Kentucky ignition interlock & DUI requirements
Kentucky 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 12 months minimum.
Ignition interlock device rules, approved vendors, SR-22 insurance filing, and license reinstatement in Kentucky, cited to the statute and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing.
- IID on first offense
- Court's discretion
- Minimum IID period (first)
- 4 months
- SR-22 filing
- Not required
The short answers
Do I need an interlock?
- First offense
- At the court's discretion
- Minimum period
- 4 months
What the source says (2)
- First offense
“a. For the first offense within a ten (10) year period: i. For a person who is issued an ignition interlock license under KRS 189A.340 and who meets the ninety (90) consecutive day requirement within the first four (4) months of the issuance of the ignition interlock license, four (4) months; ...”
- Minimum period
“ii. For a person who is issued an ignition interlock license under KRS 189A.340 but does not meet the ninety (90) consecutive day requirement within the first four (4) months of the issuance of the ignition interlock license, until the person meets the ninety (90) consecutive day requirement or six”
What it costs here
- State reinstatement fee
- $40
- Restricted-license fee
- $40 reinstatement fee (payable when the restricted license is issued)
- State fee cap
- Installation not to exceed $100 ($130 alternative-fuel or push-button start)…
- Interlock lease, national range
- $50–$150 per month
What the source says (3)
- State reinstatement fee
“$40 reinstatement fee, payable at a Driver Licensing Regional Office when you are ready to be issued the restricted license.”
- Restricted-license fee
“$40 reinstatement fee, payable at a Driver Licensing Regional Office when you are ready to be issued the restricted license.”
- State fee cap
How to drive legally now
- Restricted license
- Available after a first offense · Ignition Interlock License
- Waiting period
- No waiting period
- Driving after a DUI in Kentucky: the restricted license
- How to get a license back in Kentucky
- Date the hearing deadline with the timeline calculator
What the source says (1)
- Restricted license
“If a person's license is suspended pursuant to this chapter and the initial suspension was for a violation of KRS 189A.010(1)(a), (b), (e), or (f), the sole license the person shall be eligible for is an ignition interlock license pursuant to this section.”
Approved interlock providers
Vendors listed here appear on the Kentucky 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 |
| Guardian Interlock | Guardian Interlock website | Find a location |
| Intoxalock | Intoxalock website | Find a location |
| LifeSafer | LifeSafer website | Find a location |
| Low Cost Interlocklisted by the agency as “LowCost Interlock” | Low Cost Interlock website | Find a location |
| Smart Start | Smart Start website | Find a location |
What Kentucky law requires
Kentucky'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: KRS 189A.340
Ignition interlock requirement
| Item | Kentucky rule |
|---|---|
| IID on first offense | At the court's discretion |
| Minimum IID period, first offense | 4 months minimum (first offense: ignition interlock license with 90 consecutive violation-free days within the first 4 months; otherwise until the 90-day requirement is met or 6 months, whichever is shorter) |
| Minimum IID period, repeat offense | 12 months minimum (second offense within 10 years: 120 consecutive violation-free days within the first 12 months; otherwise until met or 18 months, whichever is shorter) |
Kentucky's program is incentive-based rather than mandatory. Under KRS 189A.340(1)(a), when a license is suspended for a DUI under KRS 189A.010(1)(a), (b), (e) or (f), 'the sole license the person shall be eligible for is an ignition interlock license'; a person who does not obtain one serves the full suspension (6 months for a first offense under KRS 189A.070(1)(a)2.a.iii). A first offender who obtains an ignition interlock license and completes 90 consecutive violation-free days within the first 4 months has the suspension reduced to 4 months.
What the source says (5)
- IID on first offense
“a. For the first offense within a ten (10) year period: i. For a person who is issued an ignition interlock license under KRS 189A.340 and who meets the ninety (90) consecutive day requirement within the first four (4) months of the issuance of the ignition interlock license, four (4) months; ...”
