How to Fill Out the Wisconsin Ignition Interlock Exemption Form (TR-315)

In Wisconsin, there is no do-it-yourself form for exempting a vehicle from an ignition interlock order. The Wisconsin ignition interlock exemption form is MV3617, and it is completed and electronically submitted to the DMV by the circuit court that convicted you, not by you.¹ To get a vehicle exempted, you contact the court that issued your IID order, explain why the vehicle should come off the requirement, and ask the judge to enter the exemption. You receive a copy of the signed form for your records once it is done.

When a Court Will Exempt a Vehicle

An IID order in Wisconsin attaches to every motor vehicle titled or registered in your name.¹ An exemption removes that requirement from a specific vehicle. Wisconsin law and DMV guidance recognize three situations where a judge can take a vehicle off the list.

You No Longer Own or Operate the Vehicle

The simplest ground. If a vehicle is still titled in your name but you no longer own or use it, WisDOT directs you to the convicting court for an exemption.¹ Typical situations include a sale where the title transfer hasn’t fully processed, a vehicle that has been junked, or one sitting in long-term storage that isn’t roadworthy. Bring proof: a bill of sale, junking receipt, or sworn statement from the new owner.

Undue Financial Hardship

Under Wis. Stat. § 343.301(1m)(a), a court may exempt one or more vehicles if equipping all of them would cause undue financial hardship.² This matters most when you own several vehicles and the combined installation and maintenance costs would be unreasonable. Raise it at sentencing if you can; folding the exemption into the original order is easier than modifying it later.

Separately, if your household income is at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty line, the court must limit your liability to half the cost of installation, removal, and daily maintenance on the vehicles you do equip.² Bring proof of income or public assistance enrollment to the hearing so the judge can make the finding.

No Approved Interlock Exists for the Vehicle

The IID order automatically does not apply to a vehicle for which WisDOT has not approved an interlock device capable of being installed.² Motorcycles are the common example. Even here, the only way to legally operate the vehicle is to have the court formally exempt it on Form MV3617.³

How to Request the Exemption

Everything runs through the circuit court in the county where you were convicted. WisDOT cannot grant an exemption on its own.

Call the clerk of circuit court in that county. Say you need a vehicle exempted from your IID order and ask how the judge wants the request presented. Some courts accept an informal written request; others require a motion and a short hearing.
Gather vehicle information. You will need the VIN, year, make, and license plate number. Form MV3617 lists each exempted vehicle individually, and the court cannot complete it without those details.
State a specific reason. The vehicle was sold on a given date, it was junked, it is inoperable and stored, equipping every vehicle you own would be an undue financial burden, or no approved device exists for the vehicle type. Attach supporting documents: bill of sale, junking certificate, storage records, or income documentation for a hardship claim.
Appear or respond as directed. Some judges rule on the paperwork. Others hold a short hearing to ask questions. Follow the clerk’s instructions.

If the judge grants the request, the court completes Form MV3617, signs it, and electronically submits it to the DMV. You get a copy for your records and do not need to send anything to WisDOT yourself.¹

After the Court Submits the Form

WisDOT updates your driving record to show that the listed vehicle no longer requires an IID. The transmission is electronic, so you generally will not need to follow up with the DMV unless weeks pass with no change. Keep the signed copy of the exemption in the vehicle or somewhere you can reach quickly, in case a traffic stop happens before the record catches up.

The exemption is vehicle-specific. If you acquire another vehicle while the IID order is still active, that new vehicle must be equipped with an interlock or exempted by the court through the same process.

What the Exemption Does Not Do

An exemption removes the installation requirement from a listed vehicle. It does not lift your license restriction. Your Class D operating privilege still limits you to driving vehicles that have a working IID installed.² At least one vehicle in your life needs to be equipped for you to drive legally, and that restriction runs for the full period the court set, typically a minimum of twelve months and sometimes longer.¹ Driving a non-equipped vehicle during that period is a violation even when the vehicle belongs to someone else, so exempting a car you cannot drive is not a workaround for the license rule; it just keeps you from paying to install an interlock on a car nobody is using.

1
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Ignition Interlock Device (IID)
2
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 343.301 – Installation of Ignition Interlock Device
3
Wisconsin State Legislature. Notice of Proposed Guidance Document – Ignition Interlock Device