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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-06-11</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>2018-06-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3456</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.41</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>208989</value>
                </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, 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, as permitted under the Company's 2007 Equity Compensation Plan, as amended.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Ned Mavrommatis</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-06-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
