<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-06-11</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000049615</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ID SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IDSY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001113291</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MAVROMMATIS NED</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O I.D. SYSTEMS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>123 TICE BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WOODCLIFF LAKE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>07677</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-06-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2784</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.04</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>157483</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (&quot;Common Stock&quot;), of I.D. Systems, Inc. (the &quot;Company&quot;) were withheld by the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations upon the vesting of a restricted stock award previously made to Ned Mavrommatis (the &quot;Reporting Person&quot;), as permitted under the Company's 2007 Equity Compensation Plan, as amended.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This number also includes (i) 37,500 restricted shares of Common Stock which vest as to 33 1/3 % of such shares on each of September 8, 2016, September 8, 2017 and September 8, 2018, provided that the Reporting Person is employed by the Company on each such date, (ii) 22,500 restricted shares of Common Stock which vest as to 33 1/3% of such shares on each of June 11, 2017, June 11, 2018 and June 11, 2019, provided that the Reporting Person is employed by the Company on each such date, and (iii) 15,000 restricted shares of Common Stock which vest as to 25% of such shares on each of March 24, 2017, March 24, 2018, March 24, 2019 and March 24, 2020, provided that the Reporting Person is employed by the Company on each such date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Ned Mavrommatis</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-06-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
