An ignition interlock device in California typically costs $70 to $100 per month for the lease and monitoring, plus a one-time installation fee of $75 to $150. Total out-of-pocket costs usually land between roughly $1,200 for a one-year requirement and $3,500 or more for a three-year requirement, before any income-based reductions. How much you actually pay comes down to three things: your provider’s rates, how long the state requires the device, and whether you qualify for the sliding-scale discount every certified manufacturer must offer.
Monthly Lease and Monitoring Fees
The monthly fee is where most of the money goes. Expect $60 to $100 per month for leasing the device, transmitting data to the DMV, and reporting your breath test results, any failed tests, and any tampering attempts.
California law requires you to bring your vehicle in for servicing at least once every 60 days so the installer can recalibrate the device and confirm it’s working.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 23575.3 Some providers bundle calibration into the monthly fee. Others charge $20 to $50 per visit on top of the lease, which adds $120 to $300 a year. Ask before you sign.
Missing a calibration appointment is one of the most common and most expensive mistakes. The device can lock you out and refuse to start the vehicle until a technician resets it. Your installer is also required to notify the DMV if you miss three or more calibration or maintenance appointments, which can extend your license suspension or add time to your IID requirement.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 23575.3
Installation and Removal
Wiring the device into your vehicle’s ignition typically runs $75 to $150, though some providers waive the installation fee for new customers. Vehicles with complex electronics or push-button start can cost more because the technician needs extra time. Mobile installation, where a technician comes to you, sometimes carries an extra charge.
You must use a provider certified by the California DMV. The DMV maintains a list of approved manufacturers and their authorized installers, and only work by those certified providers counts toward compliance.2California Legislative Information. California Code Vehicle Code VEH 13386 Prices are set by each provider rather than capped by the state, so calling two or three certified installers for quotes is worth the time.
Removal at the end of your term is a separate charge. Providers are required to publish removal fees in their fee schedules, and the amount varies by company.3Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 13 Section 125.02 – Certification of Ignition Interlock Devices Ask about it upfront so it doesn’t surprise you at the end of the program.
How Long You’ll Be Paying
The single biggest factor in your total cost is how long you keep the device installed. Under California’s Statewide IID Pilot Program, running through December 31, 2032, mandatory installation periods depend on your number of prior DUI convictions in the past ten years and whether the offense caused injury.
- First DUI, no injury: no mandatory period, though a court can order up to six months.
- First DUI with injury: 1 year.
- Second DUI, no injury: 1 year.
- Second DUI with injury: 2 years.
- Third DUI, no injury: 2 years.
- Third DUI with injury: 3 years.
- Three or more DUIs, no injury: 3 years.
- Three or more DUIs with injury: 3 years.
- Prior felony DUI conviction, no injury: 3 years.
- Prior felony DUI conviction with injury: 4 years.
A second offense with no injury means 12 months of monthly fees. A third offense with injury means 36 months. That gap alone can swing the total by thousands of dollars.4California Department of Motor Vehicles. Statewide Ignition Interlock Device Pilot Program
Lockouts, Violations, and Other Extra Charges
Several charges sit outside the predictable monthly bill. A lockout reset after a failed breath test or missed calibration typically costs $50 to $100 per incident. Violation fees for failed tests or tampering attempts can run higher. These are separate from your monthly payment and are not capped by law.
These extras also don’t shrink when you qualify for the income-based discount described below. Fees tied to noncompliance are your responsibility at full price regardless of income.
DMV Administrative Fees
The DMV charges $103 to process the IID restriction on your license, on top of any reissue, duplicate license, or other restriction fees that apply to your situation.4California Department of Motor Vehicles. Statewide Ignition Interlock Device Pilot Program If your case involves an Administrative Per Se suspension, there is a separate $125 administrative service fee for reinstatement. These go directly to the DMV and are entirely separate from what you pay your IID provider.
What a Full Program Actually Costs
Putting the pieces together, a second-offense DUI with no injury requires 12 months of IID use. At a $100 installation fee, $80 per month for 12 months, and a $50 to $100 removal fee, the provider side runs about $1,110 to $1,160. Add the $103 DMV administrative fee and the total lands around $1,200 to $1,300.
A third-offense DUI with injury requires 36 months. The same $80 monthly fee over 36 months alone reaches $2,880. With installation, removal, calibration surcharges if they’re not bundled, and DMV fees, the total can approach $3,500 or more. Any lockout resets or violation fees push it higher. Once you know your required term, multiply your provider’s monthly rate by the number of months, then add installation, removal, and DMV fees to get a reasonable estimate.
Income-Based Fee Reductions
California law requires every certified IID manufacturer to offer reduced fees based on your income relative to the federal poverty level. This isn’t a separate DMV program you apply to. The statute mandates a specific sliding scale that every provider must honor.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 23575.3
The percentages below are the share of standard program costs you pay:
- At or below 100% of the federal poverty level: 10% of standard costs.
- 101% to 200% of the federal poverty level: 25%.
- 201% to 300% of the federal poverty level: 50%.
- Receiving CalFresh benefits: 50%, regardless of exact income.
- 301% to 400% of the federal poverty level: 90%.
- Above 400% of the federal poverty level: 100%.
For 2026, the federal poverty level is $15,960 for a single person and $33,000 for a family of four.5HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines A single person earning $15,960 or less qualifies for the deepest discount and pays 10% of the provider’s standard fees. The manufacturer absorbs the rest and cannot bill you the difference later.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 23575.3
To qualify, give your provider one of three documents: last year’s federal income tax return, three months of pay stubs, or Employment Development Department verification of unemployment benefits. Remember the limit noted earlier: the reduction applies only to standard program costs, not to charges you incur from noncompliance.
Insurance Costs After a DUI
The IID is only one layer of post-DUI expense. California requires you to file an SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility with the DMV to prove you carry minimum liability coverage. The filing fee through your insurer is usually $25 to $50. The larger cost is the premium increase. Insurers cannot offer a good driver discount for ten years after a DUI conviction, and base premiums rise substantially. Depending on the insurer and your driving history, annual premiums after a DUI can climb by hundreds or thousands of dollars.
If you don’t own a vehicle, you may still need a non-owner liability policy to keep your SR-22 filing active and your restricted license valid. Shopping among insurers that work with high-risk drivers can make a real difference over the three-year SR-22 filing period California requires.