Can I Get a Shorter Ignition Interlock Requirement with Good Behavior?

Because of a drunk driving conviction, you may have an ignition interlock requirement. Although it can require a little extra time, all in all, your interlock isn’t a big deal. You’ve gotten used to it, you understand its purpose and you know you’ll never try to drink and drive again. For some other criminal penalties, it isn’t uncommon for the required time to be reduced. Is that even a possibility when you have an ignition interlock device?

If you have an ignition interlock device, you should expect to keep it for the duration of your court or DMV requirement.

From an administrative perspective, there’s not a great way to go about any sort of early termination of an ignition interlock requirement. That is, unless the termination is due to non-compliance. The legal aspects of that would probably kill any sort of interlock allegiance and you’d just not even have the option to have the device in the first place.

Removal from an ignition interlock program is possible, and pretty much guaranteed with enough program violations. Tampering with the device, circumventing it or otherwise trying to fool your interlock will result in either an extension of the required time or removal from the program entirely. If that is the case, then you’ll be back to a suspended or revoked license, and in some cases you could have additional criminal penalties, too.

Even if you never have an ignition interlock violation, you shouldn’t expect any “time off for good behavior” with the device. Just the fact that you can retain most of your independence and drive yourself around is a good amount of freedom you wouldn’t have otherwise, and you are expected to fulfill the requirement. Besides, you’re already doing so well with the device, you may as well use it to prove once and for all that you are committed to nothing less than sober driving.