Iowa Ignition Interlock Requirements (2026): Costs & Approved Providers
Iowa requires an ignition interlock on every vehicle you operate during your OWI revocation — if you want to drive. First offenders who choose to sit out the revocation need no device. Second and later offenders also carry the interlock for one additional year after reinstatement. Here’s how the system works and what to expect.
| Offense term | OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) |
| All-offender mandate? | Effectively yes if you want to drive — every OWI revocation eligible for a Temporary Restricted License (TRL) requires an IID since July 1, 2018 |
| If you don’t drive | First offenders who sit out the revocation and don’t seek a TRL need no IID |
| 1st offense — tested (.08+ result) | IID for the entire TRL period (180-day revocation) |
| 1st offense — refused test | IID for the entire TRL period (1-year revocation) |
| 1st offense — post-reinstatement IID | None — no post-reinstatement requirement for a first offense |
| 2nd+ offense — tested | IID for the entire TRL period (1-year revocation) plus 1 additional year after reinstatement; TRL time with IID credits against the post-reinstatement year |
| 2nd+ offense — refused test | IID for the entire TRL period (2-year revocation) plus 1 additional year after reinstatement |
| 3rd offense | 6-year revocation; IID for TRL period plus same 1-year post-reinstatement term |
| Violation additions | 60 additional days per qualifying violation occurrence (Iowa Code §321J.17A) |
| Approved devices | Approved by Iowa DPS Commissioner; Iowa DOT OWI page |
| State fees | $200 OWI civil penalty + $20 reinstatement fee (Iowa DOT) |
| No indigent fund | No state cost-assistance program found in Iowa Code ch. 321J |
| Governing law | Iowa Code §321J.2; §321J.4; §321J.17; §321J.17A; §321J.20 |
How Iowa’s TRL / IID system works
When Iowa revokes your license for an OWI, you have two options: sit out the full revocation period with no driving, or apply for a Temporary Restricted License (TRL) and install an IID on every vehicle you’ll operate. The TRL lets you drive anywhere — it’s not limited to work or medical appointments — as long as the device is installed and functioning.
For first offenders, the IID requirement ends when the revocation does. For second and subsequent offenders, the interlock follows you for one additional year after your license is reinstated — but any time spent on the TRL with the IID already installed counts toward that year.
Iowa-approved providers
The following providers use devices approved by the Iowa DPS Commissioner. Note: Guardian Interlock does not appear on Iowa’s official approved list.
| 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 |
| RoadGuard (Dräger) | $65–95 | Statewide | 833-545-0368 |
| ALCOLOCK | $60–90 | Statewide | 866-700-9300 |
Monthly estimates are market ranges. Confirm your provider’s current approval on the Iowa DOT OWI page. Guardian Interlock does not appear on Iowa’s approved list — do not install with an unapproved provider.
What an interlock costs in Iowa
| Installation (one time) | $70–150 |
| Monthly lease + monitoring | $60–100 |
| Removal | $50–75 |
| Iowa DOT OWI civil penalty | $200 |
| Iowa DOT reinstatement fee | $20 |
Over a 6-month first-offense TRL term, expect roughly $700–1,000 in device costs. Iowa has no state indigent assistance program for IID costs. Estimate your exact cost →
How to get a TRL and install — 5 steps
- After your OWI arrest and revocation notice, apply to Iowa DOT for a Temporary Restricted License — call an approved provider immediately to start the process.
- Call an Iowa-approved provider and schedule installation. The IID must be on every vehicle you plan to operate.
- Bring your vehicles, TRL paperwork, and ID. Installation takes 60–90 minutes per vehicle.
- Pay the $200 OWI civil penalty and $20 reinstatement fee to Iowa DOT.
- Serve the full TRL period with no violations. For 2nd+ offenders, the IID continues for 1 additional year after reinstatement — TRL time with the device credits against that year.
Violations — 60 days each
Iowa Code §321J.17A adds 60 additional days per qualifying violation occurrence. A violation triggering this addition includes: 10 or more BrAC readings of 0.04 or higher within any 30-day period, 5 or more such readings within any 24-hour period, tampering or circumvention, and unauthorized removal of the device. A failed sample is “cured” — meaning it doesn’t count as a violation — if the immediate retesting sample passes. Operating without an IID while required, or unauthorized removal, is a serious misdemeanor under Iowa Code §321J.20.