Having your Ohio driver’s license suspended can make it extremely difficult to work, take care of your family, attend school, and go about your daily life. Once your license suspension terminates, it is important that you go to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) as soon as possible to have your license reinstated, as you may be charged with failing to reinstate your license if you are pulled over while driving a vehicle with an invalid license.
The BMV reinstatement process varies depending on why you lost your license. At the very least, you will need to provide proof of auto insurance and pay a reinstatement fee. In some cases, it may be possible to have those fees waived or reduced. However, you may also need to deal with other administrative agencies, the court, take a class, pass the driver’s exam again, and more. To discuss BMV reinstatement requirements, contact an experienced Ohio BMV license reinstatement attorney from The Tyack Law Firm in Columbus, Ohio.
BMV Driver’s License Reinstatement Requirements by Type of Suspension
To begin the process of reinstating your driver’s license, you must understand the reason(s) it has been suspended, as these reasons dictate what steps you need to take in order to have your license reinstated. These steps may include having a certified warrant block release from the clerk of courts of the county in which you were convicted; working out a payment arrangement with a third-party collector for a default judgment suspension; paying outstanding fines/costs in a closed case, or even retaking the driver’s license examination. In almost all cases, reinstatement fees must be paid. Some common license suspensions and reinstatement requirements are:
Administrative License Suspension:
If your Ohio driver’s license was automatically suspended in Columbus due to an OVI / DUI arrest, conviction, or refusal to submit to a chemical test, then you must service your suspension, provide proof of insurance, and pay the reinstatement fee to get your license back.
Suspension Following First Time DUI / OVI:
If you lost your license because of a first offense for operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or for having physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, then you must complete all of the requirements of your court order (which may include an ignition interlock device), obtain proof of insurance, and pay the reinstatement fee. A court order after an OVI/DUI may require you to undergo a number of requirements before you can drive again. Contact a one of our experienced Columbus driver’s license suspension and reinstatement lawyers to discuss the administrative and court-ordered requirements.
Suspension Following Underage OVI / DUI:
If you were under 21 years old when you were convicted of operating a vehicle after drinking alcohol, you must take a juvenile remedial driving course, retake the complete driver’s license exam, and pay the reinstatement fee after your Ohio driver’s license suspension is complete.
Insurance-Related Suspensions:
If your Ohio driver’s license was suspended due to a lack of the proper auto insurance, then you must obtain the legally required minimum amount of automobile insurance (financial responsibility), obtain an SR-22 certificate/bond from your insurer for at least 3 years, and pay the reinstatement fee after the applicable suspension period has been served.
Court-Ordered Suspension:
After losing your Ohio driver’s license for failing to appear in court or to pay a court-ordered fine, you must contact the court to determine what affirmative steps you need to take in order to have your Ohio driver’s license reinstated. In some cases, you may need to have a warrant set aside and request that the clerk of courts provide you with a certified warrant block release. In other cases, you may need to pay all outstanding fines/costs on a closed case and then request a certified release of forfeiture. The clerk will provide you certified copies of the required documents in order the lift the driver’s license suspension, and will also send these documents to the Ohio BMV.
Once you have completed the required actions associated with your suspension, you must go to the BMV with the requisite documents and pay a reinstatement fee. An experienced Columbus driver’s license attorney at the Tyack Law Firm can assist you with not only finding out what you need to do in order to have your court-ordered suspension lifted but also with obtaining the necessary documents to assist you in the license reinstatement process.
Default Judgment and Security Suspension:
Your Ohio driver’s license can be suspended for failure to pay a default judgment that has been entered against you in an Ohio civil matter. The Ohio BMV imposes a security suspension if an uninsured driver is in the accident and the driver or vehicle owner fails to deposit security in the amount determined by the Ohio BMV to be sufficient to satisfy a judgment for damages resulting from an accident.
