Washington IIL Cost After DUI: Filing, IID, SR-22, and Monitoring

The Washington Department of Licensing charges a $100 application fee for the Ignition Interlock License (IIL) under RCW 46.20.385. This is separate from the $170 reinstatement fee you'll pay later when the full suspension ends and you convert back to a standard license. You pay the $100 when you submit the completed IIL application, proof of ignition interlock device installation from a DOL-approved provider, and your SR-22 insurance filing. The application is processed through the DOL, not the court system. Washington eliminated the traditional occupational license for DUI suspensions and replaced it with the IIL framework, which makes the ignition interlock device mandatory rather than route or time restrictions. The $100 application fee is non-refundable. If your application is denied because of outstanding suspensions or incomplete documentation, you lose the fee and must reapply.

Washington requires installation by a DOL-approved ignition interlock device provider. The provider gives you a certificate of installation, which you submit with your IIL application. Install costs run $70 to $150 depending on the provider and your vehicle type. The recurring cost is the monthly lease and monitoring fee. DOL-approved providers charge $70 to $100 per month for the device, calibration checks every 30 to 60 days, and data upload to the state. Over a 3-year SR-22 filing period, that's $2,520 to $3,600 in lease charges alone. Most first-time DUI drivers estimate IID cost at the install fee and miss the monthly monitoring stack. The lease is not optional. The device must remain installed and functional for the full IIL period or until you reinstate your standard license. Removing the device early triggers automatic IIL revocation and extends your suspension.

Washington requires SR-22 insurance filing for 3 years after a DUI conviction, measured from the date the SR-22 is filed with the DOL, not the conviction date. The SR-22 is a certificate your insurer files electronically with the state proving you carry at least the minimum liability coverage: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 property damage. The SR-22 filing fee itself is $25 to $50 depending on the carrier. The premium increase is the real cost. Washington DUI drivers with SR-22 filings typically pay $140 to $250 per month for liability-only coverage through non-standard carriers. Clean-record drivers in the same zip code pay $60 to $90 per month for the same limits. If your SR-22 policy lapses or is canceled for any reason, the insurer notifies the DOL electronically within 24 hours. The DOL suspends your IIL immediately. You must file a new SR-22, pay a reinstatement fee, and reapply for the IIL. The 3-year filing period does not pause during the lapse. The clock resets from the date of the new filing.

Washington non-standard carriers writing DUI/SR-22 policies include Geico, Progressive, Dairyland, Bristol West, National General, and The General. Monthly premiums for minimum liability coverage range from $140 to $250 depending on your age, zip code, prior insurance history, and the severity of your DUI conviction. Refusal cases and BAC results over .15 trigger higher rates than first-offense test-failure cases under .15. Carriers price risk tiers differently. Geico and Progressive typically offer the lowest rates for first-offense DUI drivers with clean prior records. Dairyland and Bristol West specialize in higher-risk profiles including second-offense DUI and suspended license cases. Non-owner SR-22 policies are available if you sold your vehicle, had it impounded, or never owned one. Non-owner policies meet the SR-22 filing requirement and cover you when driving a borrowed or rental vehicle. Monthly cost runs $50 to $90 through Geico, Progressive, or Dairyland. The 3-year filing period applies the same whether you carry owner or non-owner SR-22 coverage.

Add the application fee, IID install, monthly IID monitoring, SR-22 filing fee, and the premium increase over baseline. A first-offense Washington DUI driver with a clean prior record typically pays: $100 IIL application fee + $100 IID install + $2,880 IID monitoring (36 months at $80/month) + $25 SR-22 filing + $6,480 premium increase (36 months at $180/month premium minus $90/month baseline for a clean record) = $9,585 over three years. That estimate assumes you own a vehicle and carry owner SR-22 coverage. Non-owner SR-22 drivers pay less in premium but still face the full IID install and monitoring stack if they want to drive at all during the IIL period. Drivers who lease a vehicle or drive a company vehicle must install the IID in every vehicle they operate. Each additional vehicle adds another install fee and may add complexity to the lease or employer approval process. The reinstatement fee at the end of the suspension period adds another $75 when you apply to remove the IIL restriction and restore your standard Washington driver's license.

Washington allows immediate IIL application in most first-offense DUI cases. If your suspension is triggered by a failed breath or blood test under the Implied Consent law (RCW 46.20.308), you can apply for the IIL the same day your suspension takes effect. The DOL does not impose a hard waiting period before IIL eligibility. Refusal cases face a 1-year administrative suspension under Implied Consent. IIL eligibility during the refusal suspension varies by case facts and prior history. Repeat DUI offenders and drivers with prior IIL violations may face mandatory hard suspension periods before IIL eligibility opens. Second-offense and felony DUI cases typically require completion of a DOL-approved Alcohol/Drug Information School or substance abuse treatment program before the IIL application is approved. The IIL allows unrestricted driving as to time and destination. Washington does not limit IIL holders to work, school, or medical appointments. You can drive anywhere at any time as long as the vehicle is equipped with a DOL-approved ignition interlock device.

The IIL is revoked immediately if you drive a vehicle without an installed and functional ignition interlock device, fail to complete required calibration checks, tamper with the device, or allow another person to blow into the device to start the vehicle. Revocation also occurs if your SR-22 policy lapses or is canceled. Driving on a revoked IIL is treated as driving with a suspended license under RCW 46.20.342. First-offense DWLS charges carry fines up to $1,000 and possible jail time. Repeat violations within 7 years trigger mandatory minimum jail sentences. Violations extend the total suspension period and reset the SR-22 filing clock. If you are 18 months into a 3-year SR-22 period and your SR-22 lapses, you must file a new SR-22 and the 3-year requirement restarts from the new filing date.