Driver's License Revocation and Restoration in North Carolina

Ella Demers

Elon University School of Law

If your driver’s license is revoked or has been suspended due to traffic violations, unpaid fines, failing to appear in court, or DWI, it can be detrimental to your daily life. Getting your driver’s license revoked can cause getting to and from work, going to the grocery store and maintaining a social life much more difficult and burdensome. Luckily, restoring your driver’s license is much easier than you think, especially with the help of a Greensboro lawyer. 

There are several reasons that your license may be revoked or suspended.

First, your license may be suspended for a failure to appear. If you have a court date for a traffic violation and you fail to appear, your driver’s license will be suspended unless you hire an attorney or contact the court on your own and reschedule within 20 days. In order to reinstate your license if you have failed to appear in court, you must: (1) attend your new court date; (2) pay an administrative penalty for missing he initial court appearance; (3) pay your traffic ticket and any court costs; and (4) pay the reinstatement fee for your driver’s license. It can be risky, however, to just pay off a ticket without the advice and assistance of counsel, because you could plead guilty to a charge that suspends your license anyway.

Second, your driver’s license may be suspended due to a traffic violation, such as a speeding ticket. Some speeds can suspend your license immediately. Furthermore, for each traffic violation there are points that are placed on your license, and if you reach 12 points in three years, your license will be suspended for 60 days or potentially longer if there is prior history of suspensions on your record. To get your driver’s license back in this case, you must satisfy the terms of the suspension on your license and pay a $70 restoration fee and a $50 service fee if you fail to surrender your license before the start of the suspension. In some cases, a traffic lawyer in Greensboro may help you get a limited privilege to drive during a suspension period.

Third, your license may be revoked or suspended for failing to pay a fine or a ticket, even if it is a relatively minor offense such as a seatbelt violation or expired tags. In order to restore your driver’s license in this case, you must pay the restoration fee and the service fee if it is applicable to you. 

Finally, your license may be suspended or revoked due to a DWI. In North Carolina, Driving While Impaired offenses are taken very seriously and will result in an automatic driver’s license suspension. Sometimes you can’t get your license restored for a DWI unless you have a hearing scheduled to request that your driving privileges restored. If you are successful at the administrative hearing, you must pay a reinstatement fee of $140 along with other court costs associated with the case. You could also be required to participate in substance abuse treatment courses prior to reinstatement, as well as comply with additional conditions on your license such as an ignition interlock device or a lower Blood Alcohol concentration than the 0.08 legal limit. 

If your driver’s license is currently suspended and are unsure how to get your driving privileges back, we are here to help. Here at Aberle and Wall, our experienced attorneys will advocate for your best interests in the courtroom and help restore your driver’s license. Call our office today to get started on restoring your license with your Greensboro traffic case.