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Ignition Interlock After a Texas DWI: What to Do
Separate the court order, the device and your driving privilege.
In short: An ignition interlock order and permission to drive are separate matters. Read the court order, arrange compliant installation and check your DPS license status. A device does not clear an unrelated suspension. Before removal, obtain the required authorization and confirm that the license restriction has also been addressed.
Explore this page 11 sections
Can an interlock be required before a conviction?
Yes. Code of Criminal Procedure 17.441 addresses interlock conditions on release for specified charges, including subsequent DWI and DWI with a passenger younger than 15. It includes a best-interest-of-justice exception. Read the actual signed bond order rather than assuming that a device is required only after sentencing.
Under that article, the installation requirement is before the 30th day after release on bond. This is not permission to disregard an earlier date in your order. Ask counsel to clarify a conflict promptly, and keep proof of installation.
What are the three separate things to check?
| Item | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Court order | The vehicles covered, installation date, monitoring instructions and conditions for modification. |
| Device and service center | Installation, servicing and reporting requirements; retain receipts and appointment records. |
| DPS driving status | Whether you need a restricted interlock license and whether another suspension or restriction remains. |
Does installation automatically make my license valid?
No. Texas DPS explains that an interlock-restricted license has its own requirements, including an unexpired license and no disqualification for another reason. Installing the device does not cancel a separate suspension. If driving privileges are suspended, review the separate occupational-license process with counsel.
What records should I keep?
- The signed order and any later modification.
- Installation confirmation identifying the vehicle and device.
- Service appointments, payments and written instructions.
- Any incident report, notice or communication about a disputed reading.
- DPS correspondence about license status.
If a problem occurs, record the time and circumstances and contact the service center and your attorney promptly. Do not tamper with the device, substitute another person for a required sample or assume a disputed result can be ignored.
Can I remove it when the case ends?
Do not treat the case's end date as automatic removal approval. DPS describes required court or signed vendor-removal documentation and a separate process to remove the driver's-license restriction. Confirm what the court, provider and DPS each need before arranging removal.
What should I ask before paying a provider?
Confirm that the service center is DPS-certified, that it can meet the order's deadline, where required reports will go and what installation, service and removal charges apply. The monitoring fee described in a statute is not necessarily the provider's total price. Obtain the terms in writing.
Bring your documents to the first consultation. Our team can identify the county, pending case and documents that need attorney review; the free first consultation is with a Director of Client Engagement.
How do I get started?
The first consultation is free. It is with a Director of Client Engagement, not an attorney. Clients who hire us work with an attorney. Call (214) 239-2013. Phones are answered 24/7, with AI covering when no staff is free.
Last updated October 2026
Common questions
Does an ignition interlock end a license suspension?
No. Device compliance and driving privileges are separate. An unrelated suspension can remain in effect.
Can an interlock be ordered while a Texas DWI case is pending?
Yes. Code of Criminal Procedure 17.441 provides for interlock bond conditions for specified charges, subject to its exception.
Can I remove the device as soon as my case ends?
Do not assume that you can. Confirm the required removal authorization and the separate DPS license-restriction process first.
Do not wait for your court date to get help. Call (214) 239-2013.
Phones are answered 24/7, with AI covering when no staff is free.
This page provides general information about Texas law. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.