Which offences trigger a mandatory interlock order, how long it lasts, what it costs, and the narrow circumstances in which a court can grant an exemption.
The Mandatory Alcohol Interlock Program (MAIP) requires eligible drink driving offenders to install an approved alcohol interlock device in any vehicle they drive. The vehicle cannot be started unless the driver provides a zero-alcohol breath sample, and further random samples are required at intervals while driving.
MAIP was first introduced on 1 February 2015 for refusal, high range and repeat offences, then significantly expanded on 3 December 2018 to cover first-time Mid Range PCA and DUI offences involving alcohol under section 112.
| Offence | 1st Offence | 2nd+ Offence |
|---|---|---|
| Novice / Special / Low Range PCA | Not mandatory | Mandatory only where the first offence was any other alcohol-related major offence — min 12 mo |
| Mid Range PCA | Mandatory — min 12 mo | Mandatory — min 24 mo |
| High Range PCA | Mandatory — min 24 mo | Mandatory — min 48 mo |
| Refusal of breath analysis | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| DUI (s.112) — alcohol only | Mandatory — min 24 mo | Mandatory — min 48 mo |
Under section 212(3) of the Road Transport Act 2013, a court may grant an interlock exemption order in narrow circumstances, but only if you apply at the time of sentencing — it cannot be granted or applied for after the fact.
Except under the severe-hardship ground (first Mid Range PCA offence or first mid-range combined alcohol and drug offence), you cannot get an exemption simply because you can’t afford the device, because it would prevent you working, or because the registered owner of a shared vehicle won’t consent.
If granted an exemption, you face a longer straight disqualification instead of the interlock program, and Transport for NSW may require you to complete a drink-driving education program (such as the Sober Driver Program).
Unlike Queensland, which offers a Work Licence allowing restricted driving during disqualification, NSW has no equivalent scheme. Your only lawful options during a disqualification are to serve the full period, or — where an interlock order applies — to drive using an interlock-fitted vehicle once you hold an interlock licence.
Understanding your obligations — and whether an exemption might genuinely apply to you — is critical before your sentencing date. Prepare your submission properly.
MAIP is a NSW scheme requiring certain drink driving offenders to install an approved alcohol interlock device in any vehicle they drive for a set minimum period. The vehicle will not start unless the driver first provides a zero-alcohol breath sample, with further random samples required while driving.
Since expansion in two phases (1 February 2015 and 3 December 2018), mandatory interlock orders now apply to: repeat Novice, Special or Low Range PCA offences (only where the first offence was any other alcohol-related major offence); first and repeat Mid Range PCA; first and repeat High Range PCA; first and repeat combined alcohol and drug driving; refusing a breath analysis; and first and repeat DUI (driving under the influence) offences involving alcohol.
You must pay for the installation, ongoing monitoring, and removal of the device through an approved interlock provider. Costs vary by provider but commonly run to several hundred dollars for installation plus an ongoing monthly fee for the duration of the program.
Only in limited circumstances, and only if requested at the time of sentencing. Under section 212(3) of the Road Transport Act 2013, you must prove you have no access to a vehicle, have a diagnosed medical condition preventing you from providing a breath sample, or (only for a first Mid Range PCA offence, or a first mid-range combined alcohol and drug offence under section 111A(2)) that the order would cause severe hardship.
You avoid installing the device, but you serve a longer straight disqualification period instead, and Transport for NSW may require you to complete a drink-driving education program (such as the Sober Driver Program).
If you fail to install the device or otherwise don’t comply with a mandatory interlock order without an approved exemption, you are disqualified from holding a driver licence for 5 years from the date of your conviction, unless you first hold an interlock driver licence for the minimum interlock period.