Alcohol interlock driving licence

What is an alcohol interlock?

An alcohol interlock is a device that prevents a vehicle from starting if the alcohol content in the driver's breath exceeds a certain limit. The limit corresponds to a blood alcohol level of approximately 0.2 per mille.

Request an alcolock-controlled right to drive from the police

The police may grant you an alcolock-controlled right to drive if you are suspected or have been found guilty of driving while intoxicated by alcohol and you are not banned from driving for any other reason. In addition, you must have the right to drive a tractor, passenger car, van, lorry or bus and a permanent address in Finland.

Request an alcolock-controlled right to drive from the police. In connection with the request, you must provide the police with a certificate stating that you have visited a physician or other health care professional to discuss intoxicant use, its health impacts and treatment options.

If you are caught driving while intoxicated, the police will confiscate your driving licence. When the police add an alcohol interlock condition to your driving licence, you will receive a temporary driving licence if necessary. After this, order a new driving licence in Traficom's My e-Services. Use the service Order a new driving licence.

Alternatively, you can order a new driving licence by submitting a driving licence application at an Ajovarma service point.

After the control period, the police usually return your old driving licence

After the alcolock-controlled right to drive expires, return the alcohol interlock driving licence to the police. In most cases, you will get your old driving licence back from the police.

If not, order a new driving licence in Traficom's My e-Services. Use the service Order a new driving licence.

Alternatively, you can order a new driving licence by submitting a driving licence application at an Ajovarma service point.

When is an alcohol interlock needed on health grounds?

In most cases, continuous alcohol abuse prevents you from obtaining a driving licence. Driving licences may also be revoked due to continuous alcohol abuse.

However, you may be granted a driving licence or keep your licence if a special condition is added to your licence, according to which you can only operate vehicles equipped with an alcohol interlock.

If the continuous alcohol abuse comes to light in connection with the monitoring of fitness to drive, the police will add an alcohol interlock condition to your driving licence. When the condition is added, you will receive a temporary driving licence from the police if necessary. After this, order a new driving licence in Traficom's My e-Services. Use the service Order a new driving licence.

Alternatively, you can order a new driving licence by submitting a driving licence application at an Ajovarma service point.

If the continuous alcohol abuse comes to light in connection with applying for a driving licence permit, the alcohol interlock condition is added to the driving licence at an Ajovarma service point. The application must be accompanied by a medical report from a physician stating that an alcohol interlock is required.

Similarly, the condition can only be removed at Ajovarma when applying for a driving licence permit. The application must be accompanied by a medical report from a physician stating that an alcohol interlock is not required.

Which vehicles can you drive with an alcohol interlock driving licence?

During the alcolock-controlled right to drive, you may only drive vehicles for which you have a valid driving licence and which have a functioning alcohol interlock.

The alcohol interlock can be installed in tractors, passenger cars, vans, lorries and buses. If necessary, several different vehicles can be equipped with an alcohol interlock.

Check that your alcohol interlock meets the requirements

You can rent or buy a used or new alcohol interlock. You may ask for alcohol interlocks from service providers installing them.

The alcohol interlock model must be approved for use in a controlled right to drive. Only some of the models on the market meet the requirements.

The alcohol interlock must be installed and adjusted appropriately. As the user, you are responsible for the regular maintenance of the alcohol interlock during its use.

The alcohol interlock is recorded in the vehicle's registration information. Therefore, a modification inspection is required for the vehicle after the alcohol interlock has been installed and removed.

Check alcohol interlocks approved for a controlled right to drive (External link)

See a list of service providers installing alcohol interlocks (External link)

How is an alcolock-controlled right to drive marked on the physical driving licence?

If you have been found guilty of driving while intoxicated or while seriously intoxicated by alcohol and the police have added the alcohol interlock condition to your driving licence, your driving licence shows the special condition 111. If the alcohol interlock has been added on health grounds, the special condition code on the driving licence is 113.

In both cases, the card also has the special condition 69, which is used uniformly in all EU countries. The code indicates that the driver may only drive vehicles equipped with an alcohol interlock.

See also

Read more about alcohol interlocks on the police website (External link)