Ignition Interlock Exemption: What It Is and How to Get a Waiver

An ignition interlock exemption, which some states call an interlock waiver, is an approval from a court or your state’s DMV that lets you skip an interlock requirement, or part of it, in a specific situation. If you’re looking up how to get an interlock waiver, here’s the short answer: you request it on your state’s form, meet every condition the form lists, and keep following the requirement until you have a written decision.

Exemptions are narrow. The ones you’ll see most often cover drivers with no vehicle, drivers who use an employer’s vehicle for work, drivers with a medical condition that keeps them from giving a breath sample, and drivers who live in another state. Each state decides which of these it offers, and the forms aren’t interchangeable.

What Is an Ignition Interlock Exemption?

An ignition interlock exemption releases a driver from installing an ignition interlock device, fully or partly, because they meet conditions their state has set. If granted, it answers one question: whether you need a device in the vehicle you drive.

It doesn’t touch the rest of the case. After a DUI, a license suspension still runs its course, and what happens after a DUI in court (fines, classes, probation) still applies as ordered.

The exemption types you’ll run into most often are:

• Hardship exemption
• Work exemption
• Medical exemption
• Out-of-state exemption

Each type has its own eligibility rules and its own form, and a state may offer some of them and not others.

Interlock Waiver vs. Exemption: Are They the Same?

Often, yes. Plenty of drivers and some agencies use the two words for the same thing. In a few states, though, a “waiver” is a separate process with rules of its own.

In Tennessee, the in-state interlock waiver is completed by the court on the Order for Restricted Driver License. It’s available only for certain convictions (a DUI that didn’t involve alcohol, a DUI with a BAC under 0.08%, or a refusal to take a chemical test), and only when there was no crash, no passenger under 18 and no prior DUI in the previous 10 years.

In Kansas, the Interlock Waiver Application (DC-2377) is narrower still. It asks the Division of Vehicles to decide whether a driver whose interlock restriction was extended at least five years beyond the original period can have the restriction lifted, and the driver has to meet every condition on the form.

Before you file anything, check what your own state means by “waiver.”

Types of Ignition Interlock Exemptions

Hardship Exemption

Depending on your state, you may be able to qualify for a general ignition interlock exemption. In California, this exemption is for drivers without a vehicle, and it’s filed on the Ignition Interlock Device (IID) Exemption Request, DL 4062.

To qualify for California’s IID program exemption, you certify that:

• You don’t own a vehicle. A vehicle that doesn’t run, or one with an approved planned non-operation, still counts as owned.
• You don’t have access to a vehicle where you live.
• You no longer have access to the vehicle used during the DUI.

You also acknowledge that:

• You can only drive a vehicle equipped with a working, certified IID.
• You must have a valid driver license before you can drive again.
• The interlock requirement applies as soon as you buy or gain access to a vehicle.

Pennsylvania uses “hardship” for something different. There, drivers whose income is below 200% of the poverty level can apply for a hardship exemption on form DL-21SC, which allows the interlock in only one vehicle. It lowers the number of devices; it doesn’t remove the requirement.

Work Exemption

Some states offer an employer ignition interlock exemption that lets a driver under an interlock requirement drive an employer’s vehicle for work without a device. Whether your state offers one, and on what terms, varies, so check with your DMV before you count on it.

Washington is one state that does. Its Employer Declaration for Ignition Interlock Exemption sets these conditions:

• You must have an IID installed in your personal vehicle.
• You may drive the company vehicle only while you’re working.
• The vehicle must be owned, leased, rented or in the temporary care of your employer.
• You aren’t eligible if the employer vehicle is assigned to you for commuting to and from your job.
• If you’re self-employed, you qualify only if the vehicle is used exclusively for your work and registered in the business name.

Your employer signs the declaration, so they’ll know about the interlock requirement. The Washington exemption is valid for one year from the signature date and has to be renewed each year you’re required to use an IID, and you carry a copy whenever you drive for your employer.

