No — you cannot drive yourself to get your interlock installed if your license is currently suspended, even though a court ordered the device. Driving while suspended is its own criminal offense, and the fact that you were on your way to comply with the interlock order will not shield you. To get the car to the shop legally, you have three practical choices: have a licensed driver take it, pay for a tow, or book a mobile installation that comes to you.
Why the Court Order Doesn’t Give You Permission
Driving on a suspended license is a separate criminal offense in every state, regardless of why you’re behind the wheel. Trying to comply with an interlock order does not create an exception. Police and prosecutors treat the stop the same as any other instance of driving while suspended, and judges are not obligated to go easy on you because your destination was an installation center.
Penalties escalate quickly. First-offense fines start around $100 to $1,000 in most states, and repeat offenses or suspensions tied to DUI convictions can push fines to $5,000 or higher. Even a first offense can carry up to 180 days in jail. Some states treat a fourth violation as a felony with prison time of one to five years. Many states also tack additional suspension time onto the period you’re already serving, adding anywhere from 90 days to two or more years depending on the state and your record.1National Conference of State Legislatures. Driving While Revoked, Suspended or Otherwise Unlicensed: Penalties by State
A five-mile drive to the shop can add months or years to the timeline before you get your full license back. It is not worth it.
Three Legal Ways to Get Your Car to the Shop
Ask a Licensed Driver to Take It
The simplest option is to hand the keys to a friend, family member, or anyone else with a valid license. They can drive your vehicle to the installation center and either wait through the appointment or arrange to pick the car up afterward. Most installations take about 90 minutes.
Two things to check before they drive. First, confirm your insurance covers them behind the wheel of your car. Second, if you are not the registered owner of the vehicle, the actual owner may need to be present at the appointment or provide written authorization for the device to be installed.
Call a Tow Truck
If no one is available to drive, a tow truck will haul the car to the shop. Call the installation center first to make sure they can receive a towed vehicle in their lot. For a local trip, expect to pay roughly $75 to $150. It costs more than a favor from a friend, but it removes any risk of picking up a new driving-while-suspended charge on the way.
Book a Mobile Installation
Most people don’t know this is an option. Several major interlock providers send a certified technician to your home, workplace, or another location you pick, and the technician performs the same installation they would do in the shop. Mobile service is not available in every area, so call your assigned provider and ask whether they cover your location. If they don’t, ask whether another state-approved provider does. When it’s available, it solves the transportation problem entirely.
Limited-Purpose Permits in Some States
A small number of states issue a temporary, tightly restricted permit that lets you drive to the installation appointment and back. These permits are not widely available, and where they exist they come with strict limits on the date, the time window, and sometimes the route.
Whether your state offers one depends on local law. The permit does not restore any general driving privileges — it only covers the trip to the shop. Contact the court that issued your interlock order or your state’s motor vehicle agency to ask. If you have an attorney, they likely already know whether this option exists in your jurisdiction. Do not assume you qualify because you’ve heard another state offers something similar.
What to Bring to the Appointment
Showing up without the right paperwork can delay installation, and some providers charge a rescheduling fee. Gather these before the appointment:
- A government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport. The name on the ID should match the name on your interlock order.
- The court order mandating installation, which spells out the required duration and any special conditions.
- Current vehicle registration for the car receiving the device.
- Proof of current auto insurance for the vehicle.
- Written authorization from the registered owner if the car isn’t yours. Some states require the owner’s signature to be notarized.
- Any correspondence from your state’s motor vehicle agency about the interlock requirement or your restricted license application.
Call the shop a day or two ahead to confirm exactly what they need. Requirements vary slightly by provider and by state.
Getting the Device Installed Is One Step, Not the Finish
Installation alone does not put you back on the road legally. To drive with the interlock, you need a restricted license from your state’s motor vehicle agency, and there are usually a few steps between where you are now and that license.
You have to finish any “hard suspension” first — the mandatory no-driving stretch at the start of your suspension, when even an interlock cannot get you behind the wheel. Depending on your state and offense, that runs from a few weeks to a year or more. After it ends, you file SR-22 insurance through your insurer, pay reinstatement and restricted-license fees, and submit your restricted license application. Some states require the interlock to be installed before they issue the restricted license; others issue the license first and give you a deadline to install.
Once you have the restricted license, it limits where and when you can drive. Most states allow trips to work, school, medical appointments, interlock service visits, and court-ordered programs. Driving outside those approved purposes is a violation that can restart or extend your suspension. Keep a copy of the restricted license and your court order in the vehicle at all times.
Interlock requirements themselves are widespread: 31 states plus the District of Columbia require the device for all DUI offenders, including first-time offenders, and another eight states require it for high-BAC or repeat offenders.2National Conference of State Legislatures. State Ignition Interlock Laws The specific duration you’ll serve, and the exact sequence for getting your restricted license, will be spelled out in your court order and the paperwork from your state’s motor vehicle agency. Read both closely before your installation appointment so you know what comes next.