Illinois ignition interlock & DUI requirements
Illinois does not mandate an ignition interlock for every first DUI: a court may order one, or it is required to obtain a restricted license during the suspension. A repeat offense carries not less than 5 years.
Ignition interlock device rules, approved vendors, SR-22 insurance filing, and license reinstatement in Illinois, cited to the statute and Illinois Secretary of State (Driver Services Department).
- IID on first offense
- Court's discretion
- Minimum IID period (first)
- 6 months, 12 if refused (MDDP)
- SR-22 filing
- Required · 3 years
The short answers
Do I need an interlock?
- First offense
- At the court's discretion
- Minimum period
- 6 months, 12 if refused (MDDP)
What the source says (2)
- First offense
“(a-1) A person issued a MDDP may drive for any purpose and at any time, subject to the rules adopted by the Secretary under subsection (g). The person must, at his or her own expense, drive only vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock device as defined in Section 1-129.1”
- Minimum period
“1. twelve months from the effective date of the statutory summary suspension for a refusal or failure to complete a test or tests ... 2. six months from the effective date of the statutory summary suspension imposed following the person's submission to a chemical test which disclosed an alcohol”
What it costs here
- State reinstatement fee
- $500
- Restricted-license fee
- $30 per month of remaining suspension (MDDP Administration Fee, paid in advance)
- Reduced-cost rule
- Indigent BAIID Fund
- Interlock lease, national range
- $50–$150 per month
What the source says (4)
- State reinstatement fee
“Summary suspension under Section 11-501.1............$250 Suspension under Section 11-501.9....................$250 Summary revocation under Section 11-501.1.............$500 Other suspension.......................................$70 Revocation............................................$500”
- reinstatementFee_sos
“Revocations — $500 fee for each Revocation — Payments of this Reinstatement fee can only be processed if we have received a "reinstatement recommendation" from our Administrative Hearings Department and this office has received your SR22 Insurance certificate or out of state insurance waiver.”
- Restricted-license fee
“an MDDP offender must pay a non-refundable fee in an amount equal to $30 per month times the number of months or any portion of a month remaining on the statutory summary suspension at the time the Secretary issues the MDDP.”
- Reduced-cost rule
“The provider shall install an ignition interlock device on that person's vehicle without charge to the person, and seek reimbursement from the Indigent BAIID Fund.”
How to drive legally now
- Restricted license
- Available in some first-offense cases · Monitoring Device Driving Permit
- Hearing-request deadline
- 90 days from the notice
- Driving after a DUI in Illinois: the restricted license
- How to get a license back in Illinois
- Date the hearing deadline with the timeline calculator
What the source says (2)
- Restricted license
“Upon mailing of the notice of suspension of driving privileges as provided in subsection (h) of Section 11-501.1 of this Code, the Secretary shall also send written notice informing the person that he or she will be issued a monitoring device driving permit (MDDP).”
- Hearing-request deadline
“Within 90 days after the notice of statutory summary suspension or revocation served under Section 11-501.1, the person may make a written request for a judicial hearing in the circuit court of venue.”
Approved interlock providers
Vendors listed here appear on the Illinois 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 |
| ALCOLOCK | ALCOLOCK 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 Interlocklisted by the agency as “RoadGuard US Interlock” | RoadGuard Interlock website | Find a location |
| Simple Interlocklisted by the agency as “A Simple Interlock” | Simple Interlock website | Find a location |
| SkyFine USA | On the Illinois Secretary of State (Driver Services Department) list | |
| Smart Start | Smart Start website | Find a location |
What Illinois law requires
Illinois'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: 625 ILCS 5/6-206.1
Ignition interlock requirement
| Item | Illinois rule |
|---|---|
| IID on first offense | At the court's discretion |
| Minimum IID period, first offense | Duration of the statutory summary suspension while holding an MDDP (6 months for a first offender who failed testing; 12 months for a refusal, per 625 ILCS 5/6-208.1(a)) |
| Minimum IID period, repeat offense | Not less than 5 years (second or subsequent § 11-501 conviction, 625 ILCS 5/6-205(h)) |
Illinois does not mandate a BAIID for every first offender; instead, under 625 ILCS 5/6-206.1 a first offender (as defined in § 11-500) whose license is summarily suspended under § 11-501.1 is issued a Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP) and must drive only vehicles equipped with a breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID) for the MDDP period, unless the offender files a petition declining the MDDP. A first offender who refused testing and was summarily revoked is not eligible for an MDDP (§ 6-208.1(e)). Repeat offenders face a BAIID requirement of not less than 5 years under § 6-205(h).
