North Carolina Ignition Interlock Device Questions

When you arrive for your Smart Start installation appointment in North Carolina, you will need to bring the following items:

  1. Photo ID
  2. Vehicle Registration (if you are not the owner of the vehicle on which you will be installing, then you will need a letter of permission from the registered owner stating that you are allowed to install an Ignition Interlock Device on the vehicle)

A photo ID is preferred. However, two forms of ID with your name on them are acceptable. (For example, two credit cards with your name on them.)

In North Carolina, your State authority will be the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).  After installation, Smart Start will provide a Certificate of Installation, which you will need to send to the DMV as proof that you have installed the required Ignition Interlock Device.

Your Ignition Interlock technician can provide a Certificate of Installation to you.

Smart Start is a certified Ignition Interlock Device provider in the state of North Carolina.  Our devices have been tested and certified to meet the standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), ensuring our compliance with the North Carolina DMV’s restricted driving program.

Your program starts when you have an active North Carolina Driver’s License or Limited Driving Privilege.

A violation occurs if the Ignition Interlock Device (IID) detects any type of alcohol above your fail set-point level. You will either have a fail set-point level of 0.040, 0.020 or 0.000; this level is determined by the North Carolina DMV.  You will get a letter from DMV (which you will bring to your Smart Start installation appointment) detailing to which fail set-point level your ignition interlock should be set.  If you do not have the letter telling Smart Start what fail set-point level to use, then Smart Start will default to 0.020.  Any detection of alcohol (environmental or ingested), a skipped test, missed service appointment, tampering with the device, or starting the car without providing a breath test will incur a violation and require that you return to the service center for calibration.

If Smart Start’s Ignition Interlock Device records a violation after it has been installed, then you will enter a 5-day grace period.  This means that you have 5 days to return to your nearest Smart Start service center to pay a violation fee and calibrate your device.

You will need to service your Ignition Interlock Device at least once every other month at a Smart Start service center in North Carolina.

No DMV documentation is required to remove your Ignition Interlock Device in North Carolina.  You can have the Ignition Interlock Device (IID) removed at any time.  Smart Start is a month-to-month lease program and does not require that a set term be completed before removal. You can submit a Smart Start Device Removal Request online. However, if you do remove your IID before your requirement is complete, you may not receive credit from the DMV for the time you have spent with your IID, and you may not get your unrestricted license back.

If you do not have a vehicle registered in your name, then you will need to either borrow a vehicle from someone else (in which case a letter of permission from the owner is required) or purchase a vehicle of your own.

North Carolina law states that all Ignition Interlock Device services must be conducted in the state of North Carolina.  Smart Start offers many convenient locations in North Carolina.  Please see our locations page for more information.

Call Smart Start at (800) 831-3299, click the chat window below, or visit our user-friendly online form to set up an appointment and have an account created in our system. Our Program Advisors will help you set up a convenient installation appointment at a Smart Start location near you.  Then, you’ll arrive at our service center at the given date and time for installation and training.

The North Carolina DMV is the State authority in North Carolina.  You are welcome to go to the DMV website.  You can also call 919-715-7000 to reach the North Carolina DMV and address any questions you may have about the ignition interlock process.

The North Carolina DMV website lists individual requirements—they do change periodically.  However, because Smart Start is a certified Ignition Interlock Device (IID) provider, you can rest assured that any IID you obtain through us will satisfy the requirements of your restricted driving program.

You must pay for your calibration at time of service. Payments can be made by credit card through our Client Portal or at your service center location. Service center locations do not accept cash or checks.

Smart Start’s reporting system will automatically send reports to the North Carolina DMV at no additional charge to you.

Motorcycle Ignition Interlock installation laws differ by state. Smart Start operates throughout the U.S. as a certified manufacturer and will work harder than other companies to provide you a seamless Interlock program that still follows your case requirements in the state of North Carolina. You may be required to have a saddlebag or tank bag for IID installation on a motorcycle. Please call our Customer Care Center at 800-831-3299 if you have any questions.

Yes.  North Carolina law requires that the Ignition Interlock Device be connected to your horn and lights.  However, this does not harm your vehicle in any way.