Mississippi Ignition Interlock Requirements (2026): Costs & Approved Providers

Mississippi’s ignition interlock is not mandatory for every DUI — it’s the only way to keep driving during your suspension. Install the device before your suspension starts and you drive on a restricted license throughout; choose not to install and you can’t drive at all. The state’s Interlock Device Fund helps cover costs for indigent drivers. Here’s how it works and what to expect.

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Mississippi DUI interlock requirements at a glance
Offense termDUI (Driving Under the Influence)
All-offender mandate?No — IID is the optional path to driving during any DUI suspension; courts may also order it. Choosing not to install means no driving during the suspension.
1st offenseInstall IID before your 120-day suspension starts → drive on interlock-restricted license for 120 days. Also required for non-adjudication.
2nd offense (within 5 years)IID for 1 year (tracks the 1-year suspension)
3rd offenseFull sentence served, then interlock-restricted license only for 3 years
4th+ offense10 years of interlock-restricted driving after release
Non-adjudication120-day interlock-restricted license required (§63-11-31)
Install timingMust install before the suspension begins to maintain driving privileges throughout
Removal requirementServe full term + vendor declaration of no violations in the last 30 days + MASEP (if ordered) + proof of insurance + $175 reinstatement fee
30-day clean window violationCourt may extend the interlock period if start attempt at BAC 0.04+, failed/missed retest, or missed service in the final 30 days
Interlock Device FundDPS-administered fund offsets install, removal, and monthly costs for offenders the court finds indigent (§63-11-31(7))
DPS fees$175 interlock fee + $56 interlock-restricted license; court fund fee $50 (convicted) / $250 (non-adjudicated), waived if indigent
Who administersMississippi DPS — Driver Service Bureau
Governing lawMiss. Code §63-11-31; §63-11-30; §63-11-23; §63-15-35/39/61

How Mississippi’s IID program works

Mississippi doesn’t mandate an interlock for all DUI offenders — but it makes the device the only path to staying on the road during your suspension. For a first offense, your license is suspended for 120 days. If you install an approved IID before the suspension starts, DPS issues you an interlock-restricted license and you drive for the full 120 days. If you don’t install, you cannot drive at all during those 120 days.

Non-adjudication — Mississippi’s deferred-adjudication option for eligible first offenders — also requires 120 days of interlock-restricted driving even though the DUI charge itself is deferred. The interlock requirement is tied to the license action, not just the conviction.

Install before the suspension starts — not after. In Mississippi, the interlock must be installed before your suspension period begins if you want to drive during it. If you wait until after the suspension starts, you’ve already lost driving privileges for that period. Contact a provider and arrange installation immediately after your DUI charge or conviction, before the suspension effective date.
Court-determined indigent? The Interlock Device Fund can help. Under §63-11-31(7), Mississippi administers an Interlock Device Fund to offset installation, removal, and monthly costs for offenders the court finds indigent. The court determines eligibility and may consider enrollment in TANF, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, federal food or housing assistance, or unemployment compensation. The court fund fee ($50 for convicted; $250 for non-adjudicated) is also waived for indigent offenders. Ask the court at sentencing to make a finding of indigence if you qualify.

Mississippi DPS-approved providers

Three major providers are on Mississippi’s DPS-approved list. Guardian, Dräger/RoadGuard, and ALCOLOCK are not on the list — some market in Mississippi but are not approved. Using an unapproved provider will not satisfy your DPS requirement.

ProviderMonthly est.Coverage
Intoxalock $60–100 Statewide 888-283-5899
Smart Start $70–100 Statewide 800-831-3299
LifeSafer $65–95 Statewide 800-634-3077

Confirm current DPS approval at driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov before signing. Guardian, Dräger/RoadGuard, and ALCOLOCK are not on Mississippi’s approved list even though some advertise in the state. Monthly estimates are market ranges; Interlock Device Fund recipients pay reduced amounts.

