Need an Alcohol Interlock Licence? Call Melanie Coxon on 021-911-133 now!

Law Change July 1 2018 Alcohol Interlock Required for first-time offenders who blow over 800 or blood alcohol is over 160

If this is your first drink-drive offence and your breath alcohol level was over 800 or your blood level was over 160, then the new law change requires that the Judge make an order requiring you to have an alcohol interlock* installed in your vehicle (a 28-day standdown applies as it also does for a limited licence) * There are very limited reasons when a first-time drink-drive offender who blew over 800 or has a blood reading over 160, you may be excused from having an interlock device installed in your vehicle. ie; If they do not own or have access to a vehicle. Suffer respiratory problems such as Asthma; drive an electric car. Live outside an interlock service area.

If you are facing a 2nd drink-drive charge within 5 years and you are pleading guilty then the sentencing judge is required by law to order you to have an Alcohol Interlock device installed in your vehicle and an Interlock Licence.

The Cost of an Alcohol Interlock

The standard install cost of Interlock $175; Subsidized Install cost $150

The monthly unsubsidized rental cost is between $175 per month.  The monthly subsidized rental cost is $125 per month. This is less than the cost of six packages of cigarettes a month or six dozen Stienlagers a month.

How an Alcohol Interlock Works

An alcohol ignition interlock is a breath alcohol tester which is wired into your vehicle's ignition system.

The interlock requires a breath sample before your vehicle is started and will also call for random breath samples as you drive.

If you have alcohol present in your breath your vehicle will not start.

All of the data from the interlock is recorded in the Datalog and this information is downloaded each month at a service centre and collated into a report.

These programs are viewed by the NZTA at your exit from the programme.

12 Steps how to learn not to drink & drive

1) The Judge imposes an alcohol interlock sentence on you.

2) You must first complete a 3 month driving disqualification.

3) During this period of disqualification you must call an approved alcohol interlock Installer.

4) At the end of your 3 month disqualification you must apply for an alcohol interlock licence from a licencing agency such as the AA.

5) You must then call an approved interlock installer to arrange a time to install the interlock device at the service centre nearest to you.

6) At the arranged appointment time you take your vehicle to the service centre to get the interlock device fitted which will take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. Cost $175-$200 + $175 monthly rental fee paid in advance.

7) Each following month you must take your vehicle into the closest service centre and get the data downloaded from your interlock device and calibrated.

8) After at least 12 months of the interlock programme you may then apply to the NZTA for permission to remove the interlock.

9) Next you apply to a licencing agency for a zero alcohol licence which lasts for 3 years.

10) You call the interlock installation agency that put in your device to make an appointment to get the interlock device removed.

11) You now take your zero alcohol licence to the service centre to get your interlock device removed.

12) You now have 3 years on a zero alcohol licence before you can apply to a driver licensing agency for a standard licence.