South Carolina ignition interlock & DUI requirements
South Carolina requires an ignition interlock after a first DUI for 6 months. A repeat offense carries 2 years.
Ignition interlock device rules, approved vendors, SR-22 insurance filing, and license reinstatement in South Carolina, cited to the statute and South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV); Ignition Interlock Device Program administered by the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (SCDPPPS).
- IID on first offense
- Required
- Minimum IID period (first)
- 6 months
- SR-22 filing
- Required · 3 years
The short answers
Do I need an interlock?
- First offense
- Required
- Minimum period
- 6 months
What the source says (2)
- First offense
“For a first offense, a person shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for si”
- Minimum period
“The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for six months. The person is not eligible for a provisional license pursuant to Article 7, Chapter 1, Title 56.”
What it costs here
- State reinstatement fee
- $100
- Restricted-license fee
- $100
- Reduced-cost rule
- Ignition Interlock Device Fund
- Interlock lease, national range
- $50–$150 per month
What the source says (4)
- State reinstatement fee
“A $100 reinstatement fee is required for each suspension unless another amount is required. You can pay reinstatement fees at any branch office.”
- State reinstatement fee
“until he also remits to the department a reinstatement fee of one hundred dollars for each suspension on his driving record that has not been reinstated.”
- Restricted-license fee
“For purposes of Title 56, the license must be referred to as an ignition interlock restricted license. The fee for an ignition interlock restricted license is one hundred dollars”
- Reduced-cost rule
“A person may request to receive assistance from the Interlock Device Fund by completing the financial assessment form (Form 1307). Applications are reviewed on a monthly basis. Those applications received after the 5th of the month will be reviewed the following month.”
How to drive legally now
- Restricted license
- Available after a first offense · ignition interlock restricted license
- Waiting period
- No waiting period
- Hearing-request deadline
- 30 days from the notice
- Driving after a DUI in South Carolina: the restricted license
- How to get a license back in South Carolina
- Date the hearing deadline with the timeline calculator
What the source says (2)
- Restricted license
“For a first offense, a person shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400.”
- Hearing-request deadline
“Within thirty days of the issuance of the notice of suspension, the person may: (a) request a contested case hearing before the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings pursuant to its rules of procedure; and, either: (b) enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941”
Approved interlock providers
Vendors listed here appear on the South Carolina 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 |
| Intoxalock | Intoxalock website | Find a location |
| LifeSafer | LifeSafer website | Find a location |
| Smart Start | Smart Start website | Find a location |
What South Carolina law requires
South Carolina'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: S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-2941
Ignition interlock requirement
| Item | South Carolina rule |
|---|---|
| IID on first offense | Required |
| Minimum IID period, first offense | 6 months |
| Minimum IID period, repeat offense | 2 years (second offense); 3 years for a third offense (4 years if within five years of the first); lifetime for a fourth or subsequent offense |
For violations dated on or after May 19, 2024 (2023 Act No. 55, the 'All Offender Law'), S.C. Code § 56-5-2990(A)(2) provides that for a first offense a person 'shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license'; the person is not eligible for a provisional license. SCDMV states the IID 'will be required to install to clear DUI/DUAC and Felony DUI suspensions for violations dated on or after' May 19, 2024. Under § 56-1-400(E), a person who chooses not to install the device remains suspended indefinitely. Exceptions: § 56-5-2941(A)(1) exempts a person who took a breath test with an alcohol concentration of .00; a medical waiver (§ 56-5-2941(A)(2)) and an employer-vehicle exemption (§ 56-5-2941(L); § 56-1-400(G)) exist. For first-offense DUI with BAC below .15 and an offense date before May 19, 2024, SCDPPPS states participation is optional.
What the source says (6)
- IID on first offense
“For a first offense, a person shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for si”
- Minimum IID period, first offense
“The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for six months. The person is not eligible for a provisional license pursuant to Article 7, Chapter 1, Title 56.”
- Minimum IID period, repeat offense
“For a second offense, a person shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for t”
- Ignition interlock statute
“SECTION 56-5-2941. Ignition interlock device. (A)(1) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall require a person who is convicted of violating the provisions of Sections 56-5-2930, 56-5-2933, 56-5-2945, 56-5-2947”
- IID on first offense
“As of May 19, 2024, the All Offender Law signed by Governor McMaster became effective. As of this date, all individuals convicted of Driving Under the Influence, are required to have a device installed if they want to drive.”
