Maine ignition interlock & OUI (DUI) requirements
Maine 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 2 years.
In Maine the offense is called OUI, operating under the influence; this page uses the statute's term. Ignition interlock device rules, approved vendors, SR-22 insurance filing, and license reinstatement in Maine, cited to the statute and Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (Department of the Secretary of State).
- IID on first offense
- Court's discretion
- Minimum IID period (first)
- Rest of 150-day suspension, if elected
- SR-22 filing
- Repeat offenses only · 3 years
The short answers
Do I need an interlock?
- First offense
- At the court's discretion
- Minimum period
- Rest of 150-day suspension, if elected
What the source says (2)
- First offense
“Installation of the device is voluntary for early restoration. The license of a person with one Operating Under the Influence (OUI) offense may be reinstated after serving 30 days of the 150-day suspension if the person installs and maintains an approved ignition interlock device”
- Minimum period
“may be reinstated after serving 30 days of the 150-day suspension if the person installs and maintains an approved ignition interlock device for the remaining term of suspension in the vehicle the person operates.”
What it costs here
- State reinstatement fee
- $50
- Reduced-cost rule
- Ignition interlock device discount
- Interlock lease, national range
- $50–$150 per month
What the source says (2)
- State reinstatement fee
“before a suspension for OUI or failure to submit to a test is terminated and a license or certificate reinstated, a fee of $50 must be paid to the Secretary of State.”
- Reduced-cost rule
“of at least 50% if the individual demonstrates, using the individual's most recent federal income tax return, that the individual has an adjusted gross household income of not more than 150% of the poverty guidelines for the relevant tax year”
How to drive legally now
- Restricted license
- Available in some first-offense cases · Work-restricted license
- Hearing-request deadline
- 10 days from the notice
- Driving after a OUI in Maine: the restricted license
- How to get a license back in Maine
- Date the hearing deadline with the timeline calculator
What the source says (2)
- Restricted license
“from a person under suspension pursuant to section 2453, section 2453‑A or section 2472, subsection 3, paragraph B or C for a first offense, the Secretary of State may stay a suspension during the statutory suspension period and issue a work-restricted license”
- Hearing-request deadline
“You may request a hearing for an administrative suspension. The request must be made within 10 days from the effective date of the suspension.”
Approved interlock providers
Vendors listed here appear on the Maine 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 System” | Alcohol Detection Systems website | Find a location |
| Intoxalock | Intoxalock website | Find a location |
| LifeSafer | LifeSafer website | Find a location |
| Sens-O-Lock of Americalisted by the agency as “Sens-o-Lock of America, LLC” | Sens-O-Lock of America website | Find a location |
| Smart Start | Smart Start website | Find a location |
What Maine law requires
Maine'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: 29-A M.R.S. §2508
Ignition interlock requirement
| Item | Maine rule |
|---|---|
| IID on first offense | At the court's discretion |
| Minimum IID period, first offense | Remainder of the 150-day suspension after 30 days served (only if early reinstatement with an IID is elected) |
| Minimum IID period, repeat offense | 2 years (second OUI: reinstatement after 9 months of the 3-year suspension with an IID for two years, per BMV) |
Not mandatory for a first OUI. Under 29-A M.R.S. §2508(1)(A-1) and the BMV, a first offender's 150-day suspension may be shortened to 30 days if the person installs an approved ignition interlock device for the remainder of the suspension; the BMV states installation is voluntary for early restoration.
What the source says (5)
- IID on first offense
“Installation of the device is voluntary for early restoration. The license of a person with one Operating Under the Influence (OUI) offense may be reinstated after serving 30 days of the 150-day suspension if the person installs and maintains an approved ignition interlock device”
- Minimum IID period, first offense
“may be reinstated after serving 30 days of the 150-day suspension if the person installs and maintains an approved ignition interlock device for the remaining term of suspension in the vehicle the person operates.”
- Minimum IID period, repeat offense
“The license of a person with two OUI offenses may be reinstated after serving nine months of the three-year suspension if the person installs and maintains an approved ignition interlock device for a period of two years in the vehicle the person operates.”