- Minimum IID period, first offense
“ii. For a person who is issued an ignition interlock license under KRS 189A.340 but does not meet the ninety (90) consecutive day requirement within the first four (4) months of the issuance of the ignition interlock license, until the person meets the ninety (90) consecutive day requirement or six”
- Minimum IID period, repeat offense
“b. For the second offense within a ten (10) year period: i. For a person who is issued an ignition interlock license under KRS 189A.340 and who meets the one hundred twenty (120) consecutive day requirement within the first twelve (12) months of the issuance of the ignition interlock license”
- Ignition interlock statute
“189A.340 Ignition interlock licenses -- Provider fees.”
- IID on first offense
“The Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program allows eligible drivers to reduce their license suspension period by driving with an approved ignition interlock device. The program is compliance-based, and participants must remain violation-free for 90 or 120 consecutive days, based on their offense.”
Removal: Compliance-based. KRS 189A.340(4)(b) keeps the interlock restriction in place for the required suspension period and, if the maximum period has not yet run, until KYTC receives a declaration from the device provider… 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 Kentucky does, the sources below say so.
| SR-22 filing required after a DUI | No |
|---|---|
| Filing period | Not applicable |
The KYTC DRIVE 'DUI Suspensions and Requirements' page enumerates the requirements for each DUI offense level (approved alcohol/substance abuse program, license suspension period, and optional KIIP ignition-interlock participation to shorten the suspension); an SR-22 / financial-responsibility filing is not among them. The KYTC License Reinstatement page lists the $40 reinstatement fee and testing after suspensions over one year and states that all suspension requirements must be satisfied; it does not mention an SR-22. KRS 189A.070(2) makes completion of the KRS 189A.040 program the statutory condition for reinstatement after a DUI conviction, and the active sections of KRS Chapter 187 (financial responsibility) concern unpaid judgments (KRS 187.400–187.440), not DUI. The KIIP application requires only a proof-of-insurance card. No official page affirmatively states that no SR-22 is required; the value follows from these enumerations.
What the source says (4)
- SR-22 filing required after a DUI
“1st offense within a ten year period 90-day approved alcohol/substance abuse program 6-month license suspension 90-day approved alcohol abuse program 90 days of violation-free KIIP participation 4-month license suspension”
- SR-22 requirement
“no person shall be eligible for reinstatement of his or her full privilege to operate a motor vehicle or motorcycle until he or she has completed the alcohol or substance abuse education or treatment program ordered pursuant to KRS 189A.040.”
- sr22Note_krs187
“.400 Courts to report on unpaid judgments and convictions. .410 Suspension for nonpayment of judgment -- Exception. .420 Duration of suspension. .430 What constitutes satisfaction of judgment. .440 Installment payment of judgment -- Default. .450 Repealed, 1976.”
- sr22Note_kiip
“Proof of insurance card. Out-of-state drivers must provide proof of insurance from their state. $40 reinstatement fee, payable at a Driver Licensing Regional Office when you are ready to be issued the restricted license.”
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 | $40 | 2026-08-29 |
| Provider installation fee cap(KRS 189A.340(7)(a)1.) | Not to exceed $100 ($130 for an alternative fuel vehicle or push-button starter) | 2026-08 |
| Provider monthly fee cap(KRS 189A.340(7)(a)2.) | Not to exceed $100 per month | 2026-08 |
| Provider removal / reset / missed-appointment fee caps(KRS 189A.340(7)(a)3.–5.) | Removal not to exceed $30; reset not to exceed $50; missed appointment not to exceed $35 | 2026-08 |
| Reduced fees by income(KRS 189A.340(7)(c); KIIP Affordability Application TC 94-188) | Income at or below 200% but above 150% of federal poverty guidelines pays 75% of fees; at or below 150% but above 100% pays 50%; at or below 100% pays 25% | 2026-08 |
| Provider certification fees paid to the Cabinet(KRS 189A.350) | Application fee not to exceed $500; annual renewal not to exceed $200; annual service inspection not to exceed $100; failed-inspection revisit not to exceed $150 | 2026-08 |
What the source says (1)
- License reinstatement fee
“$40 reinstatement fee, payable at a Driver Licensing Regional Office when you are ready to be issued the restricted license.”
