Mandatory Interlock Devices In Tennessee DUI Cases

After any Tennessee DUI conviction, the court has the authority to require that a driver install an ignition interlock device on every vehicle he or she operates for 1 year after any license suspensions have ended.

If the driver has been convicted of at least 1 DUI in the last 5 years, the device is mandatory for 6 months. The court will set a maximum BAC limit for the device between 0.02 and 0.05 and have the licensing department issue the driver a license which is valid only if he or she drives with the device installed.

The court may make an exception for drivers who drive a vehicle owned by their employer for business use (as long as the driver has no personal control over the employer's business) if the employer expressly requests that the driver be allowed to drive without the device installed and places written confirmation of that fact in the vehicle. If the driver has been convicted of at least 1 DUI before or was driving without a valid license at the time of his or her current DUI, the court may also order vehicles owned by the driver's family to be equipped with an interlock device. Drivers who attempt to bypass the device by any means can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, which means a sentence of up to 1 year in jail and a fine of up to $2500.

Source: Tennessee Code Title 55 (Motor Vehicles) 55-10-412, Tennessee Code Title 40 (Criminal Procedure) 40-35-111