Get your license back: Suspensions for unpaid non-criminal traffic fines
Since 2023, your license can’t be suspended only for failing to pay non-criminal traffic fines. If your license was suspended prior to 2023 because of failing to pay non-criminal traffic fines, you can now ask the court for a payment plan to pay the old fines. Learn how to get your license back if it was suspended for unpaid fines from non-criminal traffic tickets, also sometimes called “civil traffic infractions.”
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1. Ticket types
How do I know if my ticket was criminal or non-criminal?
If you think your license is suspended due to an unpaid ticket, it’s important to know what type of ticket you got. It could have been a non-criminal traffic ticket or a criminal traffic ticket. Different rules apply to each type of ticket.
Non-Criminal traffic tickets. These are also called “traffic infractions” or “civil” traffic violations. These are tickets for things like speeding, faulty equipment, not having insurance, and parking tickets.
Usually, a non-criminal infraction notice will have a fine amount listed on the ticket itself.
If you have unpaid fines related to a non-criminal traffic ticket, you can ask for a payment plan or community service to pay the fine.
You also might be able to get your license back.
- Criminal traffic tickets are traffic violations that are handled in criminal court. These are often also called criminal traffic “convictions.” Some types of criminal traffic violations are driving while under the influence (DUI), hit and run, driving with a suspended license and reckless driving.
You have a right to a free public defense lawyer when you appear in court to respond to a criminal traffic offense.
If there’s no fine amount listed and the notice says that a court appearance is required, then it is a criminal traffic ticket.
If you have unpaid fines related to a criminal traffic ticket, you can ask for a hearing to reduce your legal financial obligations related to the ticket.
I have new non-criminal traffic tickets I haven’t paid. Will they suspend my license?
If you can’t pay your fine in full at one time, you can ask the court for a payment plan or to do community service instead to avoid license suspension if it hasn’t happened yet. There are specific timelines and steps to follow. Even though your license can’t be suspended for not paying the fines, it can still be suspended for other things like if you don’t go to the court hearing for your ticket.
I have old non-criminal traffic tickets I haven’t paid. Will they suspend my license?
As of 2023, DOL can no longer suspend licenses based only on unpaid non-criminal traffic fines. If your license was suspended because you didn’t pay fines, you can ask for a payment plan even if the tickets were old.
What type of traffic tickets can’t cause a license suspension?
Certain tickets can’t cause license suspension. If your license is suspended for one of these reasons, you can ask the DOL to lift the suspension. Your license can’t be suspended for:
- Traffic tickets for a moving traffic violation, like speeding, or for a non-moving violation, such as parking tickets or faulty equipment violations. But, if you don’t respond to the ticket or don’t go to your court hearing when ordered to, your license can be suspended.
- Missing a payment or not being able to pay your traffic tickets for moving traffic violations, such as speeding. But, if you don’t respond to the ticket or don’t go to your court hearing when ordered to, your license can be suspended.
- Traffic tickets issued before July 1, 2005. It doesn’t matter if they are still unpaid.
If you don’t pay them, they can still be sent to collection agencies, cause your wages or bank account to be garnished, and lower your credit rating. Don’t ignore the fines.