Texas insurance glossary
Ignition interlock device
An ignition interlock device is a court-ordered breath tester wired into a vehicle, which prevents the engine starting unless the driver provides a clean specimen.
It is a court condition rather than an insurance product, and it is ordered in the criminal case — commonly as a condition of bond or of an occupational driver license, and required outright in some circumstances.
The device logs. Failed tests and missed retests are reported, and a report can put the driver back in front of the court, so the practical burden is compliance over months rather than the installation itself.
It does not replace a filing. A driver can be required to carry an interlock and to keep an SR-22 on file at the same time, for different authorities and different reasons.
Sources: Texas DPS — Administrative License Revocation (ALR) program; Texas Transportation Code ch. 724 — Implied Consent; Texas DPS — suspensions and reinstatements. Verified .
A definition, not legal advice and not a quote. Rules and figures change; confirm your own situation against the source named above, or with us, before you act on it. Last checked .
Where this is handled
A definition does not file anything. When the suspension date is closer than the research, one independent agency on FM 1959 can transmit the SR-22 to the DPS and tell you what the state wants before you pay anyone anything.