Ignition interlock in Massachusetts
- Monthly program fee to the RMV
- $30
- Service appointments
- once every 25–30 days
- Agency in charge
- Massachusetts RMV
- Companies installing
- 5
- Missing 2 appointments
- a 10-year driving suspension
- Repeat OUI
- the device stays in place 2 years or longer
An ignition interlock in Massachusetts is a small breath tester wired into your car. The engine won't turn over until you blow into it first. In Massachusetts the program falls under the Driver Control Unit of the Registry of Motor Vehicles.
Once an RMV Hearings Officer has approved your interlock, give us a call and we'll pass your request to an interlock company that serves Massachusetts, so they can set up your appointment.
5 interlock companies in Massachusetts
| 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 |
 Intoxalock | From $54.99 | Set by each service center | From $729.88install at MADD's typical range | 4.4 of 5 |
 Smart Start | From $59.99 | From $150 | From $869.88 | 4.6 of 5 |
 Alcohol Detection Systems (ADS) | Call for a quote | 2.4 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 needs an interlock in Massachusetts?
In this state, drunk driving is called OUI, short for operating under the influence. Two or more OUI convictions mean you have to get an interlock installed in your car.
For a first OUI, your court order or license letter will tell you whether you need an interlock.
First offense and the hardship license
With a hardship license, you can keep driving on a limited basis while your regular license is suspended. In Massachusetts it covers 12 hours of driving each day, and the card shows an "HT" restriction, per the RMV.
Some people facing a first offense need an interlock to get a hardship license if their breath test at the time of arrest came back at .15 or above. If that's you, the device stays in the car only while the hardship license is active.
How long do you keep the interlock?
After more than one OUI, expect to have the device for at least 2 years. After a first offense paired with one of these hardship licenses, the device comes out when that license does.
Wait for approval before you install
Hold off on installing anything until an RMV Hearings Officer signs off. After that approval, you schedule the installation.
Every vehicle you drive needs one
This applies to any car you own, lease or drive, your employer's included. The RMV states there are no exceptions. So if a work van is part of your job, that van gets an interlock as well.
Cost of an interlock in Massachusetts
There are 2 charges to plan for. One is the $30 a month program administration fee that goes to the RMV. The other covers leasing the device and keeping it maintained, paid to the company itself.
Nationwide, MADD's figures run $70 to $150 for the installation and $60 to $80 each month after that. MADD's national averages put two years of an interlock at roughly $1,510 to $2,070. The RMV's $30 a month is separate, so it's worth planning for both.
If your budget is stretched thin, look into the RMV's Indigency Program, which can grant a waiver of certain costs. Qualifying can get part of the vendor's fees covered for you.
Companies that install in Massachusetts
Prices differ from one interlock company to the next, so it helps to ask about lease and maintenance fees before you book.
Service visits every 25 to 30 days
For the entire time the restriction is in place, you take the car in to your service provider every 25 to 30 days. Take these appointments seriously. Miss 2 of them and your license is suspended for 10 years.
A simple habit helps: put the next visit in your phone calendar right after each one wraps up.
Blowing into the device
BAC is short for blood alcohol level, the figure the device reads from your breath. A reading above .02% and the car won't start. That's a very low reading, so it's safest not to drink at all before you drive.
Having the interlock removed
The device won't simply come off when your required period ends. To get it taken out and clear the restriction, you ask for a hearing with a hearings officer at the RMV, and that officer makes the call on whether it comes off.