What the source says (5)
- IID on first offense
“(a-1) A person issued a MDDP may drive for any purpose and at any time, subject to the rules adopted by the Secretary under subsection (g). The person must, at his or her own expense, drive only vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock device as defined in Section 1-129.1”
- Minimum IID period, first offense
“1. twelve months from the effective date of the statutory summary suspension for a refusal or failure to complete a test or tests ... 2. six months from the effective date of the statutory summary suspension imposed following the person's submission to a chemical test which disclosed an alcohol”
- Minimum IID period, repeat offense
“The Secretary of State shall require the use of ignition interlock devices for a period not less than 5 years on all vehicles owned by a person who has been convicted of a second or subsequent offense under Section 11-501 of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance.”
- Ignition interlock statute
“(625 ILCS 5/6-206.1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 6-206.1) Sec. 6-206.1. Monitoring Device Driving Permit.”
- IID on first offense
“After being so admonished, the offender shall be permitted, in writing, to execute a notice declining issuance of the MDDP. This notice shall be filed with the court and forwarded by the clerk of the court to the Secretary.”
Removal: Two regimes. (1) Repeat offenders: 625 ILCS 5/6-205(h) requires ignition interlock devices for not less than 5 years on all vehicles owned by a person convicted of a second or subsequent § 11-501 offense, and §… 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 Illinois does, the sources below say so.
| SR-22 filing required after a DUI | Yes |
|---|---|
| Filing period | 3 years |
The Illinois Secretary of State's Financial Responsibility (SR-22) Insurance page states that SR-22 insurance is required for individuals with safety responsibility suspensions, unsatisfied judgment suspensions, revocations, mandatory insurance supervisions, and three or more mandatory-insurance convictions, and that the insurance must be maintained for three years. A DUI conviction is a mandatory revocation under 625 ILCS 5/6-205(a)(2), and the SOS reinstatement-fee page states the $500 revocation reinstatement fee is processed only after the office has received the SR22 certificate (or an out-of-state insurance waiver). Statutory basis: 625 ILCS 5/7-304 (proof of financial responsibility for 3 years after a § 6-205 revocation). Both SOS pages were read from Internet Archive snapshots because ilsos.gov did not respond; see notes.
What the source says (3)
- SR-22 filing required after a DUI
“Upon the revocation of a driver's license of any person as provided in Section 6-113, 6-205 or 6-206, the Secretary of State shall suspend any and all of the registration certificates ... except that the Secretary shall not suspend such evidences of registration in the event such owner has”
- Filing period
“thereafter maintain for a period of 3 years, proof of financial responsibility in the manner hereinafter specified in this Article”
- SR-22 requirement
“Sec. 7-304. Proof required.”
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 | $500 | 2026-08-29 |
| Reinstatement feestatutory summary suspension under § 11-501.1, first time(625 ILCS 5/6-118(b)) | $250 | 2026-08 |
| Reinstatement feestatutory summary suspension, second or subsequent § 11-501/11-501.1 action(625 ILCS 5/6-118(b)) | $500 | 2026-08 |
| MDDP Administration Fee payable to the Secretary of State(625 ILCS 5/6-206.1(a)) | Not to exceed $30 per month | 2026-08 |
| Restricted driving permit / repeat-offender BAIID fee to the Secretary of State DUI Administration Fund(625 ILCS 5/6-205(c)(4), (h)) | Not to exceed $30 per month | 2026-08 |
| Indigent BAIID Fund(625 ILCS 5/6-206.1(c-5), (m)) | Provider installs, monitors monthly and de-installs without charge to an offender the Secretary deems indigent; providers pay 5% of gross device revenue into the fund. Lockout/reset fees remain the holder's responsibility. | 2026-08 |
What the source says (2)
- License reinstatement fee
“Summary suspension under Section 11-501.1............$250 Suspension under Section 11-501.9....................$250 Summary revocation under Section 11-501.1.............$500 Other suspension.......................................$70 Revocation............................................$500”
- License reinstatement fee
“Revocations — $500 fee for each Revocation — Payments of this Reinstatement fee can only be processed if we have received a "reinstatement recommendation" from our Administrative Hearings Department and this office has received your SR22 Insurance certificate or out of state insurance waiver.”
