Reinstating a Suspended Idaho License

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

A suspended Idaho driver's license can be reinstated through the Idaho Transportation Department once the underlying cause has been resolved and any required filings, fees, and waiting periods have been cleared. The path back to driving depends entirely on what triggered the suspension — the steps for a DUI suspension are very different from the steps for unpaid child support, an unresolved traffic ticket, or a no-insurance citation.

Why Idaho suspends a license

The most common reasons ITD suspends an Idaho driver's license:

DUI conviction — 90 days for a first offense, 1 year for a second, longer for repeat or Excessive DUI cases.
Administrative License Suspension (ALS) — 90 days for failure or refusal of chemical testing, separate from the criminal case.
Compliance points — 12 or more in 12 months, 18 or more in 24 months, or 24 or more in 36 months under the point schedule.
Failure to appear or pay — an unresolved traffic ticket sent to ITD by a court.
No-insurance citations — driving without proof of liability coverage.
Unpaid child support — reported by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Medical or vision issues — identified during a re-examination.

How long the suspension lasts

The length of the suspension depends on the offense. A typical first-DUI suspension runs 90 days with full revocation, often followed by a period of restricted driving with an ignition interlock device. A point-based suspension under the Compliance Point Schedule runs 30, 90, or 180 days depending on which threshold was crossed. Unpaid-ticket suspensions stay in effect until the underlying ticket is paid in full and ITD receives the court's clearance.

Restricted driving permit

For many DUI suspensions and some point suspensions, ITD allows a restricted driving permit after a portion of the absolute suspension period has been served. The restricted permit allows driving for limited purposes — work, medical care, school, court-ordered alcohol or drug treatment, and ignition interlock service appointments. To qualify, the driver typically must:

Be enrolled in an ignition interlock program if the suspension involved alcohol.
Have an SR-22 financial-responsibility filing on file with ITD.
Complete any court-ordered evaluation or treatment program in progress.
Pay the restricted permit fee.

SR-22 filing

An SR-22 is a financial-responsibility certificate filed by the driver's insurance carrier with ITD that verifies the driver carries at least the Idaho minimum liability of 25/50/15. The SR-22 is required for most reinstatements following a DUI, no-insurance citation, or major moving violation, and it must remain in force for at least 3 years with no lapses. Any cancellation by the carrier triggers an automatic re-suspension while the new filing is sourced.

Ignition interlock device

Idaho requires an ignition interlock device (IID) for any DUI conviction that involved a measurable BAC at or above 0.08%. The device is installed at the driver's expense (typically $70-$150 per month plus an installation fee), prevents the vehicle from starting if the driver's breath registers alcohol, and must remain in place for the period set by ITD or the sentencing court. Failed tests, missed calibrations, and tampering attempts are reported electronically and can extend the IID period.

Reinstatement fees

Idaho charges a reinstatement fee for each suspension, plus separate fees for SR-22 filing, restricted permit issuance, and ignition interlock program enrollment. The basic reinstatement fee is modest, but the cumulative cost of a DUI reinstatement (court fines, treatment, IID, SR-22 premium increase, reinstatement fees) typically runs into several thousand dollars over the first 12 months.

Reinstatement steps

To get back on the road:

Pull a current copy of your Idaho driver record to confirm the suspension end date and outstanding requirements.
Resolve the underlying issue — pay the ticket, complete the DUI course, finalize child support, or pass the medical re-examination.
Have your insurance carrier file the SR-22 if required.
Install an IID and submit the installation certificate if required.
Pay the reinstatement fee online or at an ITD driver service office.
Confirm the reinstatement in writing before driving.