Medical Exemption

Some states allow an exemption for a medical condition that keeps a driver from using an interlock. Oregon’s IID Medical Exemption form (735-6941) covers a medical condition or functional impairment that leaves a driver unable to operate an IID, and it works in three parts:

• You complete the driver section, including the condition or impairment that keeps you from operating an IID.
• A health care provider completes their section, explains how the condition affects your use of an IID, and marks it as permanent or temporary until a set date.
• The court or DMV that required the interlock approves or denies the request.

If the condition is temporary, an approved exemption can carry an end date. Oregon’s form also says the exemption isn’t valid until the agency approves it, and that you carry the approved copy with your license whenever you drive.

If a lung condition makes the breath test hard for you, ask about interlock medical accommodations for asthma and COPD as well as a full exemption.

Out-of-State Exemption

If your DUI happened in one state and you live in another, the state that imposed the interlock may let you request an exemption based on where you live.

California’s DL 4062 includes an out-of-state exemption for drivers who aren’t California residents. The request has to include at least one residency document, such as a utility bill, a lease or voter registration records.

Tennessee offers an out-of-state waiver that you and a representative from your home state’s licensing authority complete together. If your home state won’t approve or honor it, Tennessee’s interlock requirement still applies before you can reinstate there.

How to Get an Interlock Waiver or Exemption

To get an interlock waiver or exemption, find out which agency imposed the requirement, get that agency’s form, confirm you meet every condition on it, and submit it on time. A request isn’t an approval, so keep following the interlock requirement as ordered until you have a written decision.

1. Find out who imposed the requirement. An interlock can come from a court order, a DMV license action, or both, and the exemption request goes to whichever one required the device. Your court paperwork or DMV notice names the source.
2. Get the official form from that agency. Check your state DMV’s interlock page or ask the court clerk. Third-party form sites can carry outdated versions with old form numbers.
3. Check the deadline. Some states set one. California won’t grant a program exemption for a request postmarked more than 30 days after the suspension or revocation notice.
4. Gather the supporting pieces. Depending on the exemption, that could be a health care provider’s section, an employer’s signature or proof of where you live.
5. Submit it and keep a copy. Send it the way the form says (mail, email or fax) and write down the date you sent it.
6. Wait for the written decision. If you’re approved, read the conditions and carry the approval whenever the form requires it.

A DUI attorney in the county where you were charged can tell you which exemptions your state offers and what your court expects to see in a request.

What an Interlock Waiver Form Usually Asks For

Each state writes its own exemption for ignition interlock device form, but the ones state agencies publish tend to ask for the same kinds of information.

• Your details: full name, date of birth, driver license number and address.
• The type of exemption: California’s DL 4062 has you check a box for either the program exemption or the out-of-state exemption.
• Eligibility statements: you confirm each condition one by one, such as not owning a vehicle.
• A provider’s section: Oregon’s medical exemption needs a health care provider to describe the condition and sign.
• An employer’s signature: Washington’s work exemption is signed by your employer, not by you alone.
• Supporting documents: proof of residency for an out-of-state request, for example.
• A signed certification: Washington’s employer declaration is signed under penalty of perjury, so every answer has to be accurate.

Fill in every field. On California’s form, missing required information is a reason for denial, and an exemption isn’t granted if the information turns out to be incorrect.

What Happens If Your Interlock Waiver Request Is Denied

If your request is denied, the interlock requirement stays in place as ordered. Ask the agency whether you can reapply or appeal. In Kansas, for example, a denial states its reasons, and any new attempt needs a brand-new application.

From there, have the interlock installed when and as the court or DMV requires, and keep the paperwork from your request. If your situation changes later (you sell your only vehicle, change jobs or move to another state), check whether a different exemption applies. Your attorney can tell you whether any other option fits your case.

FAQs on How to Get an Interlock Waiver or Exemption

What is an interlock exemption?

