Will I Have to Get an Ignition Interlock for a DUI Offense in Washington State?

Information on What the Ignition Interlock Device Laws are in the Evergreen State of WA

All cities across the state of Washington including Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, and Vancouver have the same DUI rules and WA Ignition Interlock regulations governing the criminal act of drinking and driving. Those individuals who are found to be driving a vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher will be arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI). Being convicted of DUI carries many penalties for those who are found guilty, which includes but is not limited to a driver’s license suspension, possible jail time, fines, and the possibility of having to use an Ignition Interlock Device (IID).

Research has been conducted on the effects of alcohol and how alcohol impairs an individual’s ability to drive. Studies have shown that the majority of drivers with BACs of 0.05 percent were too impaired to drive and all drivers with BACs of 0.08 percent were too impaired to drive. It is this research that has guided most states to adopt a 0.08 percent BAC as the threshold for being charged with drinking and driving related charges. Additionally, the state of Washington charges commercial vehicle drivers with DUI should their BAC be 0.04. Due to the higher costs and penalties of the new laws passed, it is essential that any driver who gets arrested for a DUI charge in Washington State, have their arrest information examined online with us for help as soon as possible. By taking this necessary action early on in fighting a driving under the influence case, it can drastically increase the chances of keeping your driver’s license, as well as avoid the Ignition Interlock device requirement in WA.

What Are Some of the Penalties for Driving Under the Influence in Washington?

The penalties for being convicted of DUI in the state of Washington are many and varied – this approach helps discourage offenders from committing a drinking and driving related crime again and also acts as an example for other individuals by alerting them of the consequences of getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. First time DUI offenders, or those with no previous DUI convictions on their record, face the following penalties:

• 24 Hours to One Year in Jail
• Fines Between $865.50 and $5,000
• WA Driver’s License Suspension of 90 Days to One Year
• The car Breathalyzer Ignition Interlock device is Required

A repeat or 2nd time DUI offense in WA, or those convicted of DUI in the past, face much harsher penalties than first time offenders. The state of Washington is currently enforcing a seven year “look-back period” or period of time in which prior DUI convictions are relevant to the sentencing of an offender’s current offense – this is also called a “washout period.” Second time DUI offenders, or those with one previous DUI conviction on their record within the last seven years, face the following penalties:

• 30 Days to One Year in Jail
• Fines Between $1,120.50 to $5,000
• Driver’s License Suspension of Two Years to 900 Days
• An Ignition Interlock Will Need to be Installed For a Time Period of at Least 1 Year

Third time DUI offenders, or those with two previous DUI convictions on their record within the last seven years, face the following penalties:

• 90 Days to One Year in Jail
• Fines Between $1,970.50 to $5,000
• Driver’s License Suspension of Three Years to Four Years
• IID Use Required

What is an Ignition Interlock Device, and How Does It Work Under New Washington State Laws?

An Ignition Interlock device is often used as a required penalty for being convicted of DUI, under what the strict new laws are in Washington State. This car Breathalyzer device is used when offenders’ driver’s license suspension periods have ended or when they wish to have their driving privileges reinstated. An IID works the same as a Breathalyzer test device, and is mounted inside the vehicle of a DUI offender and also integrated with the vehicle’s ignition system. When offenders wish to start their vehicle, they need to blow into the device to provide a breath sample – should this sample register above the programmed threshold, usually a 0.02 percent BAC, the vehicle is not able to start.

In some cases, the Interlock can also be programmed to require random retesting after the vehicle has started – this is meant to prevent a third party from providing the initial sample and allowing the offender to drive intoxicated. When drivers are prompted, they need to blow into the device to provide the sample to be retested. Should this sample register above the programmed threshold, an alarm sounds, alerting the driver the vehicle needs to be pulled over and turned off, and the event is then logged in the device’s internal memory. The IID does not stop or shut off the vehicle automatically, as this could put the driver, any passengers, and other drivers in danger.

When is Using an Ignition Interlock Device Required in the State of Washington?

The state of Washington has approved the use of IIDs for certain drivers who have been found guilty of drinking and driving related crimes including DUI. Courts and criminal court judges can approve the use of an IID under the following 3 common conditions in order to have an offender’s driving privileges reinstated:

1. First time DUI offenders can be ordered to use an IID for a period of one year.
2. Second time DUI offenders can be ordered to use an IID for a period of five years.
3. Third time DUI offenders can be ordered to use an IID for a period of 10 years.

Who Will Have to Pay for the Total Costs of the WA Ignition Interlock Device?

In the majority of WA DUI cases where offenders are ordered to use an Interlock device in order to get a driver’s license back, they are responsible for having to pay for all the costs associated with the device. These costs often include leasing the device, having the device installed, and having the device maintained during period of use. Individuals can expect to pay between $70 and $120 a month to lease their IID and an additional $100 in order to have the Interlock installed. Remember – these fees are just cost estimates and some IID providers may charge more or less.

