New York ignition interlock & DUI requirements
New York requires an ignition interlock after a first DUI for not less than 12 months. A repeat offense carries not less than 12 months.
Ignition interlock device rules, approved vendors, SR-22 insurance filing, and license reinstatement in New York, cited to the statute and New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
- IID on first offense
- Required
- Minimum IID period (first)
- 12 months
- SR-22 filing
- Not required
The short answers
Do I need an interlock?
- First offense
- Required
- Minimum period
- 12 months
What the source says (2)
- First offense
“install and maintain, ... an ignition interlock device in any motor vehicle owned or operated by such person during the term of such probation or conditional discharge ... and in no event for a period of less than twelve months”
- Minimum period
“during the term of such probation or conditional discharge imposed for such violation of section eleven hundred ninety-two of this article and in no event for a period of less than twelve months”
What it costs here
- State reinstatement fee
- $100
- Restricted-license fee
- $75 plus a $12.50 photo document fee
- Reduced-cost rule
- Court waiver or payment plan for financial inability…
- Interlock lease, national range
- $50–$150 per month
What the source says (3)
- State reinstatement fee
“A $100 re-application fee must accompany your driver license application or request for reinstatement of driving privileges.”
- Restricted-license fee
“There is a $75 administrative fee that you must pay to DMV when enrolling in the IDP, and a $12.50 photo document fee, in addition to any other applicable licensing fees. There is a separate fee for the IDP course, which must be paid at the first class.”
- Reduced-cost rule
“The cost of installing and maintaining the ignition interlock device shall be borne by the person subject to such condition unless the court determines such person is financially unable to afford such cost whereupon such cost may be imposed pursuant to a payment plan or waived.”
How to drive legally now
- Restricted license
- Available in some first-offense cases · Conditional License
- Waiting period
- 30 days
- Driving after a DUI in New York: the restricted license
- How to get a license back in New York
- Date the hearing deadline with the timeline calculator
What the source says (2)
- Restricted license
“The DMV can issue a conditional license to a qualified driver whose NY State license has been suspended or revoked because of an alcohol or drug-related violation. The driver must attend an Impaired Driver Program (IDP) (previously known as Drinking Driving Program or DDP) approved by the DMV.”
- Waiting period
“if any suspension occurring under this subparagraph has been in effect for a period of thirty days, the holder may be issued a conditional license, in accordance with section eleven hundred ninety-six of this article”
Approved interlock providers
Vendors listed here appear on the New York 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Intoxalocklisted by the agency as “Consumer Safety Technology, LLC.” | Intoxalock website | Find a location |
| LifeSafer | LifeSafer website | Find a location |
| RoadGuard Interlocklisted by the agency as “RoadGuard Interlock (Formerly known as- Draeger US Interlock, LLC)” | RoadGuard Interlock website | Find a location |
| Smart Start | Smart Start website | Find a location |
What New York law requires
New York'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: N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1198
Ignition interlock requirement
| Item | New York rule |
|---|---|
| IID on first offense | Required |
| Minimum IID period, first offense | Not less than 12 months (term of probation or conditional discharge) |
| Minimum IID period, repeat offense | Not less than 12 months (term of probation or conditional discharge); the statute does not set a longer minimum for a second conviction |
Under VTL § 1193(1)(b)(ii) and § 1198(2)(a), a court must order any person convicted of a violation of VTL § 1192(2), (2-a) or (3) (DWI per se, aggravated DWI, or common-law DWI), including a first offense, to install and maintain an ignition interlock device in any vehicle owned or operated by that person for the term of probation or conditional discharge and in no event for less than twelve months. The requirement does not attach to a § 1192(1) DWAI conviction. Separately, DMV may impose an administrative 5-year interlock restriction under its problem driver rules.
What the source says (4)
- IID on first offense
“install and maintain, ... an ignition interlock device in any motor vehicle owned or operated by such person during the term of such probation or conditional discharge ... and in no event for a period of less than twelve months”
- Minimum IID period, first offense
“during the term of such probation or conditional discharge imposed for such violation of section eleven hundred ninety-two of this article and in no event for a period of less than twelve months”
- Minimum IID period, repeat offense
“during the term of such probation or conditional discharge imposed for such violation of section eleven hundred ninety-two of this article and in no event for a period of less than twelve months”
- Ignition interlock statute
“SECTION 1198 Installation and operation of ignition interlock devices Vehicle & Traffic (VAT) CHAPTER 71, TITLE 7, ARTICLE 31”
Removal: Under VTL § 1198(2)(a), the court must require a person convicted under VTL § 1192(2), (2-a) or (3) to install and maintain a functioning ignition interlock device as a condition of probation or conditional discharge. 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 New York does, the sources below say so.