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 Kentucky's interlock program page or statute states them.
| Question | Kentucky rule |
|---|---|
| Motorcycles | A device may be installed on a motorcycle KRS 189A.340 repeatedly refers to installing the device in the person's "motor vehicle or motorcycle" and restricts the ignition interlock license to operating only a motor vehicle or motorcycle equipped with a functioning device; 601 KAR 2:233 Section 1 defines "motor vehicle" to include "motorcycle"; the KYTC DUI page says the device connects to a vehicle or motorcycle's ignition system. What the source says“An ignition interlock license shall restrict the person to operating only a motor vehicle or motorcycle equipped with a functioning ignition interlock device, unless the person qualifies for an employer exemption under subsection (6) of this section.” |
| Employer-owned vehicle | Exempt with conditions KRS 189A.340(6): an ignition interlock license holder may operate an employer's motor vehicle or motorcycle without a device if required to do so in the course and scope of employment and the business entity that owns the vehicle is not owned or controlled by the person; the person must give the Transportation Cabinet a sworn statement from the employer that these requirements are met. 601 KAR 2:233 Section 9: the exemption is applied for on the notarized Employer Work Exemption Application, TC 94-190, and is granted on a completed, notarized form. Days on which the exemption is used earn no day-for-day credit toward the suspension (KRS 189A.340(5)(c)). What the source says“A person with an ignition interlock license may operate a motor vehicle or motorcycle not equipped with a functioning ignition interlock device if: 1. The person is required to operate an employer's motor vehicle or motorcycle in the course and scope of employment” |
| Unable to provide a breath sample | Available 601 KAR 2:233 provides a "medical accommodation" — the device is adjusted to detect the breath alcohol level of a participant with a medically documented condition of diminished lung capacity requiring a reduced air sample; the applicant submits the Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Physician Statement, TC 94-176, with the KIIP application TC 94-175. No full waiver of the device for medical inability appears in KRS 189A.340, 601 KAR 2:233 or the KYTC DUI page; for suspensions under KRS 189A.010(1)(a), (b), (e) or (f) the interlock license is the sole license available (KRS 189A.340(1)(a)). What the source says“An applicant seeking a medical accommodation due to diminished lung capacity shall submit with the Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program Application, TC 94-175, a completed Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Physician Statement, TC 94-176.” |
| Reduced-cost / indigent program | Available — Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program Affordability Application (TC 94-188) KRS 189A.340(7)(c): income at or below 200% but above 150% of the federal poverty guidelines pays 75% of the provider fees capped in (7)(a); at or below 150% but above 100% pays 50%; at or below 100% pays 25%. The Transportation Cabinet determines income and placement on the guidelines. 601 KAR 2:233 Section 3: file the Affordability Application TC 94-188 with the KIIP application TC 94-175, with federal tax returns, paychecks, W-2s or 1099s for all household income; providers must accept the Cabinet-determined amount as payment in full; eligibility is determined annually and may be recalculated on re-submission; the reduced rate does not extend past the maximum suspension under KRS 189A.070. No government entity pays interlock costs (KRS 189A.340(7)(d)). What the source says“Any person who has an income: 1. At or below two hundred percent (200%) but above one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the federal poverty guidelines, shall pay only seventy-five percent (75%) of fees established pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection;” |
| No day-for-day credit for employer-exemption days (KRS 189A.340(5)(c)) | Days on which the person used the employer exemption and drove an employer's vehicle without a device do not count toward the suspension credit. What the source says“A person shall not receive day-for-day credit for days the person utilized the employer exemption in accordance with subsection (6) of this section and drove an employer's motor vehicle or motorcycle not equipped with a functioning ignition interlock device.” |
