Pennsylvania ignition interlock & DUI requirements
Pennsylvania requires an ignition interlock after a first DUI only at a BAC of 0.16 or higher (1 year from restoration of the operating privilege); below that threshold it is not automatic, though other circumstances set by the statute can still require one. A repeat offense carries 1 year from restoration of the operating privilege.
Ignition interlock device rules, approved vendors, SR-22 insurance filing, and license reinstatement in Pennsylvania, cited to the statute and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Bureau of Driver Licensing.
- IID on first offense
- High-BAC only
- SR-22 filing
- Not required
The short answers
Do I need an interlock?
- First offense
- Required only above a high-BAC threshold
- Threshold
- BAC 0.16
- Minimum period
- 1 year
What the source says (3)
- First offense
“Pennsylvania law makes the Ignition Interlock requirement mandatory for first-time and repeat DUI offenders with high blood alcohol levels and for individuals who receive an operating privilege suspension as a result of a chemical test refusal violation”
- Minimum period
“An individual is required to drive with an Ignition Interlock system for one year from the date their operating privilege is restored.”
- firstOffenseIid_noSuspensionTier
“(iii) There shall be no suspension for an ungraded misdemeanor under section 3802(a) where the person is subject to the penalties provided in subsection (a) and the person has no prior offense.”
What it costs here
- State reinstatement fee
- $70
- Restricted-license fee
- $85.00
- Reduced-cost rule
- Economic hardship exemption
- Interlock lease, national range
- $50–$150 per month
What the source says (3)
- State reinstatement fee
“The department shall charge a fee of $70 or, if section 1379 ... 1380 ... or 1786(d) (relating to required financial responsibility) applies, a fee of $88 to restore a person's operating privilege or the registration of a vehicle following a suspension or revocation.”
- Restricted-license fee
“$85.00 IILL Petition fee (non-refundable). (Required)”
- Reduced-cost rule
“Individuals whose income is below 200% of the poverty level, may apply for a Hardship Exemption. The hardship exemption allows the individual to have it installed in only one vehicle.”
How to drive legally now
- Restricted license
- Available in some first-offense cases · Ignition Interlock Limited License
- Hearing-request deadline
- 30 days from the notice
- Driving after a DUI in Pennsylvania: the restricted license
- How to get a license back in Pennsylvania
- Date the hearing deadline with the timeline calculator
What the source says (2)
- Restricted license
“An Ignition Interlock Limited License is a driver's license issued to a driver whose operating privilege is suspended or revoked for one or more violations of driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance or refusal to submit to chemical testing.”
- Hearing-request deadline
“an appeal from a tribunal or other government unit to a court or from a court to an appellate court must be commenced within 30 days after the entry of the order from which the appeal is taken”
Approved interlock providers
Vendors listed here appear on the Pennsylvania 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 |
| Allegheny County | On the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Bureau of Driver Licensing list | |
| Dauphin County | On the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Bureau of Driver Licensing list | |
| Interlock Of PA | On the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Bureau of Driver Licensing list | |
| Intoxalock | Intoxalock website | Find a location |
| LifeSafer | LifeSafer website | Find a location |
| Low Cost Interlock | Low Cost Interlock website | Find a location |
| RoadGuard Interlock | RoadGuard Interlock website | Find a location |
| Smart Start | Smart Start website | Find a location |
What Pennsylvania law requires
Pennsylvania'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: 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805
Ignition interlock requirement
| Item | Pennsylvania rule |
|---|---|
| IID on first offense | Required only above a high-BAC threshold |
| Minimum IID period, first offense | 1 year from restoration of the operating privilege (statute as amended in 2026 reads 'one year or 18 months') |
| Minimum IID period, repeat offense | 1 year from restoration of the operating privilege (PennDOT lists '1 year ignition interlock' at every prior-offense tier; statute as amended in 2026 reads 'one year or 18 months') |
Threshold: BAC of 0.10 or higher (the 'High BAC' tier, 75 Pa.C.S. § 3802(b)/§ 3804(b)) or the 'Highest BAC' tier (0.16+, § 3804(c)), plus chemical-test refusals. PennDOT states the requirement is mandatory 'for first-time and repeat DUI offenders with high blood alcohol levels' and for chemical-test-refusal suspensions. A first-offense general-impairment DUI (0.08–0.099, no prior) is sentenced under § 3804(a)(1), receives no license suspension (§ 3804(e)(2)(iii)), and is expressly excepted from the interlock requirement by § 3805(a.1)(1). First-offense ARD acceptance also carries no interlock requirement per PennDOT. Under § 3805(a) the interlock is imposed by PennDOT as a condition of restoring the operating privilege after a § 3802 or § 1547 suspension.
