Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program
What the Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program Actually Does
The Kentucky Ignition Interlock Program — abbreviated KIIP — is administered by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Division of Driver Licensing. It lets drivers who have lost their license after a DUI arrest or conviction get back on the road legally, with one condition: every vehicle they drive must have a certified breathalyzer wired into the ignition.
This is not a punishment-only system. Under KRS 189A.340, a KIIP restricted license allows driving at any time and for any purpose — work, school, groceries, medical appointments — as long as the interlock device is installed and functioning. That makes it the primary legal path to drive during a DUI suspension in Kentucky, because standard hardship licenses under KRS 189A.410 are only available for drug-based impairment charges and are permanently unavailable to anyone who refused a chemical test.
The program is available for alcohol-based DUI charges, drug-based charges, and chemical test refusals. First-offense participants who complete 90 consecutive days of violation-free driving can reduce their six-month suspension to four months.
How to Apply: Form TC 94-175 Step by Step
The application process starts with Form TC 94-175, the official KIIP application. You can submit it three ways:
- Email: [email protected]
- Online: Through a verified myDrive account at mydrive.ky.gov (in-state license holders only)
- In person: At any KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Office
Along with the completed form, you need proof of valid vehicle registration and proof of active automobile insurance. If the vehicle is registered in someone else's name, page two of the application must be signed by that person and notarized.
If you cannot afford the device costs, submit Form TC 94-188 — the KIIP Affordability Application — at the same time. This requires documentation of your financial situation: the last three months of pay stubs, your most recent federal tax return, or a benefit award letter from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (SNAP, Medicaid, or KTAP).
The 14-Day Window You Cannot Miss
After the KYTC reviews your application — typically five to ten business days — you receive an official Letter of Approval. This letter is your only legal authority to drive an unequipped vehicle, and it exists for exactly two purposes: driving to an approved interlock vendor for installation and driving to a KYTC Regional Office to get your restricted license printed.
The letter expires in exactly 14 days from the date printed on it. Drive an unequipped vehicle after that date and you are driving on a suspended license — a separate misdemeanor charge. Keep the physical letter with you whenever you are behind the wheel during this window.
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Installation and Getting the Restricted License
Once you have the approval letter, schedule installation with one of Kentucky's certified vendors:
- LowCost Interlock: (800) 352-4872
- Alcohol Detection Systems: (888) 786-7384
- Lifesafer: (270) 467-2160
- Intoxalock: (844) 837-3850
- Guardian Interlock: (800) 499-0994
- Smart Start: (844) 206-2867
The vendor installs and calibrates the device and issues a Certificate of Installation (Form TC 94-194). Take that certificate and your proof of insurance to a KYTC Driver Licensing Regional Office, pay the $40 reinstatement fee, and get the restricted license printed.
This is the step most people get wrong: your 90-day compliance clock does not start when the device is installed. It starts the day the restricted license is physically issued at the Regional Office. Every day between installation and that office visit is time you are paying for the device without earning credit.
The 90-Day Compliance Rule
To reduce the six-month suspension to four months, you must complete 90 consecutive days of violation-free driving. The clock starts on the date your restricted license is issued.
A violation resets the counter to zero. Violations include:
- A failed breath test
- A missed calibration appointment
- Evidence of device tampering
- Driving a vehicle that does not have an interlock installed
Monthly calibration appointments with your vendor are mandatory. The vendor downloads the device data and transmits it to the KYTC.
What It Costs
The interlock is not free. Typical costs for the program period:
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| Installation | $70–$150 |
| Daily lease rate | $2.50–$4.00 per day |
| Monthly calibration | $20 |
| Lockout fee (multiple failures or tampering) | $75 |
| Vehicle switch fee | $30 |
| KYTC reinstatement fee | $40 |
Over a four-month compliance period, the device alone runs roughly $300 to $500 in lease and calibration fees, plus installation. The affordability application can reduce these costs on a sliding scale.
Removal and Full Reinstatement
After you complete the compliance period and serve the remainder of the suspension, the KYTC issues a Letter of Removal. Take it to your vendor to have the device removed and get a Certificate of Removal. Then visit a Regional Office one more time with that certificate to receive your standard, unrestricted license.
If your total suspension lasted more than one year, you will also need to pass written and vision tests before reinstatement.
The Kentucky First-Offense DUI Guide walks through the full KIIP application process alongside the court timeline, with a deadline tracker and the forms reference you need to coordinate both tracks without losing days of credit.
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