Ignition interlock in District of Columbia
Any DUI conviction in the District of Columbia means you must use an ignition interlock, and that applies to a first offense too. Skip the program and the District takes away your license with no end date and suspends every vehicle registered to you. If you're required to enroll, booking an installation is a practical first step.
Call us and we'll pass your request to an interlock company that serves the District, so they can set up your appointment.2 interlock companies in District of Columbia
| Company | From, a month | Installation | 12 months, install included | Trustpilot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Smart Start | From $59.99 | From $150 | From $869.88 | 4.6 of 5 |
 Dräger (RoadGuard Interlock) | Call for a quoteFirst month free | 1.7 of 5 | ||
Prices are each company's national starting price. The 12-month column adds a year of that price, the install price and any set-up fee, or MADD's typical $70 to $150 where no install price is posted.
MADD's national range: $70 to $150 to install, then $60 to $80 a month, or $790 to $1,110 for a year.
Who must take part in the District?
Anyone in the District who is convicted of DUI must participate, even after a first conviction. The length of your enrollment is what varies. How long depends on any prior covered offenses and any prior times you refused a test.
Refusing a chemical test brings enrollment too. Police use a chemical test, meaning a breath, blood or urine sample, to measure alcohol. If you have no prior covered offenses and no prior refusals, refusing the test puts you in the program for 12 months. If you have 2 or more prior covered offenses, or 2 or more prior refusals, the term stretches to 36 months.
What license must you hold before enrolling?
Enrollment requires a restricted DC DMV driver license. You can get it as a restricted REAL ID license or as a restricted Limited Purpose license. Either way, the restriction means you can drive only as the program allows.
Commercial driver license holders must first downgrade to a non-commercial license, then sign up for the DC DMV program.
Which vehicles must have a device?
You must fit an interlock on each vehicle you own or have registered in your name. That includes a second car you rarely drive. Tell us how many vehicles you own or have registered when you call.
Providers that do installs in the District
Smart Start lists install locations in the District, so it's one place your appointment could be set up. Its advertised rate is a monthly lease from $59.99, and Trustpilot rates it 4.6 out of 5 based on 43,627 reviews.
What it costs in the District of Columbia
Most of the time, the expenses fall on you, both for joining and for staying in the program. Based on MADD's averages, installation runs $70 to $150, and the device costs $60 to $80 for every month you keep it.
These costs cover a single vehicle. Every car or truck you own or have registered has to carry its own device. A monthly lease you see advertised may not cover everything, so when you book, ask what installation and any extra fees will cost.
Help if you can't afford it
The Department can find you indigent, and then the Department covers every program expense for you. Indigent means your income for the year, after tax, sits at or below 150% of the federal poverty level.
Following the program rules
Your license restrictions run through the full enrollment. The period gets longer if you violate program rules or pick up another driving offense.
Driving is allowed only in vehicles with an interlock installed. Violate that and you could face a fine, up to 1 year behind bars, or both.