What an interlock costs in Mississippi

Installation (one time)$70–150
Monthly lease + monitoring$60–100
Removal$50–75
DPS interlock fee$175
Interlock-restricted license fee$56
Court Interlock Device Fund fee (convicted)$50 (waived if indigent)
Court Interlock Device Fund fee (non-adjudicated)$250 (waived if indigent)
DPS reinstatement fee$175

Over a 120-day first-offense IID period, expect roughly $550–850 in device and DPS fees (reduced with the Interlock Device Fund if indigent). Estimate your exact cost →

How to get installed and drive — 5 steps

  1. Immediately after your DUI charge or conviction, contact a DPS-approved provider and arrange installation before your suspension effective date. Missing this window means no driving during the suspension.
  2. If you believe the court may find you indigent, ask at sentencing — the Interlock Device Fund fee can be waived and fund contributions can offset device costs.
  3. Install the device and bring proof of installation to DPS to obtain your interlock-restricted license ($56 fee). Pay the $175 DPS interlock fee.
  4. Keep every calibration appointment and maintain a clean record, especially in the final 30 days of your term.
  5. At the end of your term: obtain your vendor’s violation-free declaration (covering the last 30 days), complete MASEP if ordered, present proof of insurance, pay the $175 DPS reinstatement fee, and apply for an unrestricted license.
Install before your suspension starts — otherwise you can’t drive at all. Call now.
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The 30-day clean window — violations near the end matter most

Mississippi’s violation system focuses on the final 30 days before removal. The court may extend the interlock-restricted period if, within that 30-day window, there is: a startup attempt at BAC 0.04% or higher, a failed or missed rolling retest, or a missed service appointment. A violation near the very end of your term — when compliance fatigue is most common — can add additional time to your requirement. Stay especially vigilant during the last month.

You’ll also need proof of financial responsibility. Mississippi requires an insurer certificate filed with DPS for 3 years after a DUI — functionally similar to an SR-22, though Mississippi doesn’t use that label. See Mississippi financial responsibility requirements and cheapest carriers →

Mississippi DUI interlock FAQ

Is the interlock mandatory for a DUI in Mississippi?
No — but it’s the only way to keep driving during your suspension. A first-offense DUI triggers a 120-day suspension. If you install an approved IID before the suspension starts, DPS issues an interlock-restricted license and you drive throughout. If you don’t install, you cannot drive at all during the suspension. Courts may also order the IID as a condition of sentence.
Does non-adjudication require an interlock in Mississippi?
Yes — a non-adjudication (deferred adjudication) disposition for a first DUI still requires 120 days on an interlock-restricted license under §63-11-31. The IID requirement is tied to the license action, not the conviction, so it applies even when the criminal charge is deferred.
Is there financial help for low-income drivers in Mississippi?
Yes — the Interlock Device Fund (§63-11-31(7)) is DPS-administered and offsets installation, removal, and monthly costs for offenders the court finds indigent. The court may consider enrollment in TANF, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, federal food or housing assistance, or unemployment compensation. The court fund fee is also waived for indigent offenders. Ask the court at sentencing.
Which providers are approved in Mississippi?
Three: Intoxalock, Smart Start, and LifeSafer. Guardian, Dräger/RoadGuard, and ALCOLOCK are not on the DPS approved list even though some advertise services in Mississippi. Confirm approval at driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov before signing — using an unapproved provider does not satisfy your DPS requirement.
How long do I need the interlock in Mississippi?
First offense: 120 days. Non-adjudication: 120 days. Second offense (within 5 years): 1 year. Third offense: 3 years (after serving full sentence). Fourth or more: 10 years (after release). A violation in the final 30 days may extend the period at the court’s discretion.
Sources: Mississippi DPS — Driver Service Bureau; Miss. Code §63-11-31; §63-11-30; §63-11-23. Last verified August 2026.
Advertising disclosure: We may be compensated when you contact a provider through our numbers or links. This doesn’t affect our rankings or information. Content is informational only — not legal advice. Verify DPS approval before installation.