- DC DMV — Ignition Interlock Device (IID) Program overview
Record history
- — Record verified against primary sources.