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Do you know whether your Pennsylvania driver’s license is suspended? At first, this may sound like an unhelpful question. After all, if your license is suspended, you would already know about it, right? On the contrary, there are a variety of situations that may have led to your license suspension and often no reason that anyone would let you know. It’s not uncommon for Pennsylvania motorists to be driving illegally and not even realize it.
Fortunately, there are a few relatively straightforward methods for you to check if your license has been suspended. Doing so could save you a lot of trouble, especially if you discover that your license has been suspended after being stopped by the police or after getting into an accident.
What Does It Mean When Your License Is Suspended in Pennsylvania?
Suspension or revocation of a driver’s license is a means of maintaining order and safety on Pennsylvania roads and serves as a reminder for drivers to always practice safe driving habits. A suspension prevents you from driving for a specific period, which a suspension hearing officer will establish. Your license will be returned to you after you’ve waited the allocated amount of time and satisfied any other requirements made by the court.
Similarly, while a suspension means you can’t drive for a certain period of time, a revocation means your driver’s license is cancelled and you’ll need to submit to an investigation before you can obtain another license.
Reasons Your Driver’s Licenses May Be Suspended in Pennsylvania
There are a variety of reasons why your Pennsylvania driver’s license might be suspended. Some are related to specific driving violations, while others may be due to breaches of other state laws. The amount of time your driver’s license will be suspended will vary depending on the offense. If you were convicted in court, you could also face further penalties, including fines and suspensions. Here are a few of the most common reasons why a Pennsylvania driver’s license may be suspended:
- Refusing to submit to a blood alcohol concentration test
- Driving under the influence
- Excessive moving violations
- Driving without insurance
- Failure to stop for a school bus
- Excessive speeding
- Failure to appear in court
- Failure to pay a motor vehicle fine, fee, or surcharge
- Accumulation of points or violations
- Failure to maintain proper insurance
- Failure to obey a child support order
Some of these violations, like driving under the influence, will lead to obvious license suspensions. At the very least, you’ll receive a notice in the mail informing you of your suspension for these infringements. Others are less obvious, like failure to maintain proper insurance or appear in court. Likewise, even a seemingly minor mistake like a misspelling of your address could prevent you from getting a notice from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), which could lead to a license suspension for failing to respond.
How to Check the Status of Your Driver’s License in Pennsylvania
There are a few methods that will allow you to see the status of your driver’s license:
- Online: One option is to request your driving record from PennDOT. Note that they charge $11 to request your record this way, but you’ll be able to view and save a copy instantly.
- Visit your local online messenger service/tag store/notary: These services may be online with PennDOT, and they also can pull your record instantly. They also charge a fee for their service, and you should expect it to be slightly more than the $11 state fee.
- By mail: You can mail your request using the Driver Information Request Form (DL-503). This form requires some time for PennDOT to process and send back to you.
If you discover that your license is suspended, get in touch with a seasoned Montgomery County license suspension lawyer as soon as possible for help reinstating your license.
Contact an Experienced License Suspension Lawyer in Montgomery County.
If your license has been suspended or revoked for any reason, it’s vital to seek out experienced counsel so that your driving privileges can be reinstated successfully. Fortunately, the expert lawyers at Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford can help. Our legal team will investigate your case in detail and work with PennDOT to have your license returned to you as soon as possible. We’re well versed in Pennsylvania driver’s license suspension laws and will work diligently to fight for your rights.
For more than 65 years, our lawyers have been serving clients’ legal needs in Montgomery County, Bucks County, Lehigh County, Chester County, Delaware County, and throughout the surrounding areas. We’ve earned the respect and trust of clients facing a diverse range of legal problems. Our attorneys serve to protect your rights. Call us at (215) 822-7575 or complete our online contact form today.