What the source says (5)
- IID on first offense
“Pennsylvania law makes the Ignition Interlock requirement mandatory for first-time and repeat DUI offenders with high blood alcohol levels and for individuals who receive an operating privilege suspension as a result of a chemical test refusal violation”
- Minimum IID period, first offense
“An individual is required to drive with an Ignition Interlock system for one year from the date their operating privilege is restored.”
- Minimum IID period, repeat offense
“(e.1) Term of ignition interlock.--The ignition interlock requirement under this section shall be for one year or 18 months from the date the operating privilege has been restored from the suspension imposed under section 1547 or 3804.”
- Ignition interlock statute
“§ 3805. Ignition interlock. (a) General rule.--Except as provided under subsection (a.1), if a person violates section 3802 (relating to driving under influence of alcohol or controlled substance) and has the person's operating privilege suspended”
- IID on first offense
“(a.1) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to a person who meets any of the following: (1) Is subject to the penalties under section 3804(a)(1) (relating to penalties) and has not had a prior offense as defined under section 3806 (relating to prior offenses).”
Removal: Compliance-based. The interlock term is one year (or 18 months under the 2026 amendment) from restoration (§ 3805(e.1)), with credit for time holding an interlock limited license. 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 Pennsylvania does, the sources below say so.
| SR-22 filing required after a DUI | No |
|---|---|
| Filing period | Not applicable |
The PennDOT Driving Privilege Sanctions and Restoration Requirements Letter fact sheet enumerates the restoration requirements that can appear after a DUI (restoration fee, court notification of treatment/prison completion, ignition interlock, and 'PROOF OF INSURANCE is motor vehicle insurance'); an SR-22/FR-44 filing is not among them. 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805.1(b)(2)(v) likewise requires only 'proof of financial responsibility covering each motor vehicle to be operated'. PennDOT's Financial Responsibility (Insurance) FAQ page does not mention SR-22.
What the source says (2)
- SR-22 filing required after a DUI
“Restoration fee for chemical test refusal sanction (suspension). ... PROOF OF INSURANCE is motor vehicle insurance. ... For DUI offenses. Once the Court is notified of successful completion of treatment by the Probation Office, the Court will notify PennDOT.”
- SR-22 requirement
“(v) Proof of financial responsibility covering each motor vehicle to be operated by the applicant.”
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 | $70 | 2026-08-29 |
| Driver's license restoration fee after suspension/revocation (75 Pa.C.S. § 1960; $88 if the suspension was for unpaid Philadelphia parking tickets, unpaid tolls, or lapse of insurance under § 1786(d)) | $70 | 2026-08 |
| Additional restoration fee for a chemical-test-refusal suspension:first refusal / second / third or subsequent(75 Pa.C.S. § 1547(b.2)) | $500 / $1,000 / $2,000 | 2026-08 |
| Ignition Interlock Limited License (IILL) application fee (PennDOT IILL fact sheet, July 2025, says $80.00; PennDOT Driver Licensing Fee Chart, July 2025, lists $85.00) | $80.00–$85.00 (see label) | 2026-08 |
| Duplicate License/PL/OLL/IILL(PennDOT Driver Licensing Fee Chart) | $42.50 | 2026-08 |
| Occupational Limited License application fee(PennDOT Driver Licensing Fee Chart) | $88.00 | 2026-08 |
| Ignition interlock driver's license issued at a driver's license center under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805.1(b)(3)(iii) (2026 Act 36; provision effective 16 months after July 20, 2026) — additional fee | $11 | 2026-08 |
What the source says (1)
- License reinstatement fee
“The department shall charge a fee of $70 or, if section 1379 ... 1380 ... or 1786(d) (relating to required financial responsibility) applies, a fee of $88 to restore a person's operating privilege or the registration of a vehicle following a suspension or revocation.”
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 Pennsylvania's interlock program page or statute states them.
