Penalties

Penalties

The severity of a penalty depends on the severity of the infraction committed. Here is a list of penalties for the most common infractions.

Driving on a Suspended or Revoked License

If you are cited for driving on a revoked or suspended license your vehicle may be impounded by the law enforcement agency for up to 30 days.

Failure to Appear or Pay Fine for Traffic Citation

Your driver license will not be issued or renewed if MVD has been notified that you have not appeared in court for a traffic violation charge. When you are cited for a traffic violation, your signature on the citation is a promise to appear in traffic court. If you fail to appear in court, or fail to pay a fine, the court may direct MVD to suspend your driving privilege. When you have satisfied the court, you may take the court documents to any driver license office to apply for reinstatement of your driving privilege.

If you are under 18, your driving privilege may be suspended for failure to appear in court, pay a fine or failure to comply with any court order.

Altered or Fictitious License

It is unlawful to display any license that you know is canceled, revoked, suspended, fictitious or altered. It is also illegal to alter a license or obtain a false driver license. These actions will result in your driving privilege being suspended; you are also subject to possible fines and/or a jail sentence.

    Aggressive Driving

    You may be cited for aggressive driving if you commit a series of acts during a single, continuous period of driving that presents an immediate hazard to another person or vehicle, exceed the posted speed limit and commit two of the following violations.

    • Failure to obey traffic control signs or signals
    • Passing another vehicle on the right side
    • Unsafe lane change
    • Following too close
    • Failure to yield to emergency vehicles

    These are the penalties for aggressive driving:

    • First offense: You will be required to attend a Traffic Survival School course and your license may be suspended for 30 days.
    • Second and subsequent offenses: If you commit a second offense within 24 months, you are guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and your license will be revoked for 12 months.

    Red-Light Running

    If you run a red light (or flashing red light) you must attend Traffic Survival School for each conviction that MVD receives. If you fail to attend, your driving privilege will be suspended until the class is completed.

    Failure to Stop at an Accident

    If you are a driver involved in an accident where there is damage to a vehicle, injury or death, you are required by law to stop your vehicle at the scene of the accident, or as close as possible and immediately return to the scene. You must remain at the scene to

    • provide aid to any injured person, including making arrangements for medical treatment.
    • provide your name, address and license plate number.
    • show your driver license to any person involved, if requested.

    Conviction for failure to comply will result in your driving privilege being

    • revoked for 10 years (not including the time you are incarcerated), if involving death.
    • revoked for five years (not including the time you are incarcerated), if involving serious physical injury.
    • revoked for three years if involving injury other than death or serious physical injury.
    • suspended for one year if involving only damage to a vehicle.

    For questions, contact MVD.