In order to have your Ohio driver’s license reinstated, you must provide the BMV either with a payment agreement or release signed by both parties; a final adjudication of non-liability; proof that the judgment has been paid in full (or up to the statutorily required minimum limits); satisfactory evidence showing no action for damages has been instituted against you within two years after the date of the accident; or a discharge in bankruptcy. You must also obtain insurance (or, if underinsured, sufficient insurance coverage as required by Ohio law) and an SR-22 certificate in order to have your Ohio driver’s license reinstated. Our Columbus driver’s license reinstatement lawyers can help you obtain the necessary documents and assist you with having your Ohio driver’s license suspension lifted.
12-Point Suspension:
If you accumulate 12 driver’s license points within a 2-year period, the Ohio BMV will impose a 12-Point Suspension. After serving the applicable suspension period, you must complete a remedial driving course, retake the complete driver’s license exam, obtain an SR-22 certificate, and pay the reinstatement fee in order to have your driver’s license suspension lifted.
Child Support Suspension:
After losing your driver’s license due to a failure to pay child support, you must become up to date on your financial obligation. When this occurs, the child support agency will send a release to the BMV. Once you pay the reinstatement fee, you can get your Ohio driver’s license reinstated.
Juvenile Tobacco Suspension:
If you were caught buying, receiving, using, or possessing any tobacco product while under the age of 18, then you will lose your license for 30 days. To have your Ohio driver’s license reinstated, you must attend an approved youth smoking education or treatment program.
School Dropout Suspension:
You may lose your Ohio driver’s license or permit if your school superintendent notifies the BMV of your frequently missing class or unlawfully withdrawing from school. To have your Ohio driver’s license reinstated, you must either be at least 18 years old, show proof of a GED or high school diploma, have the superintendent notify the BMV that you are now attending an approved program, or prove the suspension was a mistake. When you are able to have your license reinstated after your 18th birthday or when the suspension is ended, you must pay a reinstatement fee.
Reinstatement Fees for Your Ohio Driver’s License
The reinstatement fees in Ohio may change in the future. You may also be required to pay other fines and fees before you are permitted to reinstate your Ohio driver’s license. To learn more about the costs of reinstating your Ohio driver’s license, contact the Columbus criminal defense lawyers at The Tyack Law Firm for assistance in having your Ohio driver’s license suspension lifted. Depending on your financial situation, you may be able to set up a BMV payment plan or have your BMV reinstatement fees waived or reduced significantly.
Ohio Driver’s License Reinstatement After Permanent Revocation
Although the terms driver’s license suspension and driver’s license revocation are often used interchangeably, they are legally different. A driver’s license suspension means you lose your driving privileges for a period of time and must complete certain requirements to get them back. A driver’s license revocation, on the other hand, is permanent. In other words, the court prohibits you from being able to obtain a driver’s license for an indeterminate period, and therefore completely precludes your ability to lawfully operate a motor vehicle. This typically occurs after more serious driving offenses, such as multiple DUI / OVI convictions, vehicular manslaughter, and vehicular homicide.
If you wish to obtain a driver’s license after it has been revoked, you must file a motion with the court that orders your driver’s license revocation for a modification or termination of the revocation. An experienced BMV reinstatement attorney at Tyack Law Firm in Columbus can assist you with this challenging process.
Contact an Ohio BMV Driver’s Reinstatement Attorney at Tyack Law Firm
If your Ohio driver’s license is suspended, you should contact an experienced Columbus traffic attorney at the Tyack Law Firm to discuss how you can have your Ohio driver’s license reinstated.
Our Columbus driver’s license reinstatement attorneys have handled driver’s license issues for clients throughout Central Ohio. Our criminal defense attorneys will review your situation and assist you with having your Ohio driver’s license reinstated. If your Ohio driver’s license has been revoked, we can assist you with challenging this revocation.
Contact our Columbus criminal defense lawyers to schedule an appointment to discuss your Ohio driver’s license suspension and reinstatement.
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