You just left the DMV with a huge stack of paperwork to complete a number of tasks to complete your requirements to have an Ignition Interlock Device installed in your vehicle. You found out that you need an IID and that it needs to be installed by an approved provider of Ignition Interlock Devices for your state. There is a large difference between taking your car to any auto repair shop that can install an IID and finding an approved provider of Ignition Interlock Devices.
This is where things can go in two different directions.
What “approved” actually means
An approved interlock provider is a vendor who has completed certification by the state to become an approved vendor. As an approved vendor, the provider meets certain technical requirements for the type of interlock devices that are used and how the interlock records are reported to the monitoring agency. The Department of Justice also tests the interlock devices to ensure that they are operating correctly. The provider also is scrutinized for the proper calibration of the interlock devices and the maintenance of the calibration records.
In essence, installation of an interlock device is not the biggest part of a person’s time when they are a restricted license holder. The biggest part of their time is ensuring that their time is not lost because of a provider that is not on an approved list. The biggest part of their time is making sure that if they do need to have an interlock device installed by a different provider that is on an approved list, that it can be done as quickly as possible and at their expense.
An approved interlock provider also makes it easier to ensure that your interlock devices can transmit all the required data to your monitoring agency. If a provider is not approved, there would be no direct connection between the devices provided by the non-approved provider and the monitoring agency. In that case, the reports from the interlock devices would have to be manually collected by the non-approved provider and then be sent to the monitoring agency by you. This would be a very time-consuming process similar to filling a bathtub with a teaspoon.
The part nobody warns you about
After the installation of an interlock device for your vehicle, there are several regular servicing and calibrations that will need to be arranged. The majority of people are under the impression that they have completed their portion of the requirements for the interlock program after the installation of the device. The reality is that you are only beginning to meet your requirements for the interlock program. Regular servicing and calibrations will need to be scheduled in order to meet the requirements of your interlock program. If a calibration is missed, a violation will be reported by your monitoring agency as a result of the late calibration.
There are a few different types of interlock devices and each has its own rules and regulations. Some devices have to be calibrated every 30 days, others every 60 days. When a restricted license holder fails to attend a required calibration appointment, his or her monitoring agency will detect a violation for the missed appointment in addition to any other violation for an invalid reading. When a license holder is cited for a missed appointment, it does not matter if the device he or she was using was working properly or not. And these appointments can be a real grind. But, there are good approved providers that can make these easy for you. They can set up all of your required appointments and send you reminders when they are due. They can also keep track of all of your required appointments for you.
They will make sure all the required appointments are set and recorded for you. Many providers will even set up reminders for you for when your next appointment is due. At your required appointments, the interlock device will be calibrated, the device checked for tampering, and your log data reviewed for any incidents that may need to be addressed. The interlock device will then be reset for the next monitoring period.
- Calibration windows are strict. Being a few days late can trigger a violation report.
- Most approved providers let you schedule online or by phone, though availability varies by location.
- Some programs require that calibration happen at a specific certified location, not just any branch.
- Ask whether your provider’s locations are convenient to where you actually live and work, not just where they appear on a map.
Local Program Knowledge (LPK) matters!
As stated before, every state has their own twist and turn in their interlock programs. Many courts and monitoring agencies within states run their interlock programs separately. For an example Virginia has ASAP which is Alcohol Safety Action Program and includes the courts and DMV. ASAP would require an ASAP approved provider and one who is knowledgeable with monitoring requirements and local program contacts for the state of Virginia. If someone were looking for an interlock service provider in the Shenandoah Valley then looking up an ASAP approved provider in Harrisonburg would be the best place to start.
If you are a Shenandoah Valley area resident with a need for an ASAP approved interlock in Harrisonburg, Virginia you would do well to start your search for an interlock provider by looking up Harrisonburg Virginia ASAP approved interlock approved providers in the Harrisonburg, VA area. The local ASAP approved providers for interlocks will have experience installing interlocks as well as monitoring the drivers of Shenandoah Valley area residents in Harrisonburg, VA. In addition to installation and monitoring of the interlocked vehicle, local providers can assist the monitored driver with any service needs that may arise with the interlock installed on their vehicle as well as service needs of the monitored driver’s other vehicles as well. As opposed to many of the national interlock companies who operate as if every state were just a box on a long list of states where they are approved to sell interlocks, approved providers in the local Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia have experience and knowledge of how to service the needs of customers in Harrisonburg, VA as well as other locations throughout the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia as well as other locations throughout the state of Virginia as well. RoadGuard Interlock has locations in many states and can be of assistance to individuals in need of an interlock device from locations throughout the country as well.
This is to prevent back and forth between the install company and the case manager. In a program with strict deadlines, the worst thing is to have the case manager to ask the same questions of the install company multiple times. Install companies in local programs have the knowledge to work within local programs. They have knowledge of the specific documentation that a case manager would require for certain paperwork and can complete it in the correct language. They have knowledge of who to contact within a monitoring agency to address ambiguous situations. This is to prevent back and forth.
A quick comparison: approved vs. non-approved providers
| Feature | Approved provider | Non-approved provider |
| Counts toward program requirements | Yes | No |
| Direct reporting to monitoring agency | Yes | No |
| Calibration on certified equipment | Yes | Not guaranteed |
| Familiar with state-specific requirements | Usually | Unlikely |
Questions worth asking before you commit
Not all approved providers are created equal. Just because a provider is approved does not mean that they are good to work with.
- Are you on the current approved provider list for my state and specific program?
- How do you transmit data to my monitoring agency, and how often?
- What happens if I have a device malfunction between calibration visits?
- Do you have a location near where I live that can handle my required calibration schedule?
The honest bottom line
There are going to be many stresses that come with having an interlock installed on your vehicle. Dealing with an interlock company is just part of the mix of stresses that you are going to have to deal with while trying to comply with an interlock program. But dealing with a good interlock company that is approved to do business in your state can take a huge amount of frustration away from your dealing with an interlock program.
However, there are many aspects of an interlock program that an approved provider can make easier to understand for those in need of an interlock. For example, an approved provider can ensure that the reports are submitted to the correct monitoring agency. In addition, the approved provider can ensure that the device is functioning correctly to clear the blowing of the bar in a blow test.
Not everything. But honestly? A lot.