On an Alcohol Interlock Sentence you will need to obtain a licence from the NZTA called an “Alcohol Interlock Licence” at a cost of approx NZ$200.00 after your stand down disqualification period has ended. The NZTA will discuss with you the issues about your drivers licence and you need to complete am NZTA DL8 Form.
You will then to make an appointment with an alcohol interlock device provider such as Smart Start Interlocks Limited (telephone 0800 002 182) or Drager New Zealand Limited (0800 372 437) to fit a vehicle fitted with an alcohol interlock device.
You will need to pay for the interlocks installation and a monthly rental fee for at least 12 months. It is an reasonably affordable cost (of approx $183.00 per month which is $45.75 per week) however if you have financial issues and need help to fund the interlock programme costs you can apply for a subsidy to help with costs if you meet the subsidy eligibility criteria.
Each month you take the vehicle back to the provider’s local service center and get the device calibrated, uplift new mouth pieces to blow into and have a service.
The device will keep record of your readings and at the end of 12 months on it you can apply to come of the Alcohol Interlock Licence if you are in compliance with the programme and you would then go onto a Zero Alcohol Licence for a 3 year period which has a licence fee at the NZTA of $66.40.
If you comply with the Zero Alcohol Licence then after 3 years you can apply to get your full licence back which has a NZTA fee of approx $66.40.
The theme of the alcohol interlock programme whether you are on an Alcohol Interlock Licence or the Zero Alcohol Licence is have zero alcohol on your breath if you want to drive a vehicle. The whole point is to stop you from drink driving and to stop drink driving offences. The interlock teaches you what a zero reading is. The vehicle will not start if you have been drinking alcohol and alcohol on your breath. After you prove to the NZTA after 12 months that you can master driving with zero alcohol on your breath then you can apply to remove the interlock device and apply to get the Zero Alcohol Licence.
The alcohol interlock device can be fitted to a car and on trucks.
You must pay the fees for each interlock device that you want put in a vehicle that you wish to drive.
The idea is to keep you safe from drink driving again and to keep the public safe.
An Alcohol Interlock Licence a good licence as it can be used for both work purposes and personal driving needs. Most people just have the interlock one one vehicle. However for example you could if you needs to drive a car and a truck for your job you could drive both vehicles if you put an interlock device on both vehicles. There is no restriction on purposes for driving and unless on a restricted drivers licence there is no restriction on the hours to be driven per day and no log book is required to be kept of your driving mileage. If you are a truck driver with an interlock on your truck then of course you must comply also comply with the usual heavy traffic rules for your rest and break times as usual.
Thus an Alcohol Interlock Licence is much more flexible than a Limited Licence as the purposes for driving are not limited on an Alcohol Interlock Licence.
What is restricted on an Alcohol Interlock Licence is what vehicle you can drive as you can only drive a vehicle with an interlock fitted to it and you must comply with the providers directions, pay the fees and if you want the vehicle to start you need to have no alcohol on your breath.
If you want to then get off the Alcohol Interlock Licence at the end of 12 months then you must show no violations for trying to drive with alcohol on your breath for the last 6 months of the 12 months minimum period.
If you have violations of attempting to start the vehicle with alcohol on your breath in that last 6 to 3 month period of your 12 month minimum period it will be suggested that should go to counselling as the interlock will need to stay on longer as you will be not deemed not ready for a Zero Alcohol Licence as you have not yet mastered driving sober with no alcohol on your breath.
FAQs about Alcohol Interlocks – Smart Start Interlocks, NZ
Smart Start – Exiting the Programme
Smart Start – Service Centres NZ Map
Smart Start – Your Guide to Corrections Funding
NZ Ministry of Justice – Alcohol-Ignition-Interlocks
NZ-alcohol-interlock-program-report – review
The following is some links to international research papers:
European Commission – Final Report 2014 – Study Alcohol Interlock