| SR-22 filing required after a DUI | No |
|---|---|
| Filing period | Not applicable |
The NY DMV 'Request Restoration After a Driver License Revocation' page enumerates what must be done before requesting restoration after a revocation (including alcohol/drug-related revocations): serve the full revocation period; complete an alcohol evaluation and/or treatment if there are two or more alcohol/drugged-driving convictions in 25 years; pay any DMV fees owed (suspension termination fee, driver civil penalty, Driver Responsibility Assessment); and clear any child-support, tax, crash-report, open-ticket or probation issues. An SR-22, certificate of insurance or other 'proof of financial security' filing is not among the listed requirements. The DMV's Penalties for Alcohol or Drug-Related Violations, New York State Insurance Requirements, Insurance Lapses and Provide Proof of Insurance Coverage pages likewise contain no SR-22 requirement, and a dmv.ny.gov-restricted search for 'SR-22'/'SR22' returned no DMV page on the subject. VTL § 318 (revocation for lack of financial security) contains no reference to VTL § 1192. New York does not use the SR-22 form on any official page.
What the source says (4)
- SR-22 filing required after a DUI
“If you owe any DMV fees (suspension termination fee, driver civil penalty, or Driver Responsibility Assessment [DRA]), they must be paid before applying for a license or the processing of your application will be delayed.”
- sr22Note_restorationIntro
“Before you request approval you must wait until the revocation period has been completely served.”
- sr22Note_alcoholEvaluation
“If you have two or more alcohol/drugged driving convictions in 25 years, you are required to complete an alcohol evaluation and or treatment within one year from the date of the final review.”
- sr22Note_uninsuredCrash
“Your revocation was for an uninsured crash. You must contact the DMV Insurance Services Bureau.”
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 | $100 | 2026-08-29 |
| Driver Responsibility Assessment for an alcohol or drugged-driving conviction or chemical-test refusal | $250 per year for 3 years ($750 total) | 2026-08 |
| Interlock cost:borne by the person unless the court finds the person financially unable, in which case cost may be imposed under a payment plan or waived(VTL § 1198(5)(a)) | Court may waive or set payment plan for those financially unable | 2026-08 |
What the source says (1)
- License reinstatement fee
“A $100 re-application fee must accompany your driver license application or request for reinstatement of driving privileges.”
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 New York's interlock program page or statute states them.
| Question | New York rule |
|---|---|
| Motorcycles | Not addressed on the official pages read VTL § 1198, 9 NYCRR Part 358 (DCJS ignition interlock regulation, effective November 15, 2017), the DCJS Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives Ignition Interlock page and the DMV Leandra's Law & Ignition Interlock Devices page do not mention motorcycles; the court-ordered device must be on 'any motor vehicle' or 'each vehicle the motorist owns or operates'. The DMV Problem Driver Restrictions page states that the DMV-imposed problem driver (interlock) restriction cannot be applied to a Class M or MJ motorcycle license (see other). |
| Employer-owned vehicle | Exempt with conditions VTL § 1198(8): a person required to operate a motor vehicle owned by the person's employer in the course and scope of employment may operate it without the device only in the course and scope of employment and only if the employer has been notified of the restriction and the person has given the court and probation department written documentation that the employer knows of the restriction and permits operation without the device for business purposes only; the person must notify the court and probation department of the intent to do so. A vehicle owned by a business entity wholly or partly owned or controlled by the person is not an employer-owned vehicle. 9 NYCRR 358.7 requires the operator to give the monitor satisfactory proof of the employer notification and permission before driving the employer's vehicle. For the DMV-imposed problem driver restriction, the DMV requires signed documentation on company letterhead acknowledging the restriction and permitting business-purpose operation without the device, carried while driving the employer's vehicle. What the source says“the person may operate that vehicle without installation of an approved ignition interlock device only in the course and scope of such employment and only if the employer has been notified that the person's driving privilege has been restricted under the provisions of this article or the penal law” |
| Unable to provide a breath sample | Available Under 9 NYCRR 358.5 a manufacturer must accept a court-approved reduction in the breath sample volume from 1.5 to 1.2 liters, supported by physician documentation of a condition that prevents regular operation at normal breath volume. The rule lowers the sample requirement; it does not waive the device. No other waiver or alternative device is stated in VTL § 1198, 9 NYCRR Part 358, the DCJS ignition interlock page or the DMV pages. What the source says“sufficient documentation from a physician of a condition which prevents regular operation at normal breath volume levels and such proof authorizing reduction in the breath sample volume” |
| Reduced-cost / indigent program | Available — Court waiver or payment plan for financial inability (VTL § 1198(5)(a); 9 NYCRR 358.8) using the DCJS Ignition Interlock Device Program Financial Disclosure Report (form DPCA-500IID-FDR) The cost of installing and maintaining the device is borne by the person unless the sentencing criminal court determines the person is financially unable to afford it, in which case the cost may be imposed under a payment plan or waived. An operator claiming financial inability submits three copies of the DCJS-prescribed financial disclosure report (income from all sources, assets and expenses) to the criminal court before pre-sentence release or sentencing; the court decides whether the person can afford the device, whether to impose a payment plan, and, if a plan is not feasible, whether to waive the fee. Qualified manufacturers must offer a payment plan where ordered and provide the device free of fee/charge where the court waives the cost; a manufacturer's refusal to provide a free device to a person with a judicial waiver is a ground for cancellation. No income threshold is stated; the county plan's cost-free devices are allocated among manufacturers in proportion to paid devices. What the source says“The cost of installing and maintaining the ignition interlock device shall be borne by the person subject to such condition unless the court determines such person is financially unable to afford such cost whereupon such cost may be imposed pursuant to a payment plan or waived.” |
