What an ignition interlock costs in Washington
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Washington publishes its own figures rather than leaving it all to vendors: up to $250 to fit the device and $150 to $191 a month while it stays on the car. Removal is billed separately at the end of the term.
Three charges make up the bill, not one: fitting the device, keeping it on the car, and taking it out at the end. Over a full term the monthly fee is the bulk of it, which is why a cheap installation on a long requirement costs more than a dearer one on a short.
What Washington lets a provider charge
| Charge | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | $250 | plus a $10 State Patrol installation fee |
| Monthly | $150–$191 | $150 lease + $15 calibration + $21 state licensing fee + $5 State Patrol calibration fee |
| Removal | $100 | Taking the device out at the end of your term |
State guidance figure · Ignition Interlock Device Compliance and Monitoring — Washington JLARC report · effective 2026 · checked 2026-08-23
The fees nobody quotes you over the phone
These are charged on top of the three above, and they are where a cheap-looking Washington quote turns expensive.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Typical total for one year, as the legislative audit states it | about $2,700 |
| With high-risk insurance and court fines | around $5,000 |
| Financial assistance for low-income drivers | up to about $1,400 reimbursed; the $21 monthly fee is waived |
| Device transfer to another vehicle | assistance up to $100 a year |
- Figures come from the legislature’s own audit of provider fee schedules, not from vendor marketing.
- Calibration is required at least every 65 days.
What decides the total in Washington
The monthly fee matters less than how long you pay it, and that is set by the requirement rather than the provider. In Washington a first offense carries for the remainder of the suspension, revocation or denial — you may apply at any point, including immediately after arrest The programme is run by Washington State Department of Licensing, which is also who decides whether a recorded event extends it.
That is the part worth budgeting for: events add months, and months are what the bill is made of. What counts as a violation → · All Washington rules and centers →
If you cannot pay for it in Washington
Washington is one of the states that wrote an answer into its own rules rather than leaving it to the provider:
- Financial assistance for low-income drivers — up to about $1,400 reimbursed; the $21 monthly fee is waived
- Device transfer to another vehicle — assistance up to $100 a year
None of it is automatic. You apply through Washington State Department of Licensing, and you apply before the device goes in rather than after.
Who operates in Washington, and why it changes the price
5 approved networks run in Washington: Smart Start (67), Intoxalock (65), LifeSafer (51), RoadGuard Interlock (36), Low Cost Interlock (1). Inside a state that publishes a figure the brand barely moves the bill, so choose on the drive to calibration rather than the quote.
Where it is fitted in Washington
152 certified points in our index. The busiest cities:
Cost questions in Washington
How much does an ignition interlock cost in Washington?
Washington publishes its own figures rather than leaving it all to vendors: up to $250 to fit the device and $150 to $191 a month while it stays on the car. Removal is billed separately at the end of the term.
Does Washington cap what a provider can charge?
Not as a hard ceiling. Washington publishes figures, but they are guidance rather than a cap, so the number tells you what is normal rather than what is forbidden. Get a second quote if yours sits well above it.
What else does Washington charge on top of the device?
Beyond what the provider bills, the state has its own charges: Typical total for one year, as the legislative audit states it about $2,700; With high-risk insurance and court fines around $5,000; Financial assistance for low-income drivers up to about $1,400 reimbursed; the $21 monthly fee is waived; Device transfer to another vehicle assistance up to $100 a year. These are the lines people are surprised by, because the vendor quote does not include them.
Where can I have an interlock fitted in Washington?
We index 152 certified installation points across 71 Washington cities. Book with a provider the state approves rather than the nearest pin on the map: time on an unapproved device does not count toward the term.