2012 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes
Title 75 - VEHICLES
Chapter 38 - Driving after Imbibing Alcohol or Utilizing Drugs
Section 3805 - Ignition interlock

§ 3805.  Ignition interlock.

(a)  General rule.--If a person violates section 3802 (relating to driving under influence of alcohol or controlled substance) and, within the past ten years, has a prior offense as defined in section 3806(a) (relating to prior offenses) or has had their operating privileges suspended pursuant to section 1547(b.1) (relating to chemical testing to determine amount of alcohol or controlled substance) or 3808(c) (relating to illegally operating a motor vehicle not equipped with ignition interlock) and the person seeks a restoration of operating privileges, the department shall require as a condition of issuing a restricted license pursuant to this section that the following occur:

(1)  Each motor vehicle owned by the person or registered to the person has been equipped with an ignition interlock system and remains so for the duration of the restricted license period.

(2)  If there are no motor vehicles owned by the person or registered to the person that the person so certify to the department. A person so certifying shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirement that all motor vehicles owned by the person or registered to the person be equipped with an ignition interlock system as required by this subsection.

(b)  Application for a restricted license.--A person subject to this section shall apply to the department for an ignition interlock restricted license under section 1951 (relating to driver's license and learner's permit), which shall be clearly marked to restrict the person to only driving, operating or being in actual physical control of the movement of motor vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock system. Upon issuance of an ignition interlock restricted license to any person, the department shall notify the person that until the person obtains an unrestricted license the person may not own, register, drive, operate or be in actual physical control of the movement of any motor vehicle which is not equipped with an ignition interlock system.

(c)  Issuance of unrestricted license.--One year from the date of issuance of an ignition interlock restricted license under this section, if otherwise eligible, a person may be issued a replacement license under section 1951(d) that does not contain the ignition interlock system restriction.

(d)  Prohibition.--Except as set forth in subsections (e) and (f), until the person obtains an unrestricted license, the person may not own, register, drive, operate or be in actual physical control of the movement of any motor vehicle within this Commonwealth unless the motor vehicle is equipped with an ignition interlock system.

(e)  Economic hardship exemption.--A person subject to the requirements of subsection (a) may apply to the department for a hardship exemption to the requirement that an ignition interlock system must be installed in each of the person's motor vehicles. Where the department determines that the applicant establishes that such a requirement would result in undue financial hardship, the department may permit the applicant to install an ignition interlock system on only one of the applicant's motor vehicles. However, the applicant in accordance with section 3808 (relating to illegally operating a motor vehicle not equipped with ignition interlock) shall be prohibited from driving, operating or being in actual physical control of the movement of any motor vehicle, including any of the applicant's motor vehicles, which is not equipped with an ignition interlock system.

(f)  Employment exemption.--If a person with a restricted license is required in the course and scope of employment to drive, operate or be in actual physical control of the movement of a motor vehicle owned by the person's employer, the following apply:

(1)  Except as set forth in paragraph (2), the person may drive, operate or be in actual physical control of the movement of that motor vehicle in the course and scope of employment without installation of an ignition interlock system if:

(i)  the employer has been notified that the employee is restricted; and

(ii)  the employee has proof of the notification in the employee's possession while driving, operating or being in actual physical control of the movement of the employer's motor vehicle. Proof of the notification may be established only by the notarized signature of the employer acknowledging notification on a form which shall be provided by the department for this purpose and shall include a contact telephone number of the employer.

(2)  Paragraph (1) does not apply in any of the following circumstances:

(i)  To the extent that an employer-owned motor vehicle is made available to the employee for personal use.

(ii)  If the employer-owned motor vehicle is owned by an entity which is wholly or partially owned by the person subject to this section.

(iii)  If the employer-owned motor vehicle is a school bus; a school vehicle; or a vehicle designed to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver.

(g)  Prohibition of authorization.--This section shall not give the department authorization to impose an ignition interlock requirement on a person that has committed an offense under former section 3731 prior to October 1, 2003, without the issuance of a court order.

(h)  Department approval.--An ignition interlock system required to be installed under this title must be a system which has been approved by the department. The department's approval of ignition interlock systems shall be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Systems approved for use under former 42 Pa.C.S. § 7002(d) (relating to ignition interlock systems for driving under the influence) and any contracts for the installation, maintenance and inspection of the systems in effect as of the effective date of this section shall continue to be approved and in effect until the department again publishes approval of ignition interlock systems in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and enters into new contracts in support of the systems.

(h.1)  Mobile installation services.--

(1)  Approved service providers of department-certified manufacturers of ignition interlock systems shall be permitted to provide mobile installation of ignition interlock systems within this Commonwealth.

(2)  Mobile installation of ignition interlock systems shall be held to the same security and procedural standards as provided in specifications of the department.

(3)  Approved service providers of mobile installation of ignition interlock systems shall not permit the program participant or any unauthorized personnel to witness the installation of the ignition interlock system.

(4)  Regular maintenance of ignition interlocks after mobile installation shall be performed according to the specifications established by the department.

(i)  Offenses committed during a period for which an ignition interlock restricted license has been issued.--Except as provided in sections 1547(b.1) and 3808(c) (relating to illegally operating a motor vehicle not equipped with ignition interlock), any driver who has been issued an ignition interlock restricted license and as to whom the department receives a certified record of a conviction of an offense for which the penalty is a cancellation, disqualification, recall, suspension or revocation of operating privileges shall have the ignition interlock restricted license recalled, and the driver shall surrender the ignition interlock restricted license to the department or its agents designated under the authority of section 1540 (relating to surrender of license). Following the completion of the cancellation, disqualification, recall, suspension or revocation which resulted in the recall of the ignition interlock restricted license, the department shall require that the person complete the balance of the ignition interlock restricted license period previously imposed prior to the issuance of a replacement license under section 1951(d) that does not contain an ignition interlock restriction.

(Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1667, No.211, eff. June 30, 2007; May 11, 2006, P.L.159, No.37, eff. 60 days)

2006 Amendment.  Act 37 added subsec. (h.1).

2004 Amendment.  Act 211 amended subsec. (a).

Special Provisions in Appendix.  See section 20(1) of Act 24 of 2003 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to duties of department.

Cross References.  Section 3805 is referred to in sections 1547, 1553, 3808 of this title.