- firstOffenseIidNote_indefinite
“(E) If a person chooses to not have an ignition interlock device installed when required by law, the license will remain suspended indefinitely.”
Removal: Term-based, not violation-window based: the device must remain for the statutory term (six months for a first offense under § 56-5-2990(A)(2); two years second; three years third; lifetime fourth) and the 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 South Carolina does, the sources below say so.
| SR-22 filing required after a DUI | Yes |
|---|---|
| Filing period | 3 years |
SR-22 (Certificate of Insurance). S.C. Code § 56-9-500 provides that whenever SCDMV suspends or revokes a license 'upon receiving a record of conviction,' the license and registration remain suspended and no license may be issued 'until he shall give and thereafter maintain proof of financial responsibility'; § 56-9-550 provides that proof may be furnished by the insurer's certificate filed with SCDMV, and § 56-9-620(1) allows cancellation of the proof three years after it was required if no further qualifying conviction occurred. SCDMV describes this filing as a 'Certificate of Insurance (SR-22)' filed by the insurance company and, for uninsured-driving suspensions, states it runs 'for three years starting with the date of suspension.' No SCDMV page located expressly enumerates DUI as an SR-22 trigger; the requirement is derived from the statute's application to conviction-based suspensions.
What the source says (4)
- SR-22 filing required after a DUI
“nor shall any license be thereafter issued to that person nor shall any motor vehicle be thereafter registered in the name of that person until permitted under the motor vehicle laws of this State and not then until he shall give and thereafter maintain proof of financial responsibility.”
- Filing period
“(1) At any time after three years from the date the proof was required when, during the three year period preceding the request, the Department has not received record of a conviction or a forfeiture of bail which would require or permit the suspension or revocation of the license”
- SR-22 requirement
“You must get your insurance company to file a Certificate of Insurance (SR-22) for three years starting with the date of suspension.”
- sr22Note_ifRequired
“If required, a suspended driver must get a Certificate of Insurance (SR-22) filed by their insurance 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 | $100 | 2026-08-29 |
| Ignition interlock restricted license fee(S.C. Code § 56-1-400(C)) | $100 | 2026-08 |
| Monthly fee collected by the service provider and remitted to the Ignition Interlock Device Fund (S.C. Code § 56-5-2941(G) caps it at $30/month; SCDPPPS Program Procedures state the manufacturer collects $30.00) | up to $30 per month | 2026-08 |
| Indigent assistance:Ignition Interlock Device Fund may pay initial installation and standard use of the device for a person determined indigent by SCDPPPS(S.C. Code § 56-5-2941(F); SCDPPPS Form 1307) | cost of initial installation and standard use(six-month authorization periods per SCDPPPS Program Procedures) | 2026-08 |
| Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program (ADSAP) cost caps(S.C. Code § 56-5-2990(C)) | not more than $500 education / $2,000 treatment / $2,500 total | 2026-08 |
| Temporary alcohol license (TAL) fee while awaiting an implied-consent hearing(S.C. Code § 56-5-2951(B)(1)(c); SCDMV) | $100 | 2026-08 |
| Provisional driver's license (first-offense DUI/DUAC, BAC .14 or less, violation date on or before May 18, 2024 only) and route-restricted license(SCDMV) | $100 each | 2026-08 |
What the source says (2)
- License reinstatement fee
“A $100 reinstatement fee is required for each suspension unless another amount is required. You can pay reinstatement fees at any branch office.”
- License reinstatement fee
“until he also remits to the department a reinstatement fee of one hundred dollars for each suspension on his driving record that has not been reinstated.”
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 South Carolina's interlock program page or statute states them.
