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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-09-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001107329</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>EHRMAN KENNETH S</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>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4541</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.98</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>622610</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 Kenneth S. Ehrman (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) 25,000 restricted shares of Common Stock which vest as to 50% of such shares on each of September 8, 2017 and September 8, 2018, provided that the Reporting Person is employed by the Company on each such date, (ii) 45,000 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, (iii) 30,000 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, (iv) 49,000 shares of Common Stock held by the IRA account of the Reporting Person's spouse, and (v) 21,600 shares of Common Stock held by the 401(k) account of the Reporting Person.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Kenneth S. Ehrman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