- Ignition interlock statute
“Title 29-A, §2508: Ignition interlock device”
- IID on first offense
“The license of a person with one OUI offense may be reinstated after 30 days of the suspension period has been served if the person has installed for the length of time remaining for the suspension an ignition interlock device approved by the Secretary of State”
Removal: No compliance-based or early-removal provision was found. 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 Maine does, the sources below say so.
| SR-22 filing required after a DUI | Repeat offenses only |
|---|---|
| Filing period | 3 years (repeat offenses only) |
Mandatory for repeat OUI only. 29-A M.R.S. §1603(2): on receipt of the court record of an OUI conviction when the person has been previously convicted of OUI within a 10-year period, the Secretary of State may not reinstate the license until the person gives proof of financial responsibility; §1603(3) requires the proof to be maintained for at least 3 years after reinstatement. The BMV Motorist Handbook states that all 2nd and subsequent OUI offenders must demonstrate proof of liability insurance before their license is reinstated. A first OUI conviction is not a listed trigger: §1603(1) (discretionary suspension until proof is given) applies to violations 'other than OUI'. Proof may be given by filing an insurer's certificate with the Secretary of State (§1605(3)(A)); the BMV Financial Responsibility page refers to this as the Certificate of Insurance (SR-22). sr22Years = 3 (§1603(3)).
What the source says (5)
- SR-22 filing required after a DUI
“On receipt of an attested copy of the court record of an OUI conviction when the person has been previously convicted within a 10-year period of OUI, the Secretary of State may not reinstate the person's license until the person gives proof of financial responsibility.”
- Filing period
“After a conviction or adjudication of a person for a violation of a motor vehicle law and reinstatement of that person's license and registration, the person shall maintain proof of financial responsibility for at least 3 years.”
- SR-22 requirement
“Also, all 2nd and subsequent OUI offenders will have to demonstrate proof of liability insurance before being allowed to have their license reinstated. Maine offers an ignition interlock program for OUI offenders.”
- sr22Note_firstOffense
“for a violation of a motor vehicle law other than OUI, the Secretary of State may suspend the license of that person and the registration of a vehicle registered in the name of that person until that person gives proof of financial responsibility under section 1605.”
- sr22Note_method
“Proof of financial responsibility may be given by the following methods: A. By filing with the Secretary of State a certificate from an insurance or surety company;”
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 | $50 | 2026-08-29 |
| Ignition interlock administrative fee on reinstatement, in addition to the §2486 fee(29-A M.R.S. §2508(1)) | $50 | 2026-08 |
| Ignition interlock petition/application fee(BMV) | $50 | 2026-08 |
| Installer discount for household income at or below 150% of federal poverty guidelines(29-A M.R.S. §2508(1-A)) | At least 50% reduction in total fees and charges | 2026-08 |
| Processing fee for paying a reinstatement fee online(BMV) | $5 | 2026-08 |
What the source says (1)
- License reinstatement fee
“before a suspension for OUI or failure to submit to a test is terminated and a license or certificate reinstated, a fee of $50 must be paid to the Secretary of State.”
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 Maine's interlock program page or statute states them.