| Question | South Carolina rule |
|---|---|
| Motorcycles | Motorcycles are exempt from the requirement S.C. Code § 56-5-2941(A)(1) and (A)(3) require the ignition interlock device on any motor vehicle the person drives 'except a moped or motorcycle'. The statute does not separately state whether a person holding an ignition interlock restricted license may ride a motorcycle; it excludes mopeds and motorcycles from the vehicles on which the device must be installed. What the source says“to have installed on any motor vehicle the person drives, except a moped or motorcycle, an ignition interlock device designed to prevent driving of the motor vehicle if the person has consumed alcoholic beverages.” |
| Employer-owned vehicle | Exempt with conditions Under § 56-5-2941(L) a person required in the course and scope of employment to drive a vehicle owned by the employer may drive it without a device, provided the use is solely for the employer's business purposes. The person must carry a copy of the SCDMV form under § 56-1-400 while driving the employer's vehicle; under § 56-1-400(G) the form identifies the employer's noncommercial vehicles, explains the circumstances of use and carries the employer's notarized signature, and the person may drive only on the days and hours the employer specifies. The exemption does not apply to (a) a person convicted of a second or subsequent DUI/DUAC/felony DUI (or out-of-state equivalent) unless the driving privilege has been suspended for at least one year or an interlock has been installed for at least one year on each vehicle owned or operated, (b) a person who is self-employed or employed by a business owned wholly or partly by the person or a member of the person's household or immediate family, unless the criminal court found a legitimate business purpose for the business ownership, or (c) a habitual offender in the IID program under § 56-1-1090(A). SCDMV may review the waiver periodically and revoke it if the person drives other vehicles or outside the specified locations, days or hours; SCDPPPS states the offender applies to SCDMV for the exemption. What the source says“may drive the employer's motor vehicle without installation of an ignition interlock device, provided that the person's use of the employer's motor vehicle is solely for the employer's business purposes.” |
| Unable to provide a breath sample | Available Under § 56-5-2941(A)(2) SCDMV may waive the interlock requirement if it determines the person has a medical condition that makes the person incapable of properly operating the installed device. If the waiver is granted, SCDMV suspends the driver's license for the length of time the person would have been required to hold an ignition interlock restricted license, and may withdraw the waiver if it becomes aware the condition has improved. SCDPPPS's program procedures describe the same medical waiver and the resulting suspension. What the source says“The department may waive the requirements of this section if the department determines that the person has a medical condition that makes the person incapable of properly operating the installed device.” |
| Reduced-cost / indigent program | Available — Ignition Interlock Device Fund (SCDPPPS indigent funding, Form 1307) Under § 56-5-2941(F) the cost of the device is borne by the person, but a person who is indigent (financially unable to afford the device) may submit an affidavit of indigency to the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services (SCDPPPS). Indigence is presumed when net family income is at or below the U.S. HHS poverty guidelines; income, debts, assets, dependents, living expenses and family situation are considered. If SCDPPPS finds the person indigent it may authorize a device and have the cost of the initial installation and standard use paid from the Ignition Interlock Device Fund. SCDPPPS's Financial Assistance page states the request is made on the financial assessment form (Form 1307), applications are reviewed monthly (those received after the 5th are reviewed the following month), and its Program Procedures state an Indigence Committee applies the HHS guidelines, funding is authorized for six-month periods with re-application every six months, and the determination is discretionary. Habitual offenders in the program under § 56-1-1090(A) are excluded. What the source says“A person may request to receive assistance from the Interlock Device Fund by completing the financial assessment form (Form 1307). Applications are reviewed on a monthly basis. Those applications received after the 5th of the month will be reviewed the following month.” |
| .00 breath-test exception (§ 56-5-2941(A)(1)) | The interlock requirement does not apply to a person who submitted to a breath test under § 56-5-2950 and had an alcohol concentration of .00. What the source says“This requirement shall not apply to a person who submitted to a breath test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950 and had an alcohol concentration of .00 one-hundredths of one percent.” |
| Indigence presumption and Fund coverage (§ 56-5-2941(F)) | The statute presumes indigence at or below the HHS poverty guidelines and lets the Fund pay the initial installation and standard use of the device. What the source says“A presumption that the person is indigent is created if the person's net family income is less than or equal to the poverty guidelines established and revised annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services published in the Federal Register.” |
| Indigent funding authorized in six-month periods (SCDPPPS Program Procedures) | SCDPPPS may authorize payment of the standard BAIID fees for six months at a time; the offender must resubmit Form 1307 every six months. What the source says“If the Indigence Committee determines that the offender is indigent, the Department may authorize the payment of the BAIID standard fees for a six month period. The offender will be required to resubmit an application every six months to ensure indigent status has not changed.” |
| Medical waiver: license remains suspended for the interlock period (SCDPPPS Program Procedures) | SCDPPPS restates the statutory consequence of a medical waiver. What the source says“If granted, the offender’s license will remain suspended for the length of time that the person would have been required to hold an II restricted license.” |
| Employer exemption exclusions (§ 56-5-2941(L)(2)(a)) | Second or subsequent offenders are excluded unless suspended for at least one year or interlocked for at least one year on each vehicle owned or operated. What the source says“unless the person's driving privileges have been suspended for not less than one year or the person has had an ignition interlock device installed for not less than one year on each of the motor vehicles owned or operated, or both, by the person” |
| Employer-only ignition interlock restricted license for a person who owns no vehicle (§ 56-1-400(G)) | A person who owns no vehicle, cannot obtain an owner's permission to install a device, will drive only the employer's vehicle and will not own a vehicle during the interlock period may petition SCDMV on its form for an ignition interlock restricted license limited to the employer's vehicles, days and hours, without showing a device has been installed. What the source says“may petition the department, on a form provided by the department, for issuance of an ignition interlock restricted license that permits the person to operate a vehicle specified by the employee according to the employer's needs as contained in the employer's statement” |
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 South Carolina?
