My wife has not carried car insurance since 2005. I was pulled over yesterday in her vehicle and had to surrender the license plates. How long can her license be suspended in Hamburg, New York and what are the fines for having a car and not having auto insurance on it?

Ben

Hamburg, NY

According to the New York State DMV if you do not have car insurance coverage and you do not surrender your vehicle plates to the Department of Motor Vehicle, your registration and driving privilege are suspended indefinitely.

You must pay a termination fee of $25 to reinstate your license when the suspension ends.

There likely will be other associated fees and fines to be paid so you and your wife may want to call the court listed on the ticket received for driving without insurance. The court should be able to give you with the information you need to know about this violation and its associated penalties.

What is SR-22 filing and what process is involved to reinstate my license in Florida?

Rica

That’s a good question.

The SR-22 filing provides a proof to the Department of Motor Vehicle of your driving privilege that removes you from suspension of your license. This is being issued by your insurance company which guarantees you that you are getting the least minimum liability. If you wanted to know if you can get SR-22 filing without purchasing an insurance, the answer is No. The SR-22 filing shows proof of your liability insurance coverage.

The SR-22 is needed for those whose license were revoked or is under suspension by the Florida Department of Motors vehicles. This includes drunk driving, more minor moving violations within the year, unpaid fins and other tickets, or uninsured accidents.

To reactivate your driver’s license you will need to buy the minimum liability coverage first on the vehicle that you own. On the other hand, if you do not own a vehicle, you must purchase the Non-owners coverage. The amount would depend on the degree of your driving record, your location, and your driving experience. You can get your driving record from DMV if you do not know it. Normally, the SR-22 filing period is from one to three years although this can still be extended.

Contact Florida DMV to ask them what other fees you will need to pay to reinstate your drivers license.

Goodluck!

-MariCAR