Is an ignition interlock required after a first DWI in Minnesota?

Not as a mandate. Under Minn. Stat. § 171.178, subd. 8, the program is required for a person who has one qualified prior impaired driving incident within 20 years or two or more priors. DPS states that a first-time alcohol offender whose license is revoked may be eligible for a limited license and has the option of regaining driving privileges by participating in the program.

How long must a repeat offender use the device?

Under Minn. Stat. § 171.178, subd. 8(b), full driving privileges are not reinstated until the person completes treatment and participates in the ignition interlock program for not less than two years with one qualified prior within 20 years, six years with two priors, and ten years with three or more priors, subject to extensions for violations.

What is the reinstatement fee after an alcohol-related revocation?

The DVS fee page lists $680 for reinstatement of a license revoked for alcohol, drugs, or criminal vehicular operation. Minn. Stat. § 171.29, subd. 2(b) sets this as a $250 fee plus a $430 surcharge for each revocation, and subd. 2(f) allows a partial-payment option. Under § 171.306, subd. 4, a program participant is not eligible for full reinstatement until the fee and surcharge are paid.

Does the state set interlock device prices?

No. The DPS Program Guidelines state that Minnesota does not collect any fees from the manufacturer or service center, that costs are set by the manufacturer, and that DVS does not regulate prices. Under Minn. Stat. § 171.306, subd. 2(b), certified manufacturers must provide installation, servicing and monitoring to indigent participants at a discounted rate.

Which manufacturers are certified in Minnesota?

The DPS certified-manufacturers page lists Intoxalock, LifeSafer Interlock, Inc., LowCost Interlock, RoadGuard Interlock, and Smart Start MN. DPS states that the state does not endorse any manufacturers, vendors or products and that their appearance confirms only that the products have been certified by the Department of Public Safety.

MNVerified against primary sources · August 28, 2026

Minnesota ignition interlock & DUI requirements

Ignition interlock device rules, approved vendors, SR-22 insurance filing, and license reinstatement in Minnesota, cited to the statute and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS).

IID on first offense: At the court's discretion
Minimum IID period (first): Optional
SR-22 filing: No
Reinstatement fee: $680

What Minnesota law requires

Minnesota'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: Minn. Stat. § 171.306

Ignition interlock requirement

Ignition interlock requirements in Minnesota by offense
Item	Minnesota rule
IID on first offense	At the court's discretion
Minimum IID period, first offense	Optional; if elected, for the revocation period (not less than 90 days for a first test failure; not less than 1 year if the alcohol concentration is twice the legal limit or more)
Minimum IID period, repeat offense	2 years (one qualified prior within 20 years); 6 years with two priors; 10 years with three or more

Minn. Stat. § 171.178, subd. 8 mandates the ignition interlock program only for a person with one qualified prior impaired driving incident within 20 years (or two or more priors). DPS states a first-time alcohol offender whose license is revoked 'may be eligible for a limited license and have the option of regaining your driving privileges by participating in the program.' The revocation for a first test failure is not less than 90 days, or not less than one year if the alcohol concentration is twice the legal limit or more (§ 171.178, subd. 4).

Approved interlock providers

Vendors listed here appear on the Minnesota 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: Minnesota agency vendor list

Approved interlock vendors in Minnesota
Vendor	Website	Location finder
Intoxalock	Intoxalock website	Find a location
LifeSafer	LifeSafer website	Find a location
LowCost Interlock	LowCost Interlock website	Find a location
RoadGuard Interlock	RoadGuard Interlock website	Find a location
Smart Start	Smart Start website	Find a location

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 Minnesota does, the sources below say so.

