Suspended Registration Ticket Lawyer – Not your Ordinary Traffic Ticket

By Susan Veltry | June 3, 2023

Suspended Registration Charge - Not an Ordinary Traffic Ticket

A suspended registration ticket is not an ordinary traffic violation – it is a misdemeanor (criminal) charge which requires the assistance of an experienced suspended registration attorney in order to avoid all of the serious legal consequences related thereto.

Suspended Registration Ticket Vs. Unregistered Motor Vehicle Ticket

The Difference between an Unregistered Motor Vehicle Violation and a Suspended Registration Charge:

  • Unregistered Motor Vehicle charge (VTL Section 401)

    • A simple traffic violation.
    • You are generally ticketed for this if you failed to register your vehicle or your registration has expired.

  • Suspended Registration charge (VTL Section 512)

    • A misdemeanor (criminal) charge
    • You are charged with this if your registration has been suspended or revoked by the DMV for one of several reasons including those listed below.

Driving with a Suspended License - The Penalties

  • Criminal Record
    • Driving with a suspended registration is a misdemeanor offense in New York. Those who are convicted under VTL 512 will have a permanent criminal record. 
  • Fines
    • The fine for driving with a suspended registration is $50 - $100 plus mandatory surcharges. Second and third convictions risk even higher fines.
  • Jail time
    • A first offense of driving with a suspended registration can result in a sentence of up to 30 days. A second offense within 18 months can result in a sentence of up to 90 days and a third offense can result in a sentence of up to 180 days.

 

Reinstate a Suspended Registration

Why is my Registration Suspended and How Can I Fix my Suspended Registration?

There are several reasons your registration can be suspended:

  • Unpaid tolls, red light camera violations or parking tickets
    • In this case, the outstanding fines must be paid in order to lift the suspension. You may be able to negotiate a payment arrangement with the agency.
  • Insurance Lapse
    • If your automobile insurance lapses, the DMV will suspend your registration. The methods to reinstating your suspended registration are as follows:
      • If the insurance lapse is 90 DAYS OR LESS you can either:
        • Surrender your license plates to the DMV:  Surrender your license plates to the DMV and serve a registration suspension for the same number of days as your insurance lapse; OR
        • Retain your license plates:  You can reinstate your registration and keep your license plates if you immediately secure insurance coverage and pay an insurance lapse civil penalty. The civil penalty is determined by the number of days that you were uninsured.  The penalty is:
          • $8 per day for the first 30 days;
          • $10 per day for the next 30 days; and
          • $12 per day for the next 30 days.
          • Note that you cannot choose this option if you already paid a civil penalty in the last 36 months
      • If the Insurance Lapse was MORE THAN 90 DAYS:
        • If your insurance lapse was more than 90 days, you cannot retain your license plates.  You will have to surrender your plates to the DMV and serve a registration suspension for the same number of days as your insurance lapse

Suspended Registration Defenses

There are two common defenses to a driving with a suspended registration charge:

  1. That the suspension was not valid (i.e., there was no insurance lapse); or
  2. That you were not the owner of the vehicle and did not know that the registration was suspended.

If there is no true defense, then it is important that you retain the services of a skilled suspended registration attorney who knows the laws and the best possible way to convince a prosecutor to negotiate the charges to reduce the charge from a misdemeanor (criminal charge) to a simple traffic violation.

Speak to a Suspended Registration Lawyer

Traffic Ticket Lawyer, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, Suspended Licensed Restoration - Susan Veltry

Suspended Registration Lawyer - Available 24/7

Veltry Law, PC has been successfully fighting Suspended Registration charges and assisting our clients in reinstating their Suspended Registrations in Suffolk County, Nassau County & NYC for over 30 years.  We will vigorously defend your charges to avoid a criminal record and protect your driving privileges.

Feel free to visit our website to learn more about our practice or call us 24/7 for a free consultation.

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