| Question | Pennsylvania rule |
|---|---|
| Motorcycles | Not addressed on the official pages read 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805(a)(1) requires that 'any motor vehicle to be operated by the person' be equipped with an ignition interlock device and does not mention motorcycles; § 3805.1, 67 Pa. Code Chapter 88, PennDOT's Ignition Interlock FAQs page and the FS-II, FS-IITL, FS-IILL and FS-IILLTL fact sheets do not address motorcycles either. PennDOT's Ignition Interlock Limited License petition (Form DL-9108) offers 'Non-Commercial with Motorcycle' as a type of IILL the applicant may request; that entry is recorded under 'other'. |
| Employer-owned vehicle | Exempt with conditions 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805(f) (and § 3805.1(k) for the ignition interlock driver's license added by Act 36 of 2026): a person with an ignition interlock license who is required in the course and scope of employment to drive a motor vehicle owned by the employer may drive it without a device if (i) the employer has been notified that the employee has an ignition interlock requirement and (ii) the employee carries proof of the notification, which may be established only by the employer's notarized signature on the PennDOT form, including the employer's contact telephone number. The exemption does not apply to the extent the employer-owned vehicle is made available for personal use, if the vehicle is owned by an entity wholly or partially owned or controlled by the person, or if it is a school bus, school vehicle or a vehicle designed to transport more than 15 passengers including the driver. PennDOT's FS-II fact sheet names the form as the Ignition Interlock Employment Exemption Affidavit (DL-3805) and states that failure to possess the affidavit results in a citation for driving without an ignition interlock system. What the source says“the person may drive, operate or be in actual physical control of the movement of that motor vehicle in the course and scope of employment without installation of an ignition interlock device if: (i) the employer has been notified that the employee has an ignition interlock requirement” |
| 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 appears in 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805 or § 3805.1, in 67 Pa. Code Chapter 88 (§§ 88.101-88.108), on PennDOT's Ignition Interlock FAQs page, or in the FS-II, FS-IITL, FS-IILL and FS-IILLTL fact sheets. The only statutory alternatives are the no-vehicle certification (§ 3805(a)(2)) and, for offenses before September 30, 2003, the option described in PennDOT's FAQ of serving an additional year of suspension. |
| Reduced-cost / indigent program | Available — Economic hardship exemption (PennDOT 'Hardship Exemption') Pennsylvania's program limits the number of devices rather than subsidizing cost: under 67 Pa. Code § 88.102(e) a person is exempt from installing a system on each of the person's motor vehicles, and the provider installs a system on only one vehicle owned by or registered to the person, if undue financial hardship is shown either by the most recently filed federal income tax return showing adjusted gross household income below 200% of the HHS poverty guidelines for the family size, or by documentation of participation in a governmental assistance program on PennDOT's list published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The application is made on a PennDOT form (the FAQ names the Hardship Exemption form as DL-21SC) submitted to the interlock provider with the documentation; the provider verifies it, installs on one vehicle and forwards the application to PennDOT. PennDOT's FAQ states that individuals whose income is below 200% of the poverty level may apply and that the exemption allows installation in only one vehicle. The person remains prohibited from driving any vehicle not equipped with a device (§ 3808). The pre-Act-36 statutory text of § 3805(e) (shown in the Act 36 of 2026 PDF) authorizes PennDOT to permit installation on only one of the applicant's vehicles on a finding of undue financial hardship; the current consolidated § 3805 shows subsection (e) as 'Deleted by amendment' by Act 36. What the source says“Individuals whose income is below 200% of the poverty level, may apply for a Hardship Exemption. The hardship exemption allows the individual to have it installed in only one vehicle.” |
| Economic hardship exemption criteria (67 Pa. Code § 88.102(e)(1)(i)) | Undue financial hardship may be demonstrated only by the 200%-of-poverty-guidelines tax-return test or by participation in a listed governmental assistance program. What the source says“Evidence on the person’s most recently filed Federal Income Tax return showing an adjusted gross household income below 200% of the poverty guidelines issued for that tax year by the United States Department of Health and Human Services for the person’s family size.” |
| Economic hardship exemption statutory text (75 Pa.C.S. § 3805(e) as it read before Act 36 of 2026) | The Act 36 PDF shows the bracketed (deleted) text of § 3805(e); the consolidated statute now shows '(e) Economic hardship exemption.--(Deleted by amendment).' What the source says“Where the department determines that the applicant establishes that such a requirement would result in undue financial hardship, the department may permit the applicant to install an ignition interlock system on only one of the applicant's motor vehicles.” |
| Employer exemption exclusions (75 Pa.C.S. § 3805(f)(2)) | Personal-use vehicles, vehicles owned by an entity the person wholly or partially owns or controls, school buses, school vehicles and 15+ passenger vehicles are excluded. What the source says“(iii) If the employer-owned motor vehicle is a school bus; a school vehicle; or a vehicle designed to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver.” |
| Employment Exemption Affidavit DL-3805 (PennDOT FS-II) | PennDOT's fact sheet names the form and states the affidavit must be completed in full and be in the individual's possession while operating the employer-owned vehicle. What the source says“An individual who holds an Ignition Interlock License and is required to drive an employer-owned vehicle for employment purposes, may have their employer complete an Ignition Interlock Employment Exemption Affidavit (DL-3805).” |
| IILL petition offers a 'Non-Commercial with Motorcycle' license type (PennDOT Form DL-9108) | The Ignition Interlock Limited License petition's vehicle-information section asks the applicant to check the type of IILL requested, with 'Non-Commercial' and 'Non-Commercial with Motorcycle' as the options; the form does not state whether a device is installed on the motorcycle. What the source says“Non-Commercial with Motorcycle” |
| No-vehicle certification (75 Pa.C.S. § 3805(a)(2)) | A person with no motor vehicles to operate during the interlock period certifies that to PennDOT; the FAQ says the vendor verifies non-ownership against PennDOT's database and may charge for the certification. What the source says“(2) If there are no motor vehicles to be operated by the person during the period of ignition interlock usage, that the person so certify to the department.” |
Compare: motorcycles by state · employer, medical and reduced-cost exemptions by state
Frequently asked questions
- Is an ignition interlock required after a first DUI in Pennsylvania?
