Ignition Interlock License (IIL/IID)

Last updated June 23, 2026 // Attorney reviewed by Mark Blair

A Washington DUI arrest can take your license before you ever see a courtroom. The Department of Licensing suspends driving privileges administratively, and a conviction can add a second, longer suspension on top. For most people, losing the ability to drive to work, school, or childcare is the most immediate consequence of the case. An ignition interlock license is the legal route back behind the wheel while that suspension runs. It lets you drive a vehicle fitted with a breath-testing device instead of waiting out months with no license. The eligibility rules, application steps, and device costs all carry deadlines that catch people off guard. Blair Kim Moeller, PLLC represents drivers across Seattle and King County who need to keep working while a DUI case moves forward. This page explains how the ignition interlock license actually works.

What an Ignition Interlock License Is Under Washington Law

An ignition interlock license is a restricted Washington driver’s license, authorized by RCW 46.20.385, that lets a driver whose privileges are suspended for a DUI-related offense operate vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock device. Blair Kim Moeller helps Seattle drivers apply for this license so a suspension does not cost them their job.

Two terms get used interchangeably but are not the same. The ignition interlock device, or IID, is the breath-alcohol unit installed in the car that blocks it from starting if it detects alcohol. The ignition interlock license, or IIL, is the legal authorization that lets you drive while your regular license is suspended. You need both: the device in the car and the license in your wallet.

The license is open to drivers suspended after a DUI conviction and to those suspended administratively through the implied-consent process. That second path often takes effect well before any conviction. It also covers people who are driving while their license is suspended and want a lawful way to keep commuting.

How to Get an Ignition Interlock License After a Seattle DUI

To get an ignition interlock license in Washington, you install a state-approved device on every vehicle you drive and carry SR-22 proof of financial responsibility. You then file a Restricted Driver License Application with the Department of Licensing and pay the fee. You can apply at any time, including the day after a DUI arrest.

The order of operations matters. The device goes in first, because the installer reports proof of installation directly to the Washington Department of Licensing. You then file SR-22 coverage and the application. Applying early can prevent a gap in legal driving, which is why timing the application against the license suspension hearing is worth doing with an attorney.

RCW 46.20.385 also helps with timing. An ignition interlock license granted on a DUI suspension extends through overlapping administrative and criminal suspensions from the same incident. In plain terms, the device time can run concurrently rather than back to back. You will need to keep your SR-22 certificate active for the life of the restriction.

Ignition Interlock Device Rules, Costs, and Removal in Washington

The device requirement comes from RCW 46.20.720. You must install the device on every vehicle you drive, though you may choose to drive a single equipped car rather than outfit your whole household. The Washington State Patrol’s ignition interlock program certifies approved devices and investigates tampering.

The costs fall on the driver. You pay for installation, the monthly lease, and removal, plus a $21 monthly fee under RCW 46.20.720 that funds help for low-income drivers. A driver who qualifies as indigent under RCW 10.101.010 may have that fee waived and apply for installation assistance. If you drive a company vehicle for work, an Employer Declaration for Ignition Interlock Exemption can let you operate it without a device during work hours. That exemption does not apply when the vehicle is assigned to you alone for commuting.

A court can also order an interlock condition directly. A DUI sentence from a court such as Seattle Municipal Court or King County District Court can carry a court-ordered device requirement under RCW 46.20.720. That order is separate from the licensing restriction, and the two periods often overlap. Driving a required vehicle without the device, or breaking an interlock license restriction, is a gross misdemeanor under RCW 46.20.410. Those penalties stack on top of the DUI penalties in the original case.

Compliance is not automatic. A 2026 Washington state audit by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee reviewed about 66,000 drivers ordered to install a device between 2018 and 2025. It found that only 41% had complied. Blair Kim Moeller helps Seattle-area drivers stay on the right side of these rules and avoid the new charges a missed step can trigger.

Common Ignition Interlock License Situations

A Bellevue driver is arrested for a first DUI and gets notice of a 90-day administrative suspension. Rather than lose three months on the road, the driver installs an approved device and applies for an ignition interlock license to keep the commute going. Acting before the suspension date keeps a clean record of continuous, lawful driving.

A delivery driver in Kent has to operate a company van but also faces a device restriction. With an employer exemption declaration on file, the driver can use the unequipped van during work hours while keeping an interlock on a personal vehicle.

A driver whose license was suspended after a Seattle DUI borrows a friend’s car with no interlock and gets pulled over. That single stop can add a separate gross misdemeanor. The new charge carries its own penalties and can cancel the interlock license entirely.

How Blair Kim Moeller Handles Ignition Interlock License Cases

The strongest outcome is often avoiding the device requirement altogether. Beating or reducing the underlying DUI removes the suspension that triggers the interlock obligation. Former King County prosecutor Mark Blair knows from the inside how the State builds these cases and where the proof tends to be thin.

When a restriction is unavoidable, the work shifts to limiting its length and cost. That means timing the administrative hearing and the criminal case so the suspension periods run concurrently under RCW 46.20.385. It also means responding fast to alleged device violations, since a failed reading from mouthwash, food, or a calibration error can extend the restriction or cancel the license. The criminal defense practice at Blair Kim Moeller documents these issues early and pushes back before a false positive becomes a new violation.

Ignition Interlock License FAQs

Can I drive any car with an ignition interlock license in Washington?

No. You may only drive vehicles with an approved ignition interlock device installed. The rule covers every car you drive, not just the ones you own, so a borrowed or rented car without a device is off limits unless an exemption applies.

How long does the ignition interlock device stay on my car after a Seattle DUI?

The device must stay installed for the full length of your suspension or revocation, which depends on the offense and your prior record. Before the restriction lifts, you generally need a violation-free window of several months, so a late violation can push the end date back.

What happens if I drive without an interlock device when one is required?

Driving a required vehicle without the device, or violating an interlock license restriction, is a gross misdemeanor under RCW 46.20.410. A conviction can also cancel your ignition interlock license and add penalties on top of your original DUI case.

Can I apply for an ignition interlock license if my license is already suspended?

Yes. You may apply at any time, including after a suspension has taken effect. Once you install the device, file SR-22 coverage, and submit the application, the Department of Licensing can issue the restricted license so you can resume lawful driving.

Can the ignition interlock device be removed early?

Not on demand. Removal is tied to completing the required restriction period and clearing a violation-free window first. Once those conditions are met and the Department of Licensing confirms eligibility, you can schedule removal with a certified provider.

Talk to a Seattle DUI Defense Attorney About Your Interlock Options

Losing your license after a DUI throws off work, family, and the basics of daily life, and the interlock process piles on its own deadlines and expenses. Blair Kim Moeller, PLLC, led by former prosecutor and Lakewood Municipal Court Judge Pro Tem Mark Blair, helps drivers across King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties keep driving legally while fighting the underlying DUI. To talk through your ignition interlock license options, call (206) 622-6562 or contact the firm online.