Washington DOL SR-22 and the Ignition Interlock License

The Ignition Interlock License (IIL) is Washington's restricted license program that allows you to drive during a DUI suspension. You receive driving privileges immediately after your DOL hearing or administrative suspension begins, but only if you install a state-certified ignition interlock device in every vehicle you operate and maintain continuous SR-22 insurance. Washington requires the IIL for all DUI convictions, including first offenses. Your standard license is suspended. The IIL replaces it during the entire interlock requirement period. Most drivers assume the IIL is optional or functions like a hardship license in other states — it's not. It's the only legal way to drive during your suspension period. The IIL costs $100 to obtain, separate from SR-22 filing fees and device installation costs. You apply through the Washington DOL Probation and Licensing Services division, not through the standard license office.

Washington requires SR-22 filing for three years after a DUI conviction, measured from the violation date. The ignition interlock requirement runs one year minimum for a first offense, five years for a second offense, and ten years for a third or subsequent offense. Both requirements run simultaneously, but the SR-22 filing period extends well beyond the device requirement for first offenses. You cannot obtain an IIL without active SR-22 insurance on file with the DOL. Your carrier must file the SR-22 electronically within 30 days of your DOL hearing or administrative suspension notice. If you let the SR-22 lapse at any point during the three-year filing period — even after the ignition interlock device is removed — the DOL suspends your license again and restarts the entire SR-22 clock. Most carriers writing SR-22 in Washington route DUI policies to non-standard subsidiaries. State Farm writes through State Farm Fire and Casualty. Allstate writes through Allstate Indemnity. Progressive writes DUI policies directly but prices them in a separate tier. GEICO does not actively write DUI policies in Washington and will cancel coverage after a conviction in most cases.

Device installation costs $150 to $200 through a Washington DOL-certified vendor. Monthly monitoring and calibration fees run $75 to $100. Over a one-year requirement period, total device costs range from $1,050 to $1,400. The vendor bills you directly — this cost is separate from your SR-22 insurance premium. Washington maintains a list of certified interlock vendors on the DOL website. You must choose a vendor from that list. Devices installed by non-certified vendors do not satisfy the IIL requirement. Most vendors require upfront payment for installation and the first month of monitoring before scheduling the install appointment. If you drive multiple vehicles, you must install a device in each one. Washington does not allow exemptions for employer-owned vehicles, rental cars, or borrowed vehicles. Driving any vehicle without an installed and functioning device while on an IIL violates your restricted license and triggers a new suspension.

A DUI conviction typically increases your insurance premium by 80% to 140% in Washington. If you were paying $120 per month for liability coverage before the violation, expect to pay $220 to $290 per month after the conviction, plus SR-22 filing fees of $15 to $50 per year depending on carrier. Rates remain elevated for three to five years after the violation date. Most carriers re-evaluate every six months. Your rate begins dropping after the first renewal following your conviction, assuming no new violations. By year three, when your SR-22 filing requirement ends, your rate should return to within 20% to 30% of your pre-DUI premium. Carriers writing SR-22 in Washington after a DUI include Progressive, GEICO (through select non-standard partners), National General, Dairyland, and Bristol West. Not all national carriers write post-DUI policies. Farmers and Liberty Mutual typically non-renew after a DUI conviction in Washington, forcing you to shop non-standard markets.

Washington requires continuous SR-22 coverage for the full three-year filing period. If your carrier cancels your policy or you drop coverage voluntarily, the carrier notifies the DOL electronically within 24 hours. The DOL suspends your license immediately, including your IIL privileges. Reinstating after an SR-22 lapse requires paying a $75 reissue fee to the DOL, filing a new SR-22 with a different carrier, and waiting for the DOL to process the reinstatement — typically 5 to 10 business days. Your ignition interlock device remains installed during this period, but you cannot legally drive. If you drive on a suspended license during this window, you trigger a new violation and extend both your SR-22 and interlock requirements. The three-year SR-22 clock does not reset after a lapse in Washington, unlike many other states. You still owe the original three years measured from the violation date. But the DOL can extend your suspension if the lapse period exceeds 30 days, requiring a new compliance hearing before reinstatement.

Most first-offense DUI drivers in Washington complete their one-year ignition interlock requirement two years before their SR-22 filing period ends. You can remove the device after the DOL confirms your compliance period is complete, but you must maintain SR-22 insurance for the remaining two years. Once the device is removed, your insurance rate typically drops 10% to 20% at the next renewal. Carriers view active interlock as higher risk than post-interlock SR-22 filing alone. You remain in a non-standard tier until the full three-year SR-22 period ends, but the rate decrease after device removal is immediate for most carriers. Do not cancel your SR-22 policy after removing the interlock device. The DOL does not send a notice when your SR-22 requirement ends — you must track the three-year period yourself. Cancelling early triggers the same suspension and reinstatement process as a lapse during the interlock period.