- Yes, for violations dated on or after May 19, 2024. S.C. Code § 56-5-2990(A)(2) states that for a first offense a person 'shall enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941 ... and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license,' with the device required for six months. SCDMV states the IID is required to clear DUI/DUAC and felony DUI suspensions for such violations; § 56-1-400(E) provides the license otherwise remains suspended indefinitely.
- How long must the device stay installed?
- Under S.C. Code § 56-5-2990(A): six months for a first offense, two years for a second, three years for a third (four years if the third offense is within five years of the first), and for life for a fourth or subsequent offense. SCDPPPS states program time begins only when SCDMV issues the ignition interlock restricted license, and that points for violations can extend the term (§ 56-5-2941(E)).
- Who runs the program and which devices are allowed?
- S.C. Code § 56-5-2941(Q) provides that only devices certified by the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services may be used, that devices must be set to prevent starting at an alcohol concentration of .02 or more, and that SCDPPPS must maintain a current list of certified devices, manufacturers and installers. SCDPPPS's May 2024 brochure lists four manufacturers: A-1 Smart Start, Intoxalock, LifeSafer and Alcohol Detection Systems.
- What does the state charge, and is help available for the device cost?
- S.C. Code § 56-1-390 sets a $100 reinstatement fee per suspension and § 56-1-400(C) a $100 fee for the ignition interlock restricted license. Under § 56-5-2941(G) the service provider remits up to $30 per month to the Ignition Interlock Device Fund. Under § 56-5-2941(F), a person determined indigent by SCDPPPS may have initial installation and standard use paid from that fund; SCDPPPS's Financial Assistance page describes Form 1307 for that request.
- Does South Carolina require an SR-22 after a DUI?
- S.C. Code § 56-9-500 provides that when SCDMV suspends a license upon a record of conviction, no license may be issued until the person gives 'and thereafter maintain[s] proof of financial responsibility,' which under § 56-9-550 may be an insurer's certificate filed with SCDMV; § 56-9-620 allows cancellation after three years without a further qualifying conviction. SCDMV refers to this filing as a Certificate of Insurance (SR-22).
Sources
- S.C. Code Title 56, Chapter 5 (contains § 56-5-2941 Ignition interlock device; § 56-5-2951 implied consent; § 56-5-2990 suspension and IID terms)
- S.C. Code Title 56, Chapter 1 (contains § 56-1-390 reinstatement fee; § 56-1-400 ignition interlock restricted license)
- S.C. Code Title 56, Chapter 9 (Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Act — §§ 56-9-500, 56-9-550, 56-9-620)
- SCDMV — License Reinstatement
- SCDMV — Pay Reinstatement Fees
- SCDMV — Facts About Driving Uninsured (SR-22 description)
- SCDMV — news: SCDMV to Offer Driver Suspension Eligibility Week (SR-22 'if required')
- SCDPPPS — Ignition Interlock (program overview)
- SCDPPPS — IID Manufacturers
- SCDPPPS — Understanding the IID Program brochure (May 2024)
- SCDPPPS — Ignition Interlock Frequently Asked Questions
- SCDPPPS — Program Procedures
- SCDPPPS — Financial Assistance (Ignition Interlock Device Fund)
- SCDPPPS — Contact Information
- SCDPPPS — Application for Device Certification (2018)
Record history
- — Record verified against primary sources.