Certain offenses can enable the Department of Motor Vehicles to revoke or suspend your North Carolina driver's license. Your driver's license can be revoked for a number of reasons. A DWI conviction will revoke your license for a period of one year on a first offense. Convictions for speeding over 15 miles per hour over the speed limit will also revoke your license based on the following schedule . Being convicted of too many tickets in a certain time period will also lead to revocation. This type of revocation is based on driver's license points (not to be confused with insurance points).
If your license is revoked, you should not drive until your license is restored. Convictions for diving while your license is revoked, or any moving violation while your license is in a state of revocation, significantly lengthen the period of revocation and can, in some cases, result in jail time. This does not mean that you should sit and wait until your revocation period has ended. In many cases, an attorney can shorten or eliminate a period of revocation even after the revocation period has begun. Contact us now for a consultation on your driver's license.
How can my license be revoked if I never had a North Carolina driver's license?
You do not need to have had a driver's license in North Carolina in order to be in revoked status. North Carolina considers it a revocation of your "driving privilege" and the penalties are just as severe as if you had once had a North Carolina license. Many states will honor suspensions levied by other states, so that revocation in North Carolina may mean that you lose your out of state license, as well.
How does a prayer for judgment continued (PJC) help my revoked license?
A PJC granted on a moving violation while your license is revoked will help you avoid lengthening your period of revocation, and may help avoid increased insurance premiums, but there is a limit on the number of PJCs that you can get. Each driver is allowed two PJCs every five years. Keep in mind that using multiple PJCs can be disastrous to your insurance premiums.
Can't I get a limited driving privilege just to drive to work?
Possibly. If an individual is revoked for a speeding ticket where the rate of speed was high enough to warrant revocation, they may be eligible for a privilege. As backwards as it may seem, someone who is revoked for a DWI may also be eligible for a limited driving privilege. However, if you are revoked for a failure to appear, for acquiring a moving violation while your license was already in a state of revocation, or if you have previously been convicted of DWLR, you will not be immediately eligible for a driving privilege until certain requirements are met. Contact us to find out whether you are eligible for a limited driving privilege.
How can I get my license back?
Every case is different. In some cases, even the best attorney will not be able to undo all of the damage on a driving record and restore you to active status. In most cases, however, there are steps that can be taken to restore your license or at least to put you into a favorable status for a DMV restoration hearing. Contact us today for a consultation on your driving record.
