Tennessee Ignition Interlock Device Questions

Your driver’s license will be revoked.  You may apply for a restricted license, and you may be required install an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) for a determined period of time. Once you receive this requirement from TN Department of Safety or County Court, contact Smart Start to get your IID installed to complete your Interlock requirement.

Once you have scheduled your Ignition Interlock installation with Smart Start, you will need to bring the following to your Ignition Interlock installation appointment:

1. cash or debit/credit card payment
2. photo identification
3. a copy of your Order of Restricted Driver’s License (ORDL)
4. information regarding your State authority
5. if indigent, a copy of your uniform affidavit of indigency
6. vehicle registration (or, if you are installing on someone else’s vehicle, a letter of permission from the registered owner stating that you have permission to install an Ignition Interlock Device on the vehicle)

Smart Start will provide you with proof of installation, which you will need to send to your State authority so that you receive credit for your time with your Ignition Interlock Device (IID).  You will also need to take the proof of installation to the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain your restricted license.

Smart Start devices are compliant with all state and federal requirements.  In addition, our devices are certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

After your fifth violation, you will be locked out of your device. Call customer service, (800) 831-3299, for a Unlock code. You will be  required to return to a Smart Start service center for a calibration, for which you will also be asked to pay a fee.

For arrests occurring after July 1, 2016: if you violate within the last 120 days of your required period of interlock, your Ignition Interlock Device requirement may be extended for an additional 120 days from the date of the violation.

The state of Tennessee requires that you service your Ignition Interlock Device (IID) once every 30 days.

If you have more than one DUI, you will most likely be asked to have your Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installed for a longer period of time.  Smart Start offers only month-to-month leasing, so the elongation or curtailing of your requirement period will not negatively affect pricing.

For arrests occurring after July 1, 2016, you are required to have an Ignition Interlock Device and you will be required to maintain the device for 365 consecutive days with the last 120 days free of any violations to be compliant.

If TN compliant, the client will receive an “Interlock Restriction Release Form” from Smart Start of TN by email or post mail if you don’t have an email on file. As well as a TN Department of Safety letter stating they are released. Bring either one of these letters to your service center to be removed.

If the Ignition Interlock Device (IID) was installed as a result of a bond/probation condition, Smart Start requires authorization of release from the Court or Probation Officer to remove the device.

If you wish to remove your Ignition Interlock Device before you are eligible for license reinstatement, email TNRemoval@smartstartinc.com  to request an early removal form. You will be required by the TN Department of Safety to surrender your license and obtain a State ID.

If you do not own a vehicle, but you do have an Ignition Interlock requirement, the state of Tennessee will sometimes allow you to complete your requirement by installing an Ignition Interlock on a borrowed vehicle.  In order to do this, you will need a letter of permission from the registered owner of the borrowed vehicle stating that you have permission to install the Ignition Interlock Device (IID).  Smart Start frequently installs on borrowed vehicles, so this will not pose a problem at any of our service centers as long as you have the required documentation.

No, you will only need the Ignition Interlock Device installed on the vehicle you will be driving during your requirement.

Tennessee law states that you can service your Ignition Interlock Device at any of Smart Start’s 1,800 service center locations nationwide.

In the state of Tennessee, any and all of the following may constitute a violation:

1. failure to return to the Smart Start service center for calibration every 30 days for the full 365-day period
2. attempting to start your vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .02% or greater without a pass within 10 minutes
3. registering a blood alcohol level of .02% or greater during a rolling re-test without a pass within 10 minutes
4. skipping a rolling re-test within a 6-minute window
5. tampering with or attempting to circumvent the device

To install an Ignition Interlock Device on your vehicle or a family member’s vehicle voluntarily, click the chat window below, fill out our online form, or call 800.831.3299 to speak with one of our customer care advocates.  We’ll help you set up an installation appointment at a day and time that are most convenient for you.

The state of Tennessee requires all Ignition Interlock Devices to be equipped with a camera.  Smart Start will provide a compatible camera at the time of installation.

In the state of Tennessee, you must have an order for an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) before you install your device in order to receive credit for your time with the IID installed.

In addition, Smart Start allows an individual to install an Ignition Interlock Device on his/her vehicle or on the child’s vehicle without a restricted license order.  This voluntarily installed Ignition Interlock Device can be removed at any time.

For a bond requirement, Smart Start requires that you provide proof of your bond conditions.  For bond requirements, you cannot remove the device without authorization from the court or proof showing that the bond conditions have been lifted or modified.

No.  The camera is only there to take digital stills to accompany each breath test.

In Tennessee, your State authority will be the court, probation, or the Department of Safety.

You can find a comprehensive list of Ignition Interlock Device requirements in the state of Tennessee at the Tennessee Department of Safety’s website.  However, while state requirements can and do change, Smart Start ensures a fully compliant Ignition Interlock Device.  Our customer care advocates are also willing to discuss the specifics of your program with you at 800.831.3299.

*If you are conditioned in multiple states, be sure to let Smart Start know all of them to get credit for your IID Program in each state.

You must pay for calibration at the service center during your service appointment using cash, debit card, or credit card.

Smart Start of Tennessee will send a record of your service appointments to the State authority you specify at the time of installation at no additional cost to you.  Reports are downloaded and sent after each service appointment.

No, Smart Start’s Ignition Interlock Device will not hurt your vehicle.  However, vehicles with an older battery or poorly functioning alternator may experience issues while starting.

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 Tennessee. Please call our Customer Care Center at 800-831-3299 if you have any questions.

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