Massachusetts ignition interlock & DUI requirements

What Massachusetts law requires

Massachusetts's ignition interlock, SR-22, and reinstatement rules are set by the statute and agency rules cited below. The values in the tables on this page are taken from those sources and are not interpretations of how they apply to any particular case.

Primary source: M.G.L. c. 90, § 24½

Ignition interlock requirement

M.G.L. c. 90, § 24½ mandates the device only for persons previously assigned to an alcohol program or convicted (i.e., repeat offenders). Per the RMV, since July 1, 2021 certain first-time OUI offenders who seek a hardship license and who took a breath test with a result of .15 or greater must install an IID as a condition of that hardship license; other first offenders are not required to install one.

Approved interlock providers

Vendors listed here appear on the Massachusetts licensing agency's approved-device list. Listing order is alphabetical and is not a ranking or endorsement. Installation locations are on each vendor's own locator.

Official approved-vendor list: Massachusetts agency vendor list

SR-22 requirement

An SR-22 is a certificate an insurer files with the state to confirm that a driver carries the liability coverage the state requires. Some states use an FR-44 or a different form for alcohol-related offenses; where Massachusetts does, the sources below say so.

Set to false under FOLLOWUP rule 3. The RMV 'Reinstate your driver's license' page enumerates what is needed to reinstate: check your license status and the requirements for your specific case, pay the reinstatement fee (which varies by violation), and pass any learner's permit exam and/or road test that is required; no SR-22, FR-44 or financial-responsibility filing is listed. The RMV's OUI hardship-license criteria (DCU107 first offense, DCU109 multiple offense) and its 'Interlock Program - Road to Reinstate Your Driver's License' document likewise list no insurance filing; the latter states that after reinstatement fees are paid a driver can apply to get the insurance needed to register a vehicle. The strings 'SR-22', 'SR22' and 'financial responsibility' do not appear on any RMV page or document fetched, and M.G.L. c. 90, § 34J (operating without liability insurance) contains no financial-responsibility filing provision.

Program costs

Fees set by the state are cited to the fee schedule. Vendor charges vary by vendor and are shown as published ranges with the month they were checked.

Frequently asked questions

Who must have an ignition interlock device in Massachusetts?

Under M.G.L. c. 90, § 24½, a person whose license was suspended for an OUI-related conviction or program assignment and who has previously been so assigned or convicted may not have the license restored unless a certified ignition interlock device is installed on each vehicle owned, leased, and operated. The RMV states the program covers multiple offenders and certain first-time offenders.

How long is the device required?

M.G.L. c. 90, § 24½ provides that a certified ignition interlock device shall be installed on all vehicles owned, leased and operated by the licensee for a period of 2 years. The RMV states that if the IID is issued on a conditional hardship license, it is required for the length of the suspension plus two years after full reinstatement, except first offenders, who need it only through the hardship.

Are first-time OUI offenders required to install an IID?

According to the RMV's Ignition Interlock Device Program guide, as a result of Chapter 227 of the Acts of 2020, effective July 1, 2021, certain OUI first offenders seeking a hardship license who took a breathalyzer at the time of arrest with results of .15 or greater are required to have an IID installed as a condition of that hardship license.

What are the state fees for the IID program and reinstatement?

The RMV states that operators subject to an ignition interlock restriction pay a $30 monthly program administration fee under 801 CMR 4.02, collected by the vendor on behalf of the RMV. Under M.G.L. c. 90, § 33(36), the reinstatement fee after a suspension or revocation under c. 90, § 24 is $500, with $700 and $1,200 fees for specified repeat revocations.

Which vendors does the RMV list?

The RMV's Melanie's Law / Ignition Interlock Device Program document lists Alcohol Detection Systems, CST Intoxalock, Draeger, Guardian Interlock, Lifesafer, Sens-O-Lock of America, LLC, and Smart Start as approved vendors/service providers. The RMV states a hearings officer provides the list of approved vendors after approval for a hardship license or reinstatement.

Sources

1. M.G.L. c. 90, § 24½ Ignition interlock device license restriction (Massachusetts Legislature)
2. M.G.L. c. 90, § 33 Fees (Massachusetts Legislature)
3. Mass.gov RMV: Ignition Interlock Device Program guide
4. Mass.gov RMV: Melanie's Law / Ignition Interlock Device (IID) Program document (vendor list, fees)
5. Mass.gov RMV: Reinstate your driver's license
6. Mass.gov RMV: Schedule of Fees (PDF)
7. M.G.L. c. 90, § 34J Operating without liability insurance (Massachusetts Legislature; no financial-responsibility filing provision)
8. Mass.gov RMV: Interlock Program - Road to Reinstate Your Driver's License (PDF)
9. Mass.gov RMV: First Offense (24D) OUI Hardship License Criteria (DCU107, PDF)
10. Mass.gov RMV: Multiple Offense OUI Hardship License Criteria (DCU109, PDF)
11. Mass.gov RMV: Suspension Hearings
12. Mass.gov RMV: Required classes and programs to reinstate your driver's license