| Business-entity exclusion from the employer-vehicle exemption (VTL § 1198(8)) | A vehicle owned by a business entity all or partly owned or controlled by the person is not an employer-owned vehicle. What the source says“A motor vehicle owned by a business entity which business entity is all or partly owned or controlled by a person otherwise subject to the provisions of this article or the penal law is not a motor vehicle owned by the employer for purposes of the exemption provided in this subdivision.” |
| Proof to the monitor before driving an employer's vehicle (9 NYCRR 358.7) | Before legally driving an employer's vehicle within the scope of employment, the operator must show the monitor satisfactory proof that the employer was notified of the restriction and of the need for a functioning device. What the source says“the operator must provide satisfactory proof to the monitor that the employer has been notified of the operator's driving privilege is restricted and necessitates installation and maintenance of a functioning ignition interlock device” |
| Employer permission limited to business purposes (9 NYCRR 358.7) | The proof must show the employer granted permission to drive the employer's vehicle without the device only for business purposes. What the source says“such employer grants permission for the operator to drive the employer's vehicle without the device only for business purposes.” |
| Business-entity exclusion in the DCJS regulation (9 NYCRR 358.7) | The business-purposes exemption does not apply to a vehicle owned by a business entity all or partly owned or controlled by the operator. What the source says“Such exemption for business purposes shall not apply to any vehicle owned by a business entity all or partly owned or controlled by the operator.” |
| DMV employer-letter requirement for the problem driver (DMV-mandated interlock) restriction | Signed documentation on company letterhead acknowledging the interlock restriction and permitting business-purpose operation without the device, carried while operating the employer's vehicle. What the source says“If you are driving for employment, your employer must provide you with signed documentation, on company letterhead, saying they have knowledge of the ignition interlock restriction. The letter must also give you permission to operate the vehicle for business purposes without the device.” |
| Carry the employer documentation while driving (DMV Problem Driver Restrictions) | The letter must be carried while operating the employer's vehicle. What the source says“You must carry this documentation with you when operating the employer's 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 conviction in New York?
- Yes. Under VTL § 1193(1)(b)(ii), a person convicted of VTL § 1192(2), (2-a) or (3) must install and maintain an ignition interlock device, in accordance with VTL § 1198, in any motor vehicle owned or operated by that person during the term of probation or conditional discharge and in no event for a period of less than twelve months.
- Which interlock devices may be used in New York?
- Per the NY DMV, an ignition interlock device must be one approved by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). DCJS publishes a Qualified Ignition Interlock Device Manufacturer Listing; the January 20, 2026 listing names Consumer Safety Technology, LLC., RoadGuard Interlock, #1 A LifeSafer, Inc., and Smart Start, LLC.
- Who pays for the interlock device in New York?
- Under VTL § 1198(5)(a), the cost of installing and maintaining the ignition interlock device is borne by the person subject to the condition, unless the court determines the person is financially unable to afford the cost, in which case the cost may be imposed under a payment plan or waived.
- What DMV fees apply after an alcohol-related revocation?
- The NY DMV states that a $100 re-application fee must accompany a driver license application or request for reinstatement after a revocation. Separately, DMV's Driver Responsibility Assessment for an alcohol or drugged-driving conviction or chemical-test refusal is $250 per year for three years, a total of $750.
- What is the DMV-mandated interlock restriction?
- The NY DMV Problem Driver Restrictions page states that, based on driving history, DMV may require a person to install and maintain an IID for a period of 5 years in all motor vehicles they own or operate, and that this DMV-mandated device is different from a device ordered by a court under Leandra's Law.
Sources
- N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1198 - Installation and operation of ignition interlock devices (NY State Senate)
- N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1193 - Sanctions (interlock condition; revocation periods) (NY State Senate)
- NYS DCJS Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives - Qualified Ignition Interlock Device Manufacturer Listing (Updated January 20, 2026)
- NY DMV - Penalties for Alcohol or Drug-Related Violations
- NY DMV - Request Restoration After a Driver License Revocation ($100 re-application fee)
- NY DMV - Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA)
- NY DMV - Problem Driver Restrictions (DMV-mandated IID)
- NY DMV - New York State Insurance Requirements (no SR-22 provision)
- NY DMV - Insurance Lapses (no SR-22 provision)
- NY DMV - Provide Proof of Insurance Coverage (no SR-22 provision)
- N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 318 - Revocation of registrations, drivers' licenses and non-resident privileges (financial security) (NY State Senate)
Record history
- — Record verified against primary sources.