Chances are, if you’re researching ignition interlock device installation locations in Pennsylvania, either you or a loved one has been convicted of DUI, and you’ve applied for the Ignition Interlock Limited License. If you qualify, you will have to get an ignition interlock device (IID) installed in your vehicle. In a nutshell, an IID is like an in-car breathalyzer that’s hooked into your car’s ignition system. Each time you go to start the vehicle, you have to blow into the device. If you pass the test, you can start the vehicle like you normally would. If it detects even a small amount of alcohol on your breath (currently .025), the device will lock you out and prevent you from starting the car.
Pennsylvania DUI Laws and Penalties
Pennsylvania updated the state’s DUI laws in 2018, to increase penalties for repeat offenders, and people who have a high blood alcohol content (BAC). Drunk driving is still defined as having a BAC level of .08 or higher. And with the zero tolerance law, anyone under the age of 21 with any detectable alcohol in their system at all can be charged with DUI.
Below we list the penalties for a DUI with a BAC level of .08 to .099. Penalties increase the higher your BAC is. In order for it to be considered a repeat offense, the DUI offense(s) have to occur during a 10 year time period.
First Offense DUI
If you’re convicted of a first offense DUI, you can face a number of penalties, including:
- Misdemeanor charge
- $500 fine
- Jail time of not less than 60 days, and not more than 90 days
- Alcohol abuse treatment when ordered
- May or may not have license suspended
- Ignition interlock device required if BAC was .10 or higher
- IID is also required if you refused the chemical test, even if you weren’t convicted of DUI
Second Offense DUI
- Misdemeanor charge
- $1000 fine
- Jail time of not less than 90 days
- Alcohol abuse treatment when ordered
- License suspended f0r a year
- Ignition interlock device required for 12 months
Third Offense DUI
- Misdemeanor charge, or felony charge if BAC was .16 or higher
- $2500 fine
- Jail time of not less than 6 months
- Alcohol abuse treatment when ordered
- License suspended for a year
- Ignition interlock device required for 12 months
Fourth Offense DUI
- Automatic felony
- Up to $5000 in fines
- Up to 7 years in prison
- Alcohol abuse treatment when ordered
- License suspended for a year
- Ignition interlock device required for 12 months
The state provides for even harsher penalties if someone was killed as a result of your drunk driving, or if your BAC was exceptionally high and it is a repeat offense. In each of these cases, you will be charged with a felony.
Ignition Interlock Device Requirements
State law requires that you have your IID device installed by a state-approved vendor such as ALCOLOCK. The vendor will follow the court order, monitor your progress, submit reports, provide training and routine maintenance, and remove your device when the time comes.
The good news is that with the recent changes in the law, you only have to get an ignition interlock device installed on the vehicle you drive, and not on every vehicle you own. And in Pennsylvania, once you have the ignition interlock device installed as mandated by the courts, you can drive anywhere, any time. No work/school limitations.
Employment Exemption
If you drive a work vehicle owned by your employer, you may qualify for an employment exemption from the ignition interlock device requirement. Your employer would have to fill out PENNDOT DL-3805 form (Ignition Interlock Employment Exemption Affidavit). You cannot qualify for the employment exemption in order to drive a school bus or school vehicle. And you don’t qualify if the vehicle is wholly or partially owned by a company that you own or co-own.
Pennsylvania Ignition Interlock Device Program Violations
There are a number of program violations that can result in extension of the ignition interlock program, being kicked out of the program, and criminal charges resulting in jail time and fines. Program violations include:
- Failure to install the device
- Driving a personal vehicle without an IID
- Failing a breath test (having a BAC of .025 or higher)
- Skipping a rolling retest
- Tampering with the ignition interlock device