Planning a Long Road Trip with an Ignition Interlock Device
Summertime is the season for a little adventure. Many people are planning road trips to visit state parks, gawk at the largest spoon in the world, or whatever strikes their fancy. Some might be apprehensive about taking a much-needed vacation if they have an ignition interlock device (IID) installed in their vehicle.
We understand how it can be a bit daunting to think about if you’ve never driven a long distance with your IID before. We have some tips that we hope will help you plan the perfect summer trip so you can have fun, stay safe, and meet the criteria of your IID terms.
What to Do Before You Hit the Road
Ignition interlock rules and terms vary by state. Some state monitoring authorities allow for out-of-state calibration, and others do not. This could impact the length or route of your trip, if you need to return to your home state for calibration.
Voluntary users can have their device calibrated in any state, but those who are subject to IID requirements through a court order, program, limited license requirement, or some other legal or administrative penalty have to abide by the rules of their state’s monitoring authority. We will refer to these users as “regulated” users, indicating they are complying with some sort of regulation and not using the ignition interlock on a purely voluntary basis.
State Policies on Out-of-State Calibration
Not all regulated users can have their device calibrated out of state. If your state does not allow this, you should make sure to have the device calibrated before leaving for your trip. Many states allow early calibration too, so you can plan around your departure date if need be.
| State | Allows Out of State Calibration*? *(as of June 2021) |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Yes |
| Arizona | Yes |
| Arkansas | Yes |
| California | No |
| Colorado | Yes |
| Delaware | Yes |
| Florida | Yes |
| Georgia | No |
| Idaho | Yes |
| Illinois | Yes, but only if customer resides outside of Illinois |
| Indiana | Yes |
| Iowa | Yes |
| Kansas | Yes |
| Kentucky | Yes |
| Louisiana | Yes |
| Maine | Yes, but only with approval from the Secretary of State |
| Maryland | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes |
| Michigan | No |
| Minnesota | Yes |
| Mississippi | No |
| Missouri | Yes |
| Montana | Yes |
| Nebraska | Yes |
| Nevada | Yes |
| New Hampshire | Yes |
| New Jersey | Yes, if customer lives outside of NY |
| New Mexico | Yes |
| New York | Yes |
| North Dakota | Yes |
| Ohio | Yes |
| Oklahoma | Yes, but can only be completed at a certified Intoxalock service center. |
| Oregon | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Yes, if they reside out of state |
| Rhode Island | Yes |
| South Carolina | No, unless the customer resides out of state and has authorization from the monitoring authority |
| South Dakota | Yes |
| Tennessee | Yes, if Intoxalock is an approved vendor in the state the customer is requesting the calibration take place in. |
| Texas | Yes |
| Utah | No |
| Vermont | Yes |
| Virginia | Yes |
| Washington | Yes, only if the customer resides out of state |
| Wisconsin | Yes |
| Wyoming | Yes |
| Voluntary users | Yes |
If you are using a voluntary device, you won’t have to worry about the calibration rules of your state. While this certainly makes things easier, if you are sharing driving duties you should still go over how the device works with your fellow drivers. They will need to blow into the device in order to start the car too, so it’s good for them to know how it works in case you (as the vehicle owner) are not available.
How to Handle Your IID on the Road
Once you’ve determined when or if you can travel out of state with your ignition interlock device, there’s just a few things left to take care of! Here are some of the things you should do before heading out:
- Calibration — Plan your trip around your calibration needs If possible, make sure a calibration appointment won’t fall during the time you are away. While some states allow out of state drivers to get calibrated, it’s always easier to visit your usual center if possible. In some states, you can go up to a week early for calibration if need be, but not every state allows this.
- Logbook — if you will be sharing the drive, make sure to keep a logbook of when others are driving, just to have a record of when you are actually being tested. You will still be responsible for any missed retests, or positive results, even if you were not the one using the device. However, the logbook can be helpful to have as a sobriety aid and record.
- Extra mouthpieces — you can order extra mouthpieces before you go if others will be using your device. They are available from Intoxalock on Amazon, so you know they will fit your device. Your service center may have extra on hand as well, but call ahead before your visit.
- Route plan — careful planning will be your friend here. There are countless apps and websites that can help you plan a route based on all sorts of criteria, like daily driving time, desired route, type of roadways, etc. Use them to ensure you have the best trip possible!
- Contact list — make a list of contact numbers for emergencies, in case you are in an area without service or lose your cellular phone. Keep the list in the glove box so you will have it handy if needed!
We hope that the planning and traveling goes well and you have a wonderful vacation. If you still have questions about traveling, Intoxalock Support is available 24/7 via phone and chat to help answer them.
