Ignition interlock in Illinois
If this is your first DUI arrest in Illinois, an ignition interlock and a driving permit let you keep driving while your license is suspended. Once your permit is issued, you have 14 days to get a device fitted in each vehicle you intend to drive.
8 interlock companies in Illinois
| Company | From, a month | Installation | 12 months, install included | Trustpilot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 LifeSafer | From $50 | $70 to $150 | From $670 | 4.6 of 5 |
 Guardian Interlock | From $50 | $70 to $170 | From $670 | 3.7 of 5 |
 Smart Start | From $59.99 | From $150 | From $869.88 | 4.6 of 5 |
 ALCOLOCK | From $60 | $70 to $150 | From $790 | 2.3 of 5 |
 Low Cost Interlock | From $78.76 | $100 to $250, plus $40 set-up | From $1,085.12 | 2.9 of 5 |
 Intoxalock | Around $3.80 a dayIllinois price | Set by each service center | $1,438 to $1,518install at MADD's typical range | 4.4 of 5 |
 Dräger (RoadGuard Interlock) | Call for a quoteFirst month free | 1.7 of 5 | ||
 Alcohol Detection Systems (ADS) | Call for a quote | 2.4 of 5 | ||
Rows marked "Illinois price" use a price posted for Illinois; the others show 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.
The Illinois price for Intoxalock comes from its Illinois pricing page. MADD's national range: $70 to $150 to install, then $60 to $80 a month, or $790 to $1,110 for a year.
Illinois ignition interlock law
| Offense | Interlock rule |
|---|---|
| First DUI arrest, failed test | Not required, but it lets you keep driving through the 6-month suspension (MDDP permit) |
| First DUI arrest, refused test | Optional, to drive during the 12-month suspension |
| Two or three DUI convictions | You need one for a restricted permit, and then for 5 years straight before your license is fully reinstated |
| Four or more convictions | A permit only after 5 years of revocation |
While your license is suspended
A first DUI arrest costs you your license for a fixed period through what Illinois names a statutory summary suspension. The state applies it on its own because of the arrest, apart from whatever happens in court. The suspension runs 6 months when the test comes back failed, and 12 months when you refused it or left it unfinished.
Driving is still allowed during that period with a Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP) paired with a breath-testing unit. Illinois's name for the device is a BAIID, a breath tester connected to your car that blocks the engine from starting when it detects alcohol. The Secretary of State's BAIID Division grants the permit and watches over every installation.
Who can get an MDDP?
The rules say you must be at least 18 and facing your first offense. In practice, that means no prior summary suspension or DUI within the past 5 years.
Your 14-day install clock begins running the day the permit is issued. Call us and we'll pass your request to an Illinois installer so they can set up your appointment.
Costs in Illinois
Illinois bills a monthly monitoring charge of $30. It goes to the Secretary of State in advance and is not refundable. On top of that there's an $8 permit fee.
The company doing the installation sets its own prices. State figures show typical vendor charges of $85 for the install plus $80 in monthly rent. Intoxalock quotes roughly $3.80 per day for its units in the state, though that figure comes from the one company.
When the device is out of reach financially
The Secretary of State has the power to declare you indigent, which is a formal finding that you can't pay. If that finding is made, the Indigent BAIID Fund covers the installation, the monthly rental and the removal. You still owe the $30 each month and the $8 for the permit.
This fund is a dedicated state account that reimburses the installer, so the company gets its money even though none of those costs land on you.
What happens if the device records a violation?
A camera comes standard on every unit, since that's what Illinois demands, and the car won't start at a breath reading of .025 or above (BAC, your blood alcohol level). The state pulls the data off your device once every 30 to 60 days.
Any violation you can't account for can tack 3 months onto your suspension. At three extensions, your car can be impounded for at least 30 days, and at four the state can take it away from you for good.
Repeat DUI offenders
If you have 2 or 3 DUI convictions, you'll need a restricted driving permit, which limits you to device-equipped vehicles and calls for five straight years of use before full driving privileges return. A formal hearing is required for anyone whose record shows 2 or more alcohol or drug incidents.
With four or more convictions, you can apply for a restricted permit only after 5 years of revocation.
If you drive without it
Driving during your suspension without the permit, or driving any car that doesn't have a device, is a Class 4 felony, so every car you plan to drive needs its own unit.
Taking the unit off
Leave the device in place until the BAIID Division authorizes removal. Pulling it off without notice can end your MDDP and extend your suspension.
New real-time reporting rule
Devices that report in real time are mandatory for anyone installing one on or after July 1, 2025, and for the whole fleet of units still in service come November 1, 2025. If your device was installed before July 2025, it will need to be real-time reporting by November 1, 2025.