Are You Driving with a Suspended License?

In light of a number of recent incidents where motorists were pulled over and arrested after it was discovered their license was suspended, Shomrim has issued a notification for drivers to check the status of their licenses.

In statement Shomrim writes:

In recent weeks Shomrim has received a few dozen reports of community members being arrested for driving with a suspended driver’s license. In most cases the driver was completely unaware of the suspension.

Shomrim is imploring drivers to please check the status of your license, the New York State DMV’s website has the ability for motorists to self-check the status of their license.

Do yourself and your family a favor and check your license.

If you are caught driving with a revoked driver’s license, the penalties are extremely harsh and can mean serving significant jail time and hefty fines. Do not let this happen to you!

In order to find out if your license is suspended or revoked, we urge you to call the Department of Motor Vehicles during business hours – Monday-Friday at 718-488-5710 to find out the status of your driver license. Please make sure to have your license on hand so you can supply the necessary information.

Remember, if a Law Enforcement Officer stops you with a suspended or revoked driver’s license, you will go to jail. Make the phone call today and encourage your friends and family to do the same. You can save yourself a lot of unwanted aggravation.

To check the status of your driver’s license online, visit http://dmv.ny.gov/node/2066.

shomrim-suspended-notification

13 Comments

  • Klotz Kasha

    Am I better off claiming not to have a license at all, than driving with a suspended license?

    • Reply

      What are the penalties for driving without a license in New York?

      Driving without a license is a misdemeanor offense listed under Section 509 of the New York Vehicle and Traffic Code (VTC). Violations will result in the following penalties:

      A monetary fine not less than $75 and no greater than $300, OR

      Imprisonment for a time period not to exceed 15 days, OR

      Both the fine and jail time

      A fine of up to $40 may also be imposed if the person failed to renew a valid license within 60 days of its expiration.

      Driving with a license that is suspended or has been revoked is a more serious offense which results in greater consequences. New York also has stricter laws dealing specifically with the unlicensed operation of vehicles for hire, such as taxicabs and limousines.

    • awacs

      “Am I better off claiming not to have a license at all, than driving with a suspended license?”

      If you really don’t have one, yes.

      Keep in mind that NYS will check your records (by name and DOB). If you’re suspended, and you give them your info, you still get taken in. :-(

  • Thanks

    It’s easy to check.
    Go to the DMV website and put in your name or your license number and it will tell you if your license is suspended.

  • CH'er

    anyone can share a site where I can check my status. some dmv sites charge for obtaining my record,

    thanks I appreciate your help

  • ANON

    Thank you so much for posting this. I just checked after i read this and saw that mine is suspended. I have no idea why but will deal with it now. PHEW!

  • Jenny Tals

    I have a license for driving a school bus special class licence and a regular license for a car. if my license is suspended for driving a school bus am I still allowed to drive a car?

  • Yossi

    according to the DMV your license will not be suspended unless you got a moving violation and did not pay it, they also send you a notice in the mail.

    • Milhouse

      They may claim that, but it’s not always true. And even if they did send a notice, it may not have been delivered.

  • Chuckie Uddmay

    This is not a laughing matter. First of all, we need to keep safe our streets and have only licensed drivers on the roads, and also getting arrested in New York is one of the worst nightmares a human being can ever encounter, even it is for only the amount of time it takes to go through the system and get arraigned. It can take 24 hours or more, and it is horrible. It happened to me 14 years ago, and I am still traumatized. Its really a disgusting part of the NY system that this could happen to otherwise law abiding individuals. Like the article says, look into your status and the status of your license.