SR-22 requirement in Minnesota
SR-22 filing required after a DUI	No
Filing period	Not applicable

Set to false under FOLLOWUP rule 2, with a caveat. Minnesota has no SR-22 form; DVS uses an 'Insurance Certification' (form PS35016). The form states the trigger: 'Minnesota statutes require that before reinstatement of revoked driving privileges or revoked registration for no insurance, the operator shall file a certificate of insurance', and that insurance must be maintained for one calendar year. The statutory source of that filing is Minn. Stat. § 169.797, subd. 4(f) and 4a (penalties for failure to provide vehicle insurance), and § 171.30, subd. 1(g) ties the insurance-card condition for a limited license to revocations under §§ 169.792 and 169.797 (no-insurance revocations). The alcohol-revocation reinstatement statute, § 171.29, contains no insurance or financial-responsibility requirement; § 169A.55 contains none; § 65B.67 was repealed in 1992. No DPS/DVS page or statute fetched requires an insurance certification for a DWI or implied-consent revocation, and the DVS IIDP request-for-reinstatement page lists only form PS3001 and a certified driving record. Caveat: the form's opening sentence ('This certificate of insurance is required before an operator's revoked license can be reinstated') is phrased generally, so a reviewer may wish to confirm DVS practice. Ignition-interlock participants must separately carry insurance on the interlock-equipped vehicle (§ 171.306, subd. 4).

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.

Post-DUI program costs in Minnesota
Item	Amount	As of
License reinstatement fee	$680	2026-08-28
Reinstatement for revoked license: alcohol/drugs/criminal vehicular operation (DVS fee page; § 171.29, subd. 2(b): $250 fee plus $430 surcharge)	$680	2026-08
Installment option under § 171.29, subd. 2(f): pay 50% of the fee and 50% of the surcharge plus $25; the license then expires after two years and the balance (50% less $25) extends it	Partial payment permitted	2026-08
Interlock participants may receive a restricted license before paying the $680 reinstatement fee and surcharge, but full reinstatement requires payment (§ 171.306, subd. 4(a))	Deferred until full reinstatement	2026-08
Reduced service and monitoring fees for indigent participants, applied for yearly through DVS (§ 171.306, subd. 2(b)(1); Program Guidelines)	Discounted rate set by manufacturer	2026-08
State fees collected from manufacturers for device service	None; DVS does not regulate prices	2026-08

Frequently asked questions

Is an ignition interlock required after a first DWI in Minnesota?: Not as a mandate. Under Minn. Stat. § 171.178, subd. 8, the program is required for a person who has one qualified prior impaired driving incident within 20 years or two or more priors. DPS states that a first-time alcohol offender whose license is revoked may be eligible for a limited license and has the option of regaining driving privileges by participating in the program.
How long must a repeat offender use the device?: Under Minn. Stat. § 171.178, subd. 8(b), full driving privileges are not reinstated until the person completes treatment and participates in the ignition interlock program for not less than two years with one qualified prior within 20 years, six years with two priors, and ten years with three or more priors, subject to extensions for violations.
What is the reinstatement fee after an alcohol-related revocation?: The DVS fee page lists $680 for reinstatement of a license revoked for alcohol, drugs, or criminal vehicular operation. Minn. Stat. § 171.29, subd. 2(b) sets this as a $250 fee plus a $430 surcharge for each revocation, and subd. 2(f) allows a partial-payment option. Under § 171.306, subd. 4, a program participant is not eligible for full reinstatement until the fee and surcharge are paid.
Does the state set interlock device prices?: No. The DPS Program Guidelines state that Minnesota does not collect any fees from the manufacturer or service center, that costs are set by the manufacturer, and that DVS does not regulate prices. Under Minn. Stat. § 171.306, subd. 2(b), certified manufacturers must provide installation, servicing and monitoring to indigent participants at a discounted rate.
Which manufacturers are certified in Minnesota?: The DPS certified-manufacturers page lists Intoxalock, LifeSafer Interlock, Inc., LowCost Interlock, RoadGuard Interlock, and Smart Start MN. DPS states that the state does not endorse any manufacturers, vendors or products and that their appearance confirms only that the products have been certified by the Department of Public Safety.