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 Illinois's interlock program page or statute states them.
| Question | Illinois rule |
|---|---|
| Motorcycles | May not operate a motorcycle while interlock-restricted 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001.441(d): BAIIDs shall not be installed on, and BAIID permittees shall not operate, motorcycles, motor driven cycles or commercial motor vehicles requiring a CDL. 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001.410 defines "Vehicle" for the BAIID program to exclude motorcycles and motor driven cycles. What the source says“BAIIDs shall not be installed on, nor shall BAIID permittees operate motorcycles, motor driven cycles or commercial motor vehicles requiring a commercial driver's license.” |
| Employer-owned vehicle | Exempt with conditions MDDP (625 ILCS 5/6-206.1(a-2)): a holder who must drive employer-owned vehicles in the course of employment may seek permission to drive one without a device; the employer completes a Secretary of State form verifying the need; if approved, the form must be in the driver's possession while driving the vehicle; not for a school bus, school vehicle or a vehicle designed for more than 15 passengers; not for a vehicle owned by an entity wholly or partly owned by the holder or a family member; not for a vehicle made available for personal use; no more than 12 hours per day, 6 days per week. RDP (625 ILCS 5/6-205(c)(5)): an employment-purpose RDP holder may operate an occupational vehicle owned or leased by the employer solely for employment purposes, but for a second or subsequent § 11-501 offense within 5 years the exemption does not apply until a one-year revocation or one-year interlock-RDP period has elapsed. 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001.444(j)/1001.441(q) add: "employer" excludes entities owned or controlled by the holder or immediate family (unless under 5% of a corporation's stock); no exemption where the vehicle is assigned exclusively to the holder or used for commuting or personal use; test-driving exemption within a 5-mile radius. What the source says“Persons who are issued a MDDP and must drive employer-owned vehicles in the course of their employment duties may seek permission to drive an employer-owned vehicle that does not have an ignition interlock device.” |
| Unable to provide a breath sample | Available 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001.444(i) (MDDP) and 1001.441(p) (BAIID RDP): on a physician's report that the holder is physically unable to produce an adequate breath sample, the Secretary of State may grant a medical or physical BAIID modification (a BAIID with a lower breath-sample requirement) or waiver; the Secretary may have the report reviewed by the Medical Advisory Board. The modification may also be granted where the holder owns only one vehicle and a co-resident immediate family member who must drive it cannot provide an adequate sample. 1001.410 defines the "Medical or Physical BAIID Waiver" as a physician-documented condition that consistently interferes with or prevents normal operation of the BAIID. What the source says“When an MDDP holder provides a report from a physician stating that the MDDP holder is physically unable to produce an adequate breath sample to operate the BAIID, the Secretary may allow the MDDP holder to install a BAIID that operates with a lower breath sample requirement.” |
| Reduced-cost / indigent program | Available — Indigent BAIID Fund 625 ILCS 5/6-206.1(c-5): if the Secretary of State determines the MDDP applicant is indigent, the person receives a written determination to give the provider, which installs the device, provides normal monthly monitoring and de-installation without charge and seeks reimbursement from the Indigent BAIID Fund; lockout, reset and other charges remain the holder's responsibility; no security deposit may be sought from the fund. The fund is financed by a 5% surcharge on providers' gross device revenue (§ 6-206.1(m)). Under 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001.444(l)(4) indigency may be declared where total monthly income is 150% or less of the federal poverty guidelines (certified tax transcript), or on TANF/SNAP documentation, or on SSI with an affidavit; status is valid for the length of the MDDP. What the source says“The provider shall install an ignition interlock device on that person's vehicle without charge to the person, and seek reimbursement from the Indigent BAIID Fund.” |
| Indigency threshold for the MDDP (92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001.444(l)(4)) | Income at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, shown by a certified tax-return transcript; TANF or SNAP documentation, or SSI plus an affidavit, may substitute where no return was filed. What the source says“MDDP offender may be declared indigent by the Secretary if the MDDP offender's total monthly income is 150% or less of the federal poverty guidelines, as evidenced by a certified transcript of the United States or State of Illinois tax return for the most recently completed calendar year.” |