An interlock exemption is an approval from a court or DMV that releases a driver from installing an ignition interlock, fully or partly, because they meet conditions their state sets. Typical grounds include having no vehicle, driving an employer’s vehicle for work, a medical condition that prevents a breath sample, or living out of state. Which ones exist, and the forms that go with them, differ by state.

What is an interlock waiver?

In many places, an interlock waiver is simply another name for an exemption: a formal approval to drive without an interlock, or to skip part of the requirement, in a defined situation. Some states use “waiver” for a narrower process with its own form and eligibility list, so read your state’s definition before you apply.

Can you get out of the interlock device?

Only through a path your state provides, such as an approved exemption or waiver, or by completing the requirement. Driving without a required device, or removing one early without approval, can bring penalties of its own. If you think you qualify for an exemption, file the request with the court or DMV that imposed the interlock and keep complying while you wait.

Is there an alternative to an interlock device?

Sometimes, depending on the state. Some drivers qualify for an exemption, and some may be able to wait out a suspension without driving instead of getting a restricted license. Waiting doesn’t always clear the requirement, though, because some states apply it once you’re licensed again. Ask your attorney or the agency that imposed the interlock which options apply to you.

How to avoid ignition interlock?

The lawful ways to drive without a required interlock are an approved exemption or waiver, or finishing the requirement. Driving an unequipped car or having someone else blow into the device can count as a violation and bring its own penalties. If you believe your situation fits an exemption, request it in writing and wait for the decision before you change how you drive.

What if I can’t afford an interlock device?

Ask about financial help before you assume you can’t comply. In Tennessee, a driver the court finds indigent can ask the state to pay for installation, lease, maintenance and removal, while money is available in its indigency fund. Other states run their own programs, and options for paying for an interlock include comparing providers and asking about payment plans.

Can I get an interlock waiver in Tennessee?

Possibly. Tennessee’s in-state waiver is handled by the court on the Order for Restricted Driver License and covers certain offenses, such as a non-alcohol DUI, a BAC under 0.08% or a test refusal, when there was no crash, no passenger under 18 and no DUI in the prior 10 years. Drivers living outside Tennessee can request an out-of-state waiver. Neither is automatic.

Where can I find the California DMV ignition interlock device Exemption Form?

California’s form is the Ignition Interlock Device (IID) Exemption Request, DL 4062, and the medical version is DL 4063. You’ll find both on the California DMV’s exemption requests page. Completed electronic forms go to the email address printed on the form, and program exemption requests have a 30-day window from the suspension or revocation notice.

Who is eligible for a hardship exemption for ignition interlock in Pennsylvania?

In Pennsylvania, drivers whose income is below 200% of the poverty level can apply for a hardship exemption using form DL-21SC. It doesn’t remove the interlock requirement; it lets you have the device installed in only one vehicle. PennDOT lists the form in its forms section, and interlock vendors can also supply it.

Next Steps After an Exemption Decision

Whatever the answer, follow the written decision exactly, keep a copy, and check your state’s rules again if your vehicle, job or address changes. An approved exemption covers only the situation it names, and it doesn’t change the rule that you drive sober, which protects you and everyone else on the road.

If a court or DMV requires an interlock, Low Cost Interlock can schedule your installation once that requirement is in place. You get transparent pricing with no hidden fees, flexible billing options and a Price Match Guarantee. Get a 60-second quote, schedule your install, or call (844) 387-0326 to talk through your state’s requirements.

Disclaimer: This article is provided by Low Cost Interlock for general informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, or medical advice. DUI and ignition interlock laws, penalties, fees, and program requirements vary by state, county, and individual circumstances, and they change over time. Any costs, timelines, or figures mentioned are general estimates, not quotes or guarantees. Nothing here should be relied on as a statement of the law in your jurisdiction. Always confirm current requirements with your state DMV, the court handling your case, a licensed attorney, or Low Cost Interlock directly before making decisions. Product features, pricing, availability, and promotions referenced are subject to change and may not be available in every state Low Cost Interlock serves.