Is an ignition interlock required after a first DUI in Tennessee?

Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-425(b)(1), when a person eligible for a restricted license applies for one, the court must order a functioning ignition interlock for the ignition interlock usage period; under § 55-10-425(b)(2)(B) the Department will not reinstate a license without proof of a current installation. TDOSHS lists 'Ignition interlock installation for 365-day minimum period' as a DUI reinstatement requirement.

How long must the ignition interlock stay installed in Tennessee?

Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-425(a)(2)(B) defines the ignition interlock usage period as 365 consecutive days or the entire period of the driver license revocation, whichever is longer. TDOSHS states DUI revocations are 1 year for a first offense, 2 years for a second, 6 years for a third and 8 years for a fourth. Violations during the final 120 days extend the period by 120 days (§ 55-10-425(d)).

What does it cost to reinstate a Tennessee license after a DUI?

TDOSHS's Financial Responsibility Laws page lists DUI reinstatement fees of $103 (reinstatement fee), $50 (SR-22 fee) and, if applicable, $75 (failure to surrender license fee), along with serving the revocation period, court certification, SR-22 insurance, surrender of the Tennessee license and, if applicable, drug/alcohol certification.

Does Tennessee cap ignition interlock device fees?

Yes. Under Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1340-03-06-.15, installation may not exceed $75 per hour with a three-hour maximum, leasing/monitoring/maintenance may not exceed $125 per month, removal may not exceed $75, a permanent-lockout reset may not exceed $50, and a temporary lockout code may not exceed $25. Manufacturers charge each new user a $12.50 annual administrative fee.

How long is SR-22 insurance required after a Tennessee DUI?

TDOSHS states that when a violation requires SR-22 insurance, the proof must be maintained with the Department for the length of the suspension or revocation period, and may be maintained with a restricted license or upon reinstatement. If the SR-22 policy is cancelled before the requirement is completed, driving privileges may be suspended for failure to maintain future proof of financial responsibility (T.C.A. 55-12-126).

TNVerified against primary sources · August 28, 2026

Tennessee ignition interlock & DUI requirements

Ignition interlock device rules, approved vendors, SR-22 insurance filing, and license reinstatement in Tennessee, cited to the statute and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

IID on first offense: Required
Minimum IID period (first): 365 consecutive days or the entire license revocation p…
SR-22 filing: Yes
Reinstatement fee: $103

What Tennessee law requires

Tennessee'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: Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-425

Ignition interlock requirement

Ignition interlock requirements in Tennessee by offense
Item	Tennessee rule
IID on first offense	Required
Minimum IID period, first offense	365 consecutive days or the entire license revocation period, whichever is longer (first-offense DUI revocation: 1 year), with a violation-free final 120 days
Minimum IID period, repeat offense	365 consecutive days or the entire license revocation period, whichever is longer (second-offense DUI revocation: 2 years), with a violation-free final 120 days

Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-425(b)(1), upon application by a person not otherwise prohibited from a restricted license, the court must order installation and use of a functioning ignition interlock for the 'ignition interlock usage period'; under § 55-10-425(b)(2)(B) the Department shall not reinstate the license of a person who did not apply for a restricted license until the person shows proof of a current interlock installation. The only exception is where the court makes specific findings on a Department form that none of the § 55-10-409(b)(2)(B) factors exist (BAC of 0.08% or higher or alcohol combined with drugs, a passenger under 18, an accident, or an implied-consent charge with a qualifying prior). TDOSHS lists 'Ignition interlock installation for 365-day minimum period' as a reinstatement requirement for every DUI conviction.

Approved interlock providers

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

Approved interlock vendors in Tennessee
Vendor	Website	Location finder
Alcohol Detection Systems	Alcohol Detection Systems website	Find a location
Intoxalock	Intoxalock website	Find a location
LifeSafer	LifeSafer website	Find a location
RoadGuard Interlock	RoadGuard Interlock website	Find a location
Simple Interlock	Simple 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 Tennessee does, the sources below say so.