| MDDP employer-exemption exclusions (625 ILCS 5/6-206.1(a-2)) | The exemption may not be used for a school bus, school vehicle or vehicle designed for more than 15 passengers, for a vehicle owned by an entity owned wholly or partly by the holder or a family member, or for a vehicle made available for personal use; driving is limited to 12 hours per day, 6 days per week. What the source says“No person may use this exemption to drive a school bus, school vehicle, or a vehicle designed to transport more than 15 passengers.” |
| RDP employment exemption for repeat offenders (625 ILCS 5/6-205(c)(5)) | For a second or subsequent § 11-501 offense within 5 years, the occupational-vehicle exemption does not apply until a one-year revocation period or a one-year interlock-RDP period has elapsed. What the source says“the prohibition against operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with an ignition interlock device does not apply to the operation of an occupational vehicle owned or leased by that person's employer when used solely for employment purposes.” |
| Test-driving exemption (92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001.444(j)(7)) | An MDDP holder whose duties include test-driving vehicles not owned by the holder may be exempted for that purpose within a 5-mile radius of the place of employment. What the source says“An exemption also will be granted to an MDDP holder who can prove that his or her duties include test driving vehicles not owned by the permittee. The exemption will be limited to this purpose, and to no more than a 5 mile radius from the permittee's place of employment.” |
| Program definition of vehicle (92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001.410) | For the BAIID program, "vehicle" excludes apparatus moved solely by human power, motorized wheelchairs, motorcycles, motor driven cycles and vehicles requiring a CDL. What the source says“except for apparatuses moved solely by human power, motorized wheelchairs, motorcycles, motor driven cycles and vehicles that require a commercial driver's license to operate.” |
Compare: motorcycles by state · employer, medical and reduced-cost exemptions by state
Frequently asked questions
- Is an ignition interlock required after a first DUI arrest in Illinois?
- Under 625 ILCS 5/6-206.1, a first offender whose license is summarily suspended is issued a Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP) and must, at his or her own expense, drive only vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock device during the permit period; the device must be installed within 14 days of MDDP issuance. The statute also allows the offender to petition the court to decline the MDDP.
- How long is the interlock period for a repeat DUI offender in Illinois?
- 625 ILCS 5/6-205(h) provides that the Secretary of State shall require ignition interlock devices for a period of not less than 5 years on all vehicles owned by a person convicted of a second or subsequent offense under § 11-501, with a fee to the Secretary of State DUI Administration Fund not to exceed $30 per month.
- What is the Illinois reinstatement fee after a DUI?
- 625 ILCS 5/6-118(b) sets the reinstatement fee at $500 for a revocation and $250 for a statutory summary suspension under § 11-501.1; for a second or subsequent § 11-501/11-501.1 suspension or revocation, the summary-suspension reinstatement fee is $500.
- How long must proof of financial responsibility be kept after an Illinois DUI revocation?
- 625 ILCS 5/7-304 provides that upon revocation of a driver's license under § 6-205 or § 6-206, the Secretary of State suspends the person's vehicle registrations unless the owner gives, and thereafter maintains for a period of 3 years, proof of financial responsibility.
- What help exists for offenders who cannot afford a BAIID in Illinois?
- Under 625 ILCS 5/6-206.1(c-5), if the Secretary of State determines an MDDP applicant is indigent, the provider must install the device, provide normal monthly monitoring and de-installation without charge and seek reimbursement from the Indigent BAIID Fund; other charges such as lockout or reset fees remain the holder's responsibility.
Sources
- 625 ILCS 5/6-206.1 – Monitoring Device Driving Permit (Illinois General Assembly)
- 625 ILCS 5/6-205 – Mandatory revocation; restricted driving permits; ignition interlock (Illinois General Assembly)
- 625 ILCS 5/6-118 – Fees, incl. reinstatement fees (Illinois General Assembly)
- 625 ILCS 5/7-304 – Proof of financial responsibility required after revocation (Illinois General Assembly)
- 625 ILCS 5/6-208.1 – Period of statutory summary suspension (Illinois General Assembly)
- 625 ILCS 5/11-501 – Driving under the influence (Illinois General Assembly)
- 625 ILCS 5/11-501.1 – Statutory summary suspension (Illinois General Assembly)
- Illinois SOS – Illinois Certified BAIID Vendors (live page; content read from Internet Archive snapshot of 2025-07-08 because ilsos.gov was unreachable)
- Internet Archive snapshot (2025-07-08) of the SOS Certified BAIID Vendors page
- Illinois SOS – Financial Responsibility (SR-22) Insurance (live page; read from Internet Archive snapshot of 2025-12-31)
- Internet Archive snapshot (2025-12-31) of the SOS SR-22 page
- Illinois SOS – Driver's License Reinstatement Fees (live page; read from Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-08-24)
- Internet Archive snapshot (2026-08-24) of the SOS reinstatement-fees page
Record history
- — Record verified against primary sources.