Fees and Civil Penalties

If your driver license has been suspended for a definite period, such as 30 days, 90 days, etc., your license will not be returned until you pay a non-refundable $25 suspension termination fee.

In most cases, if your license has been revoked, you may not apply for a new license until you pay a non-refundable $50 re-application fee. This fee is not required if your license was revoked due to operating without insurance or if you had been issued a conditional or restricted use license.

After the following revocations, you must pay a civil penalty to DMV before your application for a new license can be accepted:

• Operating without insurance or uninsured accident: $750 civil penalty.
• Chemical test refusal: $300 civil penalty ($350 if while operating commercial motor vehicle).
• Chemical test refusal within five years of a prior alcohol, drug or refusal-related revocation: $750 civil penalty.
• Zero Tolerance Law suspension: $125 civil penalty and $100 suspension termination fee.

DRIVER RESPONSIBILITY ASSESSMENTS

In addition to paying any fines, fees, penalties and surcharges authorized by law, you may have to pay a "Driver Responsibility Assessment" for certain violations that occur on or after November 18, 2004, that result in a conviction or administrative finding.  Your learner permit, driver license, or driving privileges will be suspended if you do not make these payments.

If you are convicted of Driving Wile Intoxicated (DWI), Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) or Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, or if you are found to have refused to submit to a chemical test, you will be required to pay a driver responsibility assessment of $250 each year for the next three years.

If you are convicted of one or more traffic violations resulting in six points in any 18-month period, you will be required to pay $100 each year for the next three years.  For each additional point accumulated during that period, you will be required to pay another $25 per point every year for three years.  For information about how points are assessed, see "The Point System" in this chapter.  Completion of a motor vehicle accident prevention course will not reduce the calculation of points affecting the driver responsibility assessment.

DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED

It is a criminal violation to drive while your license is suspended or revoked, and there are mandatory fines from $200 to $5,000. You also may face mandatory imprisonment or probation, and seizure and possible forfeiture of the vehicle being driven. More severe penalties apply to drivers who are caught driving while intoxicated or impaired by alcohol or drugs while their licenses or privileges are already under suspension or revocation for a previous alcohol or drug-related incident, and to drivers caught driving with 10 or more suspensions for failure to answer traffic tickets or pay fines. In addition, drivers with 20 or more suspensions for failure to answer tickets or pay fines face a criminal charge, even if not driving when caught. The penalties for driving while suspended or revoked are described in detail in the publication Suppose Your License Were Taken Away (C-12) available from the DMV Internet Office, by request from a DMV Call Center, and at any motor vehicle office.