SR-22 requirement in Tennessee
SR-22 filing required after a DUI	Yes
Filing period	See note below

SR-22 (Tennessee uses the SR-22 form). The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security's Financial Responsibility Laws page lists 'SR-22 Insurance' and a $50 SR-22 fee among the DUI reinstatement requirements, and its Restricted License page requires SR-22 liability insurance for a DUI restricted license. The Department does not set a fixed number of years: both the Financial Responsibility Laws page and the Department's 'Do I need SR-22 Insurance?' article state that SR-22 insurance must be maintained for the length of the suspension or revocation period, after which it may be cancelled if not required on another suspension; sr22Years is therefore null. Cancelling the SR-22 before the requirement is complete can result in suspension for Failure to Maintain Future Proof of Financial Responsibility (T.C.A. 55-12-126).

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 Tennessee
Item	Amount	As of
License reinstatement fee	$103	2026-08-28
DUI reinstatement fee (TDOSHS Financial Responsibility Laws page)	$103	2026-08
SR-22 fee at DUI reinstatement (TDOSHS)	$50	2026-08
Failure to Surrender License fee, if applicable (TDOSHS)	$75	2026-08
IID installation fee cap (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1340-03-06-.15(3))	$75 per hour, 3-hour maximum	2026-08
IID leasing, monitoring and maintenance cap (1340-03-06-.15(4)); during a non-compliance extension, the lesser of $5/day or $125/month	$125 per month	2026-08
IID removal fee cap (1340-03-06-.15(5))	$75	2026-08
Permanent-lockout reset cap / temporary lockout code cap (1340-03-06-.15(6)-(7))	$50 / $25	2026-08
Annual administrative fee collected by the manufacturer from each new device user (1340-03-06-.15(8))	$12.50 per year	2026-08
Indigency: a participant declared indigent by the court under T.C.A. § 55-10-419(d) may not be refused service while Electronic Monitoring Indigency Fund (EMIF) funds are available (1340-03-06-.15(1))	device costs paid from EMIF for court-declared indigent participants	2026-08

Frequently asked questions

Is an ignition interlock required after a first DUI in Tennessee?: Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-425(b)(1), when a person eligible for a restricted license applies for one, the court must order a functioning ignition interlock for the ignition interlock usage period; under § 55-10-425(b)(2)(B) the Department will not reinstate a license without proof of a current installation. TDOSHS lists 'Ignition interlock installation for 365-day minimum period' as a DUI reinstatement requirement.
How long must the ignition interlock stay installed in Tennessee?: Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-425(a)(2)(B) defines the ignition interlock usage period as 365 consecutive days or the entire period of the driver license revocation, whichever is longer. TDOSHS states DUI revocations are 1 year for a first offense, 2 years for a second, 6 years for a third and 8 years for a fourth. Violations during the final 120 days extend the period by 120 days (§ 55-10-425(d)).
What does it cost to reinstate a Tennessee license after a DUI?: TDOSHS's Financial Responsibility Laws page lists DUI reinstatement fees of $103 (reinstatement fee), $50 (SR-22 fee) and, if applicable, $75 (failure to surrender license fee), along with serving the revocation period, court certification, SR-22 insurance, surrender of the Tennessee license and, if applicable, drug/alcohol certification.
Does Tennessee cap ignition interlock device fees?: Yes. Under Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1340-03-06-.15, installation may not exceed $75 per hour with a three-hour maximum, leasing/monitoring/maintenance may not exceed $125 per month, removal may not exceed $75, a permanent-lockout reset may not exceed $50, and a temporary lockout code may not exceed $25. Manufacturers charge each new user a $12.50 annual administrative fee.
How long is SR-22 insurance required after a Tennessee DUI?: TDOSHS states that when a violation requires SR-22 insurance, the proof must be maintained with the Department for the length of the suspension or revocation period, and may be maintained with a restricted license or upon reinstatement. If the SR-22 policy is cancelled before the requirement is completed, driving privileges may be suspended for failure to maintain future proof of financial responsibility (T.C.A. 55-12-126).