| Employer exemption form (601 KAR 2:233 Section 9) | The exemption is requested on the notarized Employer Work Exemption Application, TC 94-190, and granted when the completed, notarized form satisfies KRS 189A.340(6)(a) and (b). What the source says“A participant seeking to utilize the employer exemption pursuant to KRS 189A.340(6) shall submit a notarized Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program Employer Work Exemption Application, TC 94-190.” |
| Out-of-state residents (KRS 189A.340(8)) | For a license holder residing outside Kentucky, the Cabinet may accept an installation certificate from a provider authorized in the state of residence if the device meets that state's requirements. What the source says“the Transportation Cabinet may accept an ignition interlock certificate of installation from an ignition interlock device provider authorized to do business in the state where the person resides if the ignition interlock device meets the requirements of that state.” |
| Commercial driver's licenses (KYTC FAQ) | KYTC states CDL holders must comply with federally mandated hard suspension periods. What the source says“CDL license holders must comply with federally mandated hard suspension periods for operating with a CDL under the influence of alcohol.” |
| Government pays no interlock costs (KRS 189A.340(7)(d)) | Neither the Commonwealth, the Cabinet nor any unit of state or local government is responsible for interlock costs; the reduced-fee tiers are absorbed by the provider. What the source says“Neither the Commonwealth, the Transportation Cabinet, nor any unit of state or local government shall be responsible for payment of any costs associated with an ignition interlock device.” |
Compare: motorcycles by state · employer, medical and reduced-cost exemptions by state
Frequently asked questions
- Is an ignition interlock mandatory after a first DUI in Kentucky?
- Not as a condition of every sentence. KRS 189A.340(1)(a) makes an ignition interlock license the sole license available while a DUI suspension under KRS 189A.010(1)(a), (b), (e) or (f) is in effect. KRS 189A.070(1)(a) sets a 6-month suspension for a first offense, reduced to 4 months for a person who holds an ignition interlock license and completes 90 consecutive violation-free days within the first 4 months.
- How does the Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program (KIIP) shorten a suspension?
- Under KRS 189A.340(5), time holding a valid ignition interlock license counts day-for-day toward the suspension period. The Transportation Cabinet's DUI page shows a first offense suspension of 6 months without an IID versus 4 months with 90 days of violation-free KIIP participation, and a second offense of 18 months versus 12 months with 120 violation-free days.
- What can an ignition interlock provider charge in Kentucky?
- KRS 189A.340(7)(a) caps provider fees: installation not to exceed $100 ($130 for alternative-fuel or push-button-start vehicles), a monthly fee not to exceed $100, removal not to exceed $30, reset not to exceed $50, and a missed-appointment fee not to exceed $35. KRS 189A.340(7)(c) reduces fees to 75%, 50% or 25% based on income relative to federal poverty guidelines.
- What is Kentucky's license reinstatement fee after a DUI suspension?
- The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's DUI page lists a $40 reinstatement fee, payable at a Driver Licensing Regional Office when the restricted (ignition interlock) license is issued; its License Reinstatement page states a $40.00 reinstatement/re-licensing fee may be required any time driving privileges are suspended.
- Who certifies ignition interlock providers in Kentucky?
- 601 KAR 2:233 provides that the Transportation Cabinet certifies ignition interlock device providers for two years through a request for qualifications under KRS Chapter 45A, and that applicants select a certified provider from the list on the Cabinet's website. The Cabinet's DUI page lists the certified providers.
Sources
- KRS 189A.340 – Ignition interlock licenses; provider fees (Kentucky LRC)
- KRS 189A.070 – License suspensions; time periods (Kentucky LRC)
- KRS 189A.350 – Administrative regulations; certification of devices and providers; provider fees (Kentucky LRC)
- 601 KAR 2:233 – Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program; participants and device providers (Kentucky LRC)
- KYTC DRIVE – DUI Penalties and Programs (suspension table, KIIP, certified providers, fees)
- KYTC DRIVE – License Reinstatement
- KYTC DRIVE – Mandatory Insurance
- Kentucky Revised Statutes – Chapter 187 (Financial Responsibility) section index (Kentucky LRC)
- Kentucky Revised Statutes – Chapter 189A (Driving Under the Influence) section index (Kentucky LRC)
Record history
- — Record verified against primary sources.