What is the Process of Getting an Ignition Interlock Device Installed in Washington State?

Once the court has approved a WA DUI offenders to have a car Breathalyzer Interlock mounted on their car in order to have their driving privileges reinstated, they need to complete the process of leasing and installing the device in their vehicle and possibly any other vehicle registered in their name. Offenders need to lease their Ignition Interlock from a state approved IID provider – these providers can be found all over the state, and a full list of these IID providers can be found on the Washington State Patrol website.

After the device has been leased, a driver will need to ensure it is installed to the state’s standards – many state approved Interlock providers are also approved to install the devices. Once this is completed, offenders may need to report back to their probation officer, the court, or the DMV and provide those groups with a copy of the IID lease agreement and a copy of the receipt of installation. At this time, the Washington DMV restores offenders’ driver’s licenses under the condition that they actively use the IID. When a WA Ignition Interlock attorney reviews a driver’s own arrest scenario online with us, they will then be able to use this information to evaluate which potential DUI defense strategies are best to use for options how to avoid having to get and install an Ignition Interlock device in:

[column col=”1/4″]Adams County
Asotin County
Benton County
Chelan County
Clallam County
Clark County
Columbia County
Cowlitz County
Douglas County
Ferry County
Franklin County
Garfield County
Grant County
Grays Harbor County
Island County
Jefferson County
King County
Kitsap County
Kittitas County
Klickitat County
Lewis County
Lincoln County
Mason County
Okanogan County
Pacific County
Pend Oreille County
Pierce County
San Juan County
Skagit County
Skamania County
Snohomish County
Spokane County
Stevens County
Thurston County
Wahkiakum County
Walla Walla County
Whatcom County
Whitman County
Yakima County
Aberdeen
Ahtanum
Airway Heights
Albion
Alderwood Manor
Algona
Allyn Grapeview
Almira
Amboy
Ames Lake
Anacortes
Arlington
Arlington Heights
Artondale
Asotin
Auburn
Ault Field
Bainbridge Island
Bangor Trident Base
Banks Lake South
Barberton
Baring
Basin City
Battle Ground
Beaux Arts Village
Bell Hill
Bellevue
Bellingham
Benton City
Big Lake
Bingen
Birch Bay
Black Diamond
Blaine
Bonney Lake
Bothell
Brady
Bremerton
Brewster
Bridgeport
Brier
Brinnon
Brush Prairie
Bryn Mawr Skyway
Buckley
Bucoda
Burbank
Burien
Burlington
Camano
Camas
Carbonado
Carlsborg
Carnation
Carson River Valley
Cascade Fairwood
Cascade Valley
Cashmere
Castle Rock
Cathan
Cathcart
Cathlamet
Centerville
Central Park
Centralia
Chehalis
Chehalis Village
Chelan
Cheney
Cherry Grove
Chewelah
Chinook
Clarkston
Clarkston Heights Vineland
Cle Elum
Clear Lake
Clinton
Clyde Hill
Cohassett Beach
Colfax
College Place
Colton
Colville
Conconully
Concrete
Connell
Copalis Beach
Cosmopolis
Cottage Lake
Coulee City
Coulee Dam
Country Homes
Coupeville

