Illinois BAIID / Ignition Interlock Requirements (2026): Costs & Approved Providers
Illinois calls its ignition interlock a BAIID (Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device) and runs the program through a Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP). For a first offense, it’s not technically mandatory — but it’s required if you want to drive during your statutory summary suspension. Here’s how the system works, what it costs, and how low-income drivers can get the device at no cost.
| What triggers the BAIID? | Statutory summary suspension after a DUI arrest (failed or refused test). You need an MDDP + BAIID installed within 14 days of the suspension if you want to drive. |
| Is it mandatory? | Only if you want to drive during suspension. First offenders who don’t drive can forgo the MDDP entirely. |
| MDDP term — failed test (1st offense) | 6 months (mirrors the 6-month summary suspension) |
| MDDP term — refused test (1st offense) | 12 months (mirrors the 12-month summary suspension) |
| 2nd+ offense | No MDDP available during suspension. Post-revocation Restricted Driving Permit (RDP) requires a BAIID for a minimum of 5 years (625 ILCS 5/6-205) |
| 3rd+ offense | 10-year revocation before reapplying; any interim RDP requires a BAIID with the 5-year minimum |
| Install deadline | Within 14 days of the suspension effective date |
| Indigent BAIID Fund | Free installation, monitoring, and removal for income-qualifying drivers — provider bills the Fund (625 ILCS 5/6-206.1) |
| SOS fees | Up to $30/month MDDP administration fee + $8 MDDP permit fee |
| Reinstatement fee | $250 (first summary suspension); $500 (subsequent or revocation) |
| Who administers | Illinois SOS — BAIID Division |
| Governing law | 625 ILCS 5/6-206.1; 6-208.1; 6-205; 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001.444 |
| Offense term | DUI (Driving Under the Influence) |
How Illinois’s MDDP system works
Illinois doesn’t mandate an interlock for all DUI offenders — it makes one the price of driving during your suspension. When you’re arrested for DUI, a statutory summary suspension takes effect automatically: 6 months if you failed the chemical test, 12 months if you refused. If you want to drive during that period, you must apply for a Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP) and install a BAIID within 14 days of the suspension date.
If you choose not to drive at all during your suspension — perhaps you have alternative transportation or don’t own a vehicle — you can decline the MDDP and serve the suspension without a device. Most working drivers, however, need to keep driving, making the MDDP the practical choice.
Second and subsequent offenders cannot get an MDDP at all. They must serve the full suspension and revocation period, then apply for a Restricted Driving Permit (RDP) — which requires a BAIID for a minimum of 5 years.
Illinois SOS-certified BAIID providers
The Illinois SOS BAIID Division maintains the certified vendor list. The major national providers below are expected to be on the current list — confirm certification directly with the SOS BAIID Division or at ilsos.gov before signing, as the certified-vendor page was temporarily unreachable during our verification and the list may have changed.
| Provider | Monthly est. | Coverage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intoxalock | $60–100 | Statewide | 888-283-5899 |
| Smart Start | $70–100 | Statewide | 800-831-3299 |
| LifeSafer | $65–95 | Statewide | 800-634-3077 |
| Guardian Interlock | $65–95 | Statewide | 800-499-0994 |
| RoadGuard (Dräger) | $65–95 | Statewide | 833-545-0368 |
| ALCOLOCK | $60–90 | Statewide | 866-700-9300 |
Important: Verify your provider’s current SOS certification at ilsos.gov/departments/baiid.html before signing. Only SOS-certified providers can satisfy your MDDP requirement.
What a BAIID costs in Illinois
| Installation (one time) | $70–150 |
| Monthly lease + monitoring | $60–100 |
| SOS MDDP administration fee | Up to $30/month |
| MDDP permit fee | $8 |
| Removal | $50–75 |
| SOS reinstatement fee | $250 (first suspension); $500 (subsequent) |
| Indigent Fund eligible? | Free — installation, monitoring, and removal at no cost if income ≤ 150% FPL |
Over a 6-month MDDP term (failed test), expect roughly $700–1,100 in device and SOS fees before the reinstatement fee. Income-qualifying drivers pay nothing. Estimate your exact cost →
How to get your MDDP and BAIID — 5 steps
- After your DUI arrest, apply for your MDDP through the Illinois SOS BAIID Division — do this immediately, before the 14-day deadline from your suspension date.
- If income-eligible (≤ 150% FPL), notify the SOS BAIID Division to flag your application for the Indigent Fund — bring documentation (tax return, SNAP/TANF, or SSI records).
- Call an SOS-certified provider, verify their current certification, and book installation within 14 days of your suspension. Bring the vehicle and your MDDP paperwork.
- Pay the $8 MDDP permit fee and up to $30/month SOS administration fee (waived under the indigent fund).
- Serve the full suspension term with no violations. Each violation adds 3 months — there is no overall cap.
Violations — 3 months each, no cap
Each Illinois BAIID violation adds 3 months to your MDDP term. Violations include: tampering or circumvention, a BrAC reading of 0.05 or higher, a failed running retest, 10 or more failed startup attempts in a 30-day period, and late monitoring report submissions. The maximum addition is 6 months per monitoring period, but there is no overall cap on total extensions — repeated violations can compound significantly. Unauthorized removal of the device is itself a violation. Keep every service appointment and never attempt to start the vehicle after drinking.