- Not for every first offense. PennDOT states that Pennsylvania law makes the ignition interlock requirement mandatory 'for first-time and repeat DUI offenders with high blood alcohol levels' and for chemical-test-refusal suspensions. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805(a.1)(1), a first offender sentenced under the general-impairment tier of § 3804(a)(1) is excepted, and § 3804(e)(2)(iii) imposes no suspension for that tier.
- How long must the ignition interlock stay installed?
- PennDOT's Ignition Interlock 'The Law' FAQ states an individual 'is required to drive with an Ignition Interlock system for one year from the date their operating privilege is restored.' 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805(e.1), as amended in 2026, describes the term as 'one year or 18 months from the date the operating privilege has been restored'; a conviction for driving without the device extends the period one year (§ 3805.1/§ 3808).
- Does Pennsylvania require an SR-22 after a DUI?
- PennDOT's restoration-requirements fact sheet lists what must be satisfied after a DUI or refusal suspension: the restoration fee, court notifications, ignition interlock, and proof of insurance, which it defines as 'motor vehicle insurance.' No SR-22 or FR-44 filing appears among the listed requirements, and 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805.1(b)(2)(v) requires only 'proof of financial responsibility covering each motor vehicle to be operated.'
- What does license restoration cost after a Pennsylvania DUI?
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 1960 sets the restoration fee at $70 ($88 for certain non-DUI suspensions). A chemical-test-refusal suspension carries an additional restoration fee under § 1547(b.2) of $500, $1,000 or $2,000 depending on prior refusals. PennDOT's fact sheets state the Ignition Interlock Limited License application fee is $80.00 (July 2025 IILL fact sheet) or $85.00 (July 2025 fee chart), and that fees are adjusted every two years based on the Consumer Price Index.
- Where is the list of approved ignition interlock vendors?
- PennDOT's Ignition Interlock Fact Sheet directs individuals to the Pennsylvania DUI Association webpage at www.padui.org for 'a list of approved Ignition Interlock vendors,' and states that the list of approved systems is published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805(h). Individuals convicted in Allegheny or Dauphin County are directed to county interlock services.
Sources
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805 (Ignition interlock) — palegis.us PDF
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805.1 (Ignition interlock driver's license; added by Act 36 of 2026)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 3804 (Penalties; suspension tiers)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 1547 (Chemical testing; refusal restoration fees)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 1960 (Reinstatement of operating privilege — restoration fee)
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 3808 (Illegally operating a motor vehicle not equipped with ignition interlock)
- Act 36 of 2026 (HB 1862) — effective-date provisions (Section 12)
- PennDOT Ignition Interlock Fact Sheet (FS-II, July 2025)
- PennDOT Ignition Interlock 'The Law' FAQ (FS-IITL, July 2025)
- PennDOT Ignition Interlock Limited License Fact Sheet (FS-IILL, July 2025)
- PennDOT Driver Licensing Fee Chart Fact Sheet (FS-DLF, July 2025)
- PennDOT Driving Privilege Sanctions and Restoration Requirements Letter Fact Sheet (FS-DPSRRL)
- PennDOT DUI Legislation page (.08 DUI law tiers and penalties)
- PennDOT Ignition Interlock FAQs page
- PennDOT Ignition Interlock Limited License page
- PennDOT Financial Responsibility (Insurance) FAQs
- 67 Pa. Code Chapter 88 (Ignition Interlock) — Pennsylvania Code
- Pennsylvania DUI Association — Ignition Interlock Vendor List (designated by PennDOT fact sheets)
- Pennsylvania DUI Association — vendor lookup app (iframe content of the vendor list page)
- Pennsylvania Bulletin, 31 Pa.B. 6996 (Dec. 2001) — Approval of Ignition Interlock Systems (historical device approvals)
Record history
- — Record verified against primary sources.