[/column] [column col=”1/4″]Covington
Creston
Cusick
Dallesport
Darrington
Davenport
Dayton
Deer Park
Des Moines
Desert Aire
Dishman
Dixie
Dollar Corner
DuPont
Duvall
East Cathlamet
East Hill Meridian
East Port Orchard
East Renton Highlands
East Wenatchee
East Wenatchee Bench
Eastgate
Easton
Eatonville
Echo Lake
Edgewood
Edmonds
Electric City
Elk Plain
Ellensburg
Elma
Elmer City
Endicott
Entiat
Enumclaw
Ephrata
Erlands Point Kitsap Lake
Eschbach
Esperance
Everett
Everson
Fairchild AFB
Fairfield
Fairwood
Fall City
Farmington
Federal Way
Felida
Ferndale
Fife
Finley
Fircrest
Five Corners
Fords Prairie
Forks
Fort Lewis
Fox Island
Frederickson
Freeland
Friday Harbor
Garfield
Garrett
Geneva
George
Gig Harbor
Gleed
Gold Bar
Goldendale
Graham
Grand Coulee
Grand Mound
Grandview
Granger
Granite Falls
Grayland
Green Acres
Hamilton
Harrah
Harrington
Hartline
Hazel Dell North
Hazel Dell South
Highland
Hobart
Hockinson
Hoquiam
Humptulips
Hunts Point
Ilwaco
Inchelium
Index
Indianola
Inglewood Finn Hill
Ione
Issaquah
John Sam Lake
Jordan Road Canyon Creek
Kahlotus
Kalama
Kelso
Kenmore
Kennewick
Kent
Kettle Falls
Kingsgate
Kingston
Kirkland
Kittitas
Klickitat
La
La Conner
La Crosse
Lacey
Lake Forest Park
Lake Goodwin
Lake Ketchum
Lake Marcel Stillwater
Lake Morton Berrydale
Lake Roesiger
Lake Shore
Lake Stevens
Lakeland North
Lakeland South
Lakeview
Lakewood
Langley
Latah
Lea Hill
Leavenworth
Lebam
Lewisville
Liberty Lake
Lind
Lochsloy
Long Beach
Longview
Longview Heights
Lyle
[/column] [column col=”1/4″]Lyman
Lynden
Lynnwood
Mabton
Machias
Malden
Malone Porter
Maltby
Manchester
Mansfield
Maple Heights Lake Desire
Maple Valley
Marcus
Marietta Alderwood
Marrowstone
Martha Lake
Marysville
Mattawa
May Creek
McChord AFB
McCleary
Meadow Glade
Medical Lake
Medina
Mercer Island
Mesa
Metaline
Metaline Falls
Midland
Mill Creek
Mill Plain
Millwood
Milton
Minnehaha
Mirrormont
Moclips
Monroe
Montesano
Morton
Moses Lake
Moses Lake North
Mossyrock
Mount Vernon
Mount Vista
Mountlake Terrace
Moxee
Mukilteo
Naches
Napavine
Naselle
Navy Yard City
Neah Bay
Neilton
Nespelem
Nespelem Community
Newcastle
Newport
Nisqually Indian Community
Nooksack
Normandy Park
North Bend
North Bonneville
North Creek
North Marysville
North Omak
North Stanwood
North Sultan
North Yelm
Northport
Northwest Snohomish
Oak Harbor
Oakesdale
Oakville
Ocean Park
Ocean Shores
Odessa
Okanogan
Olympia
Omak
Opportunity
Orchards
Oroville
Orting
Othello
Otis Orchards East Farms
Pacific
Paine Field Lake Stickney
Palouse
Parkland
Parkwood
Pasco
Pateros
Pe Ell
Peaceful Valley
Picnic Point North Lynnwood
Pomeroy
Port Angeles
Port Angeles East
Port Hadlock Irondale
Port Ludlow
Port Orchard
Port Townsend
Poulsbo
Prairie Ridge
Prescott
Priest Point
Prosser
Pullman
Puyallup
Quilcene
Quincy
Rainier
Ravensdale
Raymond
Reardan
Redmond
Renton
Republic
Richland
Ridgefield
Ritzville
River Road
Riverbend
Riverside
Riverton Boulevard Park
Rochester
Rock Island
Rockford
Rosalia
Roslyn
Roy
Royal City
Ruston
Salmon Creek
Sammamish
Satsop
Satus
SeaTac
[/column] [column col=”1/4″]Seattle
Seattle Hill Silver Firs
Sedro Woolley
Selah
Sequim
Shaker Church
Shelton
Shoreline
Silverdale
Skokomish
Skykomish
Smokey Point
Snohomish
Snoqualmie
Snoqualmie Pass
Soap Lake
South Bend
South Cle Elum
South Hill
South Prairie
South Wenatchee
Spanaway
Spangle
Spokane
Sprague
Springdale
St John
Stanwood
Starbuck
Startup
Steilacoom
Stevenson
Stimson Crossing
Sudden Valley
Sultan
Sumas
Summit
Summitview
Sumner
Sunnyside
Sunnyslope
Suquamish
Tacoma
Taholah
Tanglewilde Thompson Place
Tanner
Tekoa
Tenino
Terrace Heights
Thorp
Three Lakes
Tieton
Toledo
Tonasket
Toppenish
Touchet
Town and Country
Tracyton
Trentwood
Trout Lake
Tukwila
Tulalip Bay
Tumwater
Twisp
Union Gap
Union Hill Novelty Hill
Uniontown
University Place
Vader
Vancouver
Vashon
Venersborg
Veradale
Waitsburg
Walla Walla
Walla Walla East
Waller
Walnut Grove
Wapato
Warden
Warm Beach
Washougal
Washtucna
Waterville
Waverly
Weallup Lake
Wenatchee
West Clarkston Highland
West Lake Sammamish
West Lake Stevens
West Longview
West Pasco
West Richland
West Side Highway
West Valley
West Wenatchee
Westport
White
White Salmon
White Swan
Wilbur
Wilkeson
Wilson Creek
Winlock
Winthrop
Wishram
Woodinville
Woodland
Woods Creek
Woodway
Yacolt
Yakima
Yarrow Point
Yelm
Zillah
[/column]