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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)
  3. Some type of bill with your current address
  4. Letter from the DMV

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.

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.

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 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 0.000.  Any detection of alcohol (environmental or ingested), a skipped test, missed service appointment, tampering with the device, or trying to start the car without providing a breath test will incur a violation and require that you return to the service center for calibration.

If alcohol is detected in your breath sample after Smart Start’s Ignition Interlock Device has been installed, then you will enter a 4-day grace period.  This means that you have 4 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 either once a month or 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. 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.

An Ignition Interlock Device (IID) is a condition of a driving privilege in the state of North Carolina.  This means that, if you are facing an ignition interlock requirement, you must install the Ignition Interlock Device and spend the required amount of time driving with it in order to reinstate your driving privilege with the state.  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 any car registered or titled in your name MUST have an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installed on it.  Smart Start offers multiple car discounts to help with the cost of this endeavor.

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 800-880-3394, 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 customer care advocates 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.

Camera, GPS and E911 are not mandatory in North Carolina.  You are welcome to use a camera in North Carolina if you’d like for no charge.  The camera allows for positive identification with every test.

The North Carolina DMV will send you a letter letting you know when you can get an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installed. You are required to have the IID on your car, truck, or crossover vehicle for a minimum of 1 year (365 days).

No; the camera does not take a streaming video.  It only takes a picture when a breath test is provided.

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 cash, credit card (Visa & MasterCard only), or money order.

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

No, Smart Start’s professional technicians are trained to complete each installation, calibration, and removal in a way that does not harm your vehicle.

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. 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.