Who has to install one in New Jersey
| Your situation | Interlock | How long | Law |
|---|---|---|---|
| First DUI, BAC 0.08 to under 0.10 | Required | 3 months | N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.17 (as amended P.L.2023 c.191)2 |
| First DUI, BAC 0.10 to under 0.15 | Required | 7 to 12 months | N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.17 (as amended P.L.2023 c.191)3 |
| First DUI, BAC 0.15 or higher | Required | 12 to 15 months | N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.17 (as amended P.L.2023 c.191)3 |
| First offense, refused the breath test | Required | 9 to 15 months | N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.17 (as amended P.L.2023 c.191)4 |
| Second or later DUI | Required | 2 to 4 years | N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.17 (as amended P.L.2023 c.191)5 |
| Arrested, not yet convicted | Optional | Not stated | N.J.S.A. 39:4-506 |
A judge can order an interlock in other cases too. Your court order or DMV letter is what binds you.
Where each company can install in New Jersey
You'll go back to the same company's locations for service for the whole order, so check that one is close to where you live and work before you book.
Locations as each company lists them on its own locator (Smart Start, Intoxalock, LifeSafer, Low Cost Interlock, RoadGuard), pulled Oct 2026. Some shops serve more than one company. Alcohol Detection Systems doesn't publish a locator we could read.
Interlock companies approved in New Jersey
- In New Jersey
- 75 service locations listed
- Nationwide
- On 37 of 44 state lists
- 12 months, filed fees
- $1,427–$1,552
- App rating
- 1.7 from 899 (App Store)
Smart Start
Listed as “1A Smart Start, Inc.”- In New Jersey
- 62 service locations listed
- Nationwide
- On 40 of 44 state lists
- 12 months, filed fees
- $1,460–$1,510
- App rating
- 2.0 from 113 (App Store)
- In New Jersey
- 42 service locations listed
- Nationwide
- On 34 of 44 state lists
- 12 months, filed fees
- $1,205–$1,355
Low Cost Interlock
Listed as “Low Cost Interlock,Inc.”- In New Jersey
- 36 service locations listed
- Nationwide
- On 19 of 44 state lists
- 12 months, filed fees
- $1,215–$1,365
- App rating
- 1.4 from 11 (App Store)
RoadGuard
Listed as “Roadguard, Inc.”- In New Jersey
- 12 service locations listed
- Nationwide
- On 28 of 44 state lists
- 12 months, filed fees
- $1,273
- Nationwide
- On 28 of 44 state lists
Guardian
Listed as “Guardian Interlock”- Nationwide
- On 16 of 44 state lists
Also on the New Jersey list
- Simple Interlock
- Best Labs
- A & A Interlock
- Shark Unlock
From the state's approved list (read it). Use a company on this list, or the install won't count. 12-month figures are lease, install and removal from each company's filed or published fee schedule, not New Jersey prices; see how we add them up.
How much an interlock costs in New Jersey
Estimated total for your order
Lease times the months you pick, plus install, removal and any enrollment fee, from each company's filed or published schedule (New York filing, Feb 2025; National schedule, Sept 2026; New York filing, 2021; New York filing, Feb 2021; New York filing, Apr 2025). New Jersey prices can differ; calibration visits and lockout fees come on top.
If you can't afford it
We haven't found a New Jersey assistance program in the statute or on the program page. Ask the court and each company about reduced rates before you install.
Programs in other statesThe rules in New Jersey
- Program run by
- The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission regulates the installation and use of breath alcohol ignition interlock devices. Its compliance line is (609) 292-7500.7
- License you get
- Your driver's license carries a notation that you may not drive unless the vehicle has an interlock. The license does not print the date the requirement ends.8
- Device settings
- The device uses a set point of 0.05%, and service visits can be no more than 60 days apart. Installation has to happen at an MVC-designated service center.9
- Getting it removed
- The device comes out on the last day of your installation period only if the vendor certifies that you had no more than one failure of 0.08% or higher in the final 30 days (a retest under 0.08 within 5 minutes does not count against you) and met every maintenance and calibration requirement. With two or more violations, the vendor forwards the record to the MVC and the court may extend the period up to 90 days.10
- If the car is gone
- If the device is removed early because a car is sold or totaled, the MVC suspends your license until you submit a new interlock certificate.10
- Violations
- Failing to install a court-ordered device can add a one-year suspension. Removing the device early leads to a suspension that lasts until you file a new interlock certificate.11
- Installing early
- You may install a device after arrest and before conviction. After conviction, doing so can eliminate the fine and, for a 0.15 or higher first offense or a second offense, earns a credit of one day for every two days installed.6
- Out-of-state license
- If you used to live in New Jersey and moved, the interlock is still a condition of getting your New Jersey license restored. You install it at a manufacturer location near you and mail the receipts to the MVC.12
- Medical reasons
- If a medical condition keeps you from using the device, you present a physician's note to the interlock manufacturer, who then contacts the MVC.13
Questions about interlocks in New Jersey
How long do you have to have an interlock in New Jersey?
It ranges from 3 months to 4 years, depending on your offense and BAC. A first offense is 3 months at 0.08 to under 0.10, 7 to 12 months at 0.10 to under 0.15, and 12 to 15 months at 0.15 or higher. A first-offense refusal is 9 to 15 months, and a second or later offense is 2 to 4 years.2
How do you get an interlock removed in New Jersey?
Your vendor has to certify that you finished the installation period with no more than one failure of 0.08% or higher in the final 30 days and met all maintenance and calibration requirements. With two or more violations, the vendor forwards the record to the MVC, and the court may extend the period up to 90 days.10
What happens if you don't install the interlock in New Jersey?
Failing to install a court-ordered device can add one year to your driving suspension. Removing a device early leads to a suspension until you file a new interlock certificate. If you fail the final 30-day test, the vendor reports it, and the court may extend your requirement by up to 90 days.11
Can you install an interlock in New Jersey before you are convicted?
Yes, you may install a device after arrest and before conviction. After conviction, having done so can eliminate the fine. For a first offense at 0.15 or higher and for a second offense, it also earns a credit of one day against your required period for every two days the device was installed.6
What if you moved out of New Jersey and still need an interlock?
You still need it. Installing the interlock is a condition of getting your New Jersey license restored, even after you move. You install the device at a manufacturer location near where you live now and mail the receipts to the New Jersey MVC.12
Who can install an interlock in New Jersey?
Only an installer licensed by the MVC. The licensed vendors include Alcohol Detection Systems, Roadguard, 1A Smart Start, Intoxalock, Simple Interlock, LifeSafer, Low Cost Interlock, Best Labs, Guardian Interlock, A & A Interlock and Shark Unlock. Installation takes place at an MVC-designated service center.14
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InterlockCompare is independent and doesn't make, sell or install interlocks. Not legal advice.