| Question | Maine rule |
|---|---|
| Motorcycles | Not addressed on the official pages read 29-A M.R.S. §2508, the BMV Ignition Interlock Device Information page, the BMV's Chapter 8 Rules for Ignition Interlock Devices and the Ignition Interlock Petition form refer only to 'the motor vehicle the person operates' and do not mention motorcycles. |
| Employer-owned vehicle | Not addressed on the official pages read No employer-vehicle provision appears in 29-A M.R.S. §2508, the BMV Ignition Interlock Device Information page, or the Chapter 8 Rules for Ignition Interlock Devices. §2508(2) makes operating a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device a Class E crime for a person reinstated under the section, and the BMV petition form has the applicant acknowledge that, while restricted, they may not operate any vehicle that does not have a functioning device. What the source says“I understand that, as long as I have an ignition interlock device restriction, I may not operate any vehicle that does not have a functioning ignition interlock device.” |
| Unable to provide a breath sample | Not addressed on the official pages read Neither 29-A M.R.S. §2508 nor the BMV interlock page nor the Chapter 8 rules addresses a person who is physically unable to provide a breath sample. |
| Reduced-cost / indigent program | Available — Ignition interlock device discount (29-A M.R.S. §2508(1-A)) A person certified by the Secretary of State to install ignition interlock devices must reduce costs, inclusive of the total fees and charges assessed to the individual, by at least 50% if the individual demonstrates, using the most recent federal income tax return, an adjusted gross household income of not more than 150% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines for the relevant tax year and family size. The BMV's Chapter 8 rules require each manufacturer applying for device approval to file a plan to provide financial assistance to restricted drivers demonstrating financial hardship, with a reduction of at least 50% of the total of all fees and charges. The discount is applied by the installer/manufacturer; the statute names no state application. What the source says“of at least 50% if the individual demonstrates, using the individual's most recent federal income tax return, that the individual has an adjusted gross household income of not more than 150% of the poverty guidelines for the relevant tax year” |
| Manufacturer financial-hardship plan (Chapter 8 Rules for Ignition Interlock Devices) | The BMV rule requires a manufacturer's application to include a plan to provide financial assistance to restricted drivers demonstrating financial hardship, reducing the total of all fees and charges by at least 50%; the rule text describes hardship as an adjusted gross household income below the HHS poverty guidelines for the family size (the statute, §2508(1-A), sets the threshold at 150% of the guidelines). What the source says“The manufacturer’s plan to provide financial assistance to those restricted drivers demonstrating financial hardship. The plan must provide for a reduction of the cost, inclusive of the total of all fees and charges assessed to the driver, of at least 50%.” |
Compare: motorcycles by state · employer, medical and reduced-cost exemptions by state
Frequently asked questions
- Is an ignition interlock device required after a first OUI in Maine?
- No. Under 29-A M.R.S. §2508(1)(A-1), a person with one OUI offense may have the license reinstated after 30 days of the suspension if an approved ignition interlock device is installed for the time remaining. The Maine BMV states that installation of the device is voluntary for early restoration; otherwise the full 150-day suspension applies.
- How long must a repeat offender keep the device?
- The BMV states that a person with two OUI offenses may be reinstated after serving nine months of the three-year suspension if the person installs and maintains an approved device for two years; three offenses: after three years of a six-year suspension with the device for three years; four or more: after four years of an eight-year suspension with the device for four years.
- What state fees apply to reinstatement with an interlock in Maine?
- Under 29-A M.R.S. §2486(1-A), a $50 fee must be paid before an OUI suspension is terminated. Under §2508(1), a person reinstated with an ignition interlock pays an additional $50 administrative fee. The BMV also lists a $50 application fee for the ignition interlock petition.
- Is there a reduced-cost program for the device?
- Yes. Under 29-A M.R.S. §2508(1-A), a certified installer must reduce total fees and charges by at least 50% if the individual shows, using the most recent federal income tax return, an adjusted gross household income of not more than 150% of the federal poverty guidelines for that family size.
- Which vendors are approved in Maine?
- The Maine BMV's Ignition Interlock Device Information page lists Alcohol Detection System, Intoxalock Ignition Interlock, LifeSafer, Sens-o-Lock of America, LLC, and Smart Start as vendors with installation sites in the state. The BMV states the device must be approved by the Secretary of State and that a petition must be approved before installation.
Sources
- 29-A M.R.S. §2508 Ignition interlock device (Maine Legislature)
- 29-A M.R.S. §2486 Reinstatement fee (Maine Legislature)
- 29-A M.R.S. §2411 Criminal OUI (Maine Legislature)
- Maine BMV: Ignition Interlock Device Information
- Maine BMV: Operating Under the Influence Information
- Maine BMV: License Suspensions & Revocations
- Maine BMV: Financial Responsibility (SR-22)
- Maine BMV: Driver's License Reinstatement Fees FAQ
- 29-A M.R.S. §1603 Suspension (proof of financial responsibility after OUI convictions) (Maine Legislature)
- 29-A M.R.S. §1605 Proof of financial responsibility (Maine Legislature)
- Maine BMV: Motorist Handbook (online study guide; OUI penalties section)
Record history
- — Record verified against primary sources.