DUIs on a Military Base: Will You Have to Get an Ignition Interlock Device?

This blog is for general information only and is not legal advice. Always consult a qualified DUI or criminal defense attorney and your monitoring authority about your specific situation. If you’re convicted of a DUI and need to learn more about ignition interlocks, call our team at 888-283-5899.

A DUI while serving can affect your state license, your on-base driving privileges, and your military record. Here’s how ignition interlock requirements fit in.

A DUI can get complicated quickly when you serve in the military. You may have questions about your state driver’s license, your ability to drive on base, what your command may do next, and whether you need an ignition interlock device (IID).

IID requirements depend on state law, court orders, and monitoring rules. Military service adds another layer of complexity because your civilian license and your on-base driving privileges are separate.

Note: In military nomenclature, installation is an umbrella term that can include a military camp, station, post, or base. However, because we use words like ‘install’ and ‘installation’ when discussing interlocks, we’re going to use the term military base throughout this article to help eliminate any confusion.

Meghan McHaney, DSW, LCSW, founder of Trauma Treatment & Training PLLC

Veterans Day and National Impaired Driving Prevention Month offer a chance to focus on prevention. Active-duty service members and veterans have support available when alcohol or substance use starts to create problems, and reaching out before an issue arises can help to prevent a difficult situation from getting worse.

“We don’t want to [only] see them once they’re clean and sober and doing well. We want to see them right when they have the guts to say, ‘My life is unmanageable. … I don’t want to drive drunk. I don’t want to be drunk at my son’s birthday party when I missed his birthday last year because I was serving,’” says Meghan McHaney, licensed clinical social worker and founder of Trauma Treatment & Training PLLC, an Illinois-based private therapy practice.

Are IIDs Required for Military Base DUIs?

It depends. Some states require an IID after a first DUI conviction, while others consider factors such as prior offenses or blood alcohol concentration (BAC). At the same time, under 32 C.F.R. Part 634 which governs traffic on military bases, a base commander controls on-base driving privileges and may suspend or revoke them after certain driving incidents.

Federal law does not automatically require an IID after a military DUI. A court, state agency, or monitoring authority may require one and specify which vehicles need it. Intoxalock^® State Specialists can help you determine whether your vehicle can accommodate an ignition interlock device.

How Are Military Base DUIs Handled Differently?

A DUI on a military base may involve military authorities, federal law, state law, base rules, or a combination of them.

Article 113 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) addresses drunken or reckless operation of a vehicle for service members subject to the UCMJ. Depending on the facts, military authorities may also pursue disciplinary or administrative action separate from the civilian licensing process.

The information here is not legal advice, and you may want to speak with an attorney familiar with the UCMJ if you have specific questions about your case.

Can Your Military Base Commander Require You to Install an IID?

A base commander has no authority over your state driver’s license, so they can’t make you install an ignition interlock to keep it.

What they can control is your privilege to drive on the base. Under Department of Defense traffic rules (32 C.F.R. Part 634), a DUI conviction or similar finding results in mandatory revocation of on-base driving privileges for at least one year.

That applies whether or not your state requires an IID.

What’s the Difference Between On-Base Driving Privileges and a Civilian License?

You generally don’t need a separate military license to drive your personal vehicle on base. Federal rules require a valid state driver’s license, while the base commander separately controls your on-base driving privileges. After a DUI:

• Your state may restrict or suspend your civilian license.
• Your base commander may separately suspend or revoke your on-base driving privileges, including in some off-base DUI cases.

What if I’m a Service Member Arrested for a DUI?

After an arrest, check that status of your civilian license, on-base driving privileges, and any military proceedings. Each may follow a different process.

DUIs on a Military Base

A DUI on base may involve military or federal authorities, depending on the base and circumstances. Your commander may also restrict your driving privileges while the case proceeds.

An arrest alone does not determine whether you need an IID. Before scheduling an installation, call Intoxalock at 888-283-5899. A State Specialist can explain your state’s licensing rules and installation procedures and what to look for in your court order or monitoring requirements.

DUIs Off Base

An off-base DUI generally starts with civilian law enforcement, courts, and licensing agencies.

Military rules may still apply. Federal regulations allow base commanders to suspend on-base driving privileges after an intoxicated-driving incident involving active-duty personnel, even when it happens off base.

How Military and Civilian DUI Penalties Differ

Civilian DUI penalties vary by state and may include jail time, fines, license restrictions, DUI education, treatment, or an IID requirement.

Military consequences are separate and may include:

• Administrative or nonjudicial action
• Restrictions on on-base driving privileges
• Corrective training or other command action
• Effects on rank, promotion, reenlistment, or military records
• Alcohol or other substance use assessment or treatment
• Court-martial in serious cases

Article 113 of the UCMJ allows punishment for drunken operation of a vehicle. The Department of Defense also provides guidance on treatment for alcohol misuse.

Avoiding a DUI on a Military Base: Support and Tools You Can Use

The information provided here isn’t medical or legal advice.

Impaired-driving prevention also means recognizing alcohol-related concerns before you drive, says McHaney.

Alcohol misuse remains a real concern in the military. The most recent results from the Department of Defense’s Health Related Behaviors Survey, conducted by the RAND Corporation in 2018, found that binge drinking among active-duty service members rose 14% between 2015 and 2018, and heavy drinking climbed 32%.

Active-duty service members can use Department of Defense alcohol and substance misuse resources or talk with a military medical provider. Veterans can also turn to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for substance use treatment and support, including counseling, medications, and outpatient or residential care.

“We meet [military personnel or veterans] where they are, not where we want them to be,” McHaney says. “We make sure they are connected to the VA if they can be.”

Other tools may also help:

• DUI education. DUI.org explains how DUI education classes work and what to expect when a court or licensing agency requires one.

  DUI.org is owned and operated by Consumer Safety Technology, LLC, and is part of the Mindr family of brands, which includes Intoxalock, Breathe Easy Insurance Solutions, and Keepr.

• Counseling and support. Counselors, treatment programs, and recovery groups can address alcohol or substance use directly.
• Recovery and sobriety apps. Apps can help you track goals, recognize patterns, and stay connected to support.
• Personal breathalyzers. These can estimate your breath alcohol level, but they can’t tell you whether driving is safe or legal.
• Voluntary ignition interlock. Some drivers install an IID voluntarily as an extra safeguard against driving after drinking.

The Veterans Crisis Line offers 24/7 confidential support for veterans, service members, and their families. Call 988 and press 1, or text 838255, or chat confidentially online.

Intoxalock Can Help With IID Installations and Support

Intoxalock offers nearly 6,000 service center locations, and most customers are within 15 miles of an approved installation provider.

Here are the Intoxalock service centers closest to some of the largest U.S. military bases.

One call to an Intoxalock State Specialist can help you understand your state’s IID requirements and what to confirm with your court, monitoring authority, or base.

For help with installation, service, or finding a location, call an Intoxalock State Specialist at 888-283-5899.