Ignition interlock in Minnesota
Losing your license over an impaired driving offense doesn't have to mean months with no way to get around, thanks to the ignition interlock program in Minnesota. For many drivers, the path back behind the wheel runs through the state's ignition interlock program. Whether you have to take part comes down to your driving history and when the offense happened.
- Companies installing
- 8
- Run by
- Driver and Vehicle Services, which sits under the Department of Public Safety
- Second or later offense on or after July 1, 2025
- required if it falls within 20 years
- First offense
- optional, but enrolling can qualify you for a limited license
- Usual cost for a year
- roughly $790 to $1,110 all together
8 interlock companies in Minnesota
| 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 |
 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 |
 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 | ||
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 runs the program?
The Driver and Vehicle Services division of the Department of Public Safety manages the program statewide. The gadget involved is a compact camera-equipped unit that gets wired into your car and checks your breath for alcohol every time you want to start it.
One thing to keep straight: probation conditions and interlock orders handed down by a court aren't governed by these state rules. Anything set by a judge or a probation officer is dealt with separately.
Is an interlock required after a first offense?
With a first offense, check your court order or license letter to see if a device was ordered. If your license was revoked for a first alcohol offense, you can choose to join the program and receive a limited license. That limited license keeps you legal on the road during the revocation, provided every trip happens in a car fitted with the device.
Joining means you can still get to your job and take care of everyday errands rather than sitting out the revocation with no license at all.
Repeat offenses and the 20-year rule
If your offense happened on or after July 1, 2025 and it's your second or later alcohol- or drug-related offense within 20 years, enrollment is mandatory.
Offenses that happened earlier fall under the old rule. Before July 1, 2025, a device was needed for any second alcohol, drug or refusal case inside a 10-year window, and also for a third offense overall when one or two of the three sat more than 10 years back.
Two other situations worth knowing. If your offense came before July 1, 2025 and you had no vehicle owned or leased at that point, you may qualify for an exemption from installing anything. And if your revocation or cancelation notice was dated before July 1, 2011, participating is up to you.
Longer stays for canceled licenses
Some people have their license canceled under the label "inimical to public safety." In plain terms, the state looked at their record and judged them a danger behind the wheel. Drivers in this group must remain in the program 3 to 6 years at minimum before full privileges return.
A commitment that long takes real budgeting, which is why the monthly price matters so much here. Once you make the call, your request goes directly to an installer who can find a time for you.
Who can enroll?
To take part, you must be 18 or older and eligible for Minnesota's standard class D license, the everyday license people carry to drive a regular car.
A commercial driver's license can't be held during the program. You'll also need car insurance and be asked to prove it as part of your paperwork.
Applying for the program
- Download what you'll need to apply at dps.mn.gov/interlock so you start with the correct forms.
- Request a fresh class D license or instruction permit and cover the fee, which everyone entering the program owes.
- Pull together your insurance proof beforehand, since the application can't go through without it.
- Schedule your installation with a company that does business in Minnesota.
Interlock cost in Minnesota
Looking at the national picture, MADD's averages put installation at $70 to $150, with monthly service running $60 to $80. The single biggest factor in your total bill is how many months you stay enrolled.
| Length of enrollment | Rough total |
|---|---|
| Half a year | $430 to $630 |
| A full year | $790 to $1,110 |
| A year and a half | $1,150 to $1,590 |
| Two years | $1,510 to $2,070 |
| Three years | $2,230 to $3,030 |
Every company prices a bit differently. Intoxalock advertises a monthly lease from $54.99, Smart Start shows rates starting at $59.99 a month, and LifeSafer lists $50 to $120 a month. Then there are companies that keep their pricing private.
Getting your device installed
Plenty of outfits will install in Minnesota, from the big names like Smart Start and Intoxalock to LifeSafer, Low Cost Interlock, Guardian, ALCOLOCK, Dräger and ADS. Customer ratings for these companies run the gamut: Smart Start and LifeSafer each score 4.6 of 5 on Trustpilot; Dräger, by contrast, sits at 1.7.
When you call or fill in the booking form, we hand your request to an interlock company operating in Minnesota so your appointment gets arranged. Call today to get your install on the calendar and get back on the road.