My New York State License Has Been Suspended! What Do I do?

If your driver’s license has been suspended in New York, one of the first things you should do is to reach out to an experienced attorney who can help guide you through the steps of getting your driving privileges reinstated.

There are many reasons why your license might have been suspended. The process of reinstating it will differ slightly depending on what caused the suspension. If your license is suspended, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will mail you a notice (an “order”). It will be sent to the address of record found on your license. This notice will provide you with additional information about whether the time period for your suspension is definite or indefinite.

Definite Suspensions

If you received too many traffic tickets in a short period of time, were convicted of driving under the influence, or were caught driving without auto insurance, your license suspension period is probably for a set, or definite, time period.

If your license was suspended for a definite period of time, the order you receive from the DMV will explain how long the suspension will last. At the end of the suspension period, you will need to pay a fee to reinstate your driving privileges.

If the license was suspended because your auto insurance lapsed, you will have to provide proof of current insurance.

Indefinite Suspensions

Your license may be suspended for an indefinite period of time if you have unpaid child support, unpaid taxes owed to the state of New York or unpaid traffic ticket fines. Failing to answer a traffic ticket or failing to file a motor vehicle accident report can also result in an indefinite license suspension.

In the case of indefinite suspensions, you will need to pay close attention to the order you receive from the DMV, as it will provide information about what you need to do in order to remove the suspension.

If you didn’t answer one or more traffic tickets, you will need to either plead or pay the tickets before your license can be reinstated. Likewise, if you owe traffic fines, you will need to pay those fees in addition to the license suspension fee before getting your driving privileges back.

If you owe child support, you will need to work with the local child support enforcement agency or the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. If you owe taxes to New York State, you will need to work with the Department of Taxation and Finance.

When Your License is Suspended for any Reason:

Regardless of whether your license was suspended for a definite or indefinite period of time, do not drive while your license is suspended. Doing so could put you at risk for additional penalties and fines, and could make it even harder to eventually get full driving privileges restored. More importantly, you can be arrested and charged with a criminal offense.

You may be able to get a Restricted Use or Conditional driver’s license, which would allow you to drive under certain limited circumstances after showing a need to do so.

An experienced New York traffic lawyer can help you navigate through these steps and get you back behind the wheel as quickly as possible. For more information on how to proceed with your suspension, consider getting in touch with the Benjamin Goldman Law Office. We are a New York traffic ticket defense firm and have assisted thousands of motorists get their licenses reinstated. We operate throughout New York State.