The State Is Releasing Drivers from Unfair Fees
Over 300,000 Michigan drivers are facing relief thanks to the state’s decision to waive the Driver Responsibility Fees assessed after traffic infractions. After judging the practice unfair, lawmakers reversed course on the policy and stopped collecting costs beyond those associated with a ticket. The $600 million in outstanding payments would have come out of drivers’ pockets, and often hit lower-income families the hardest. Anyone who couldn’t pay would have their license suspended, which added $125 in fees to get a license reinstated. Of course, many had to drive illegally on a suspended license to keep their jobs and any hope of being able to pay off what they owed.
That brutal cycle is no more. In October of 2018, the state of Michigan stopped assessing and collecting Driver Responsibility Fees. If you owed money to the unpopular DRF program, your debt has been wiped out. You cannot be forced to pay, nor held liable for unpaid fees.
What Matters Most: You Could Get Your License Reinstated!
Drivers who had 7 or more points on their driving records had to pay fees ranging from $100 to $1,000 under the DRF program; as you might imagine, many could not keep up with payments. For anyone whose license was suspended over nonpayment of DRF fees, that suspension is no longer valid.
Are you ready to get your license back? Here’s what you need to know:
- You won’t have to pay DRF fees, but you will have to pay a $125 license reinstatement fee.
- Unlike the fee forgiveness, this process is not automatic. You will have to file with the Office of the Secretary of State.
- You may have to retake your written and road driver’s tests if your license has been suspended four years or longer.
- Non-DRF fees are still valid; you may have to pay other outstanding fines before your license is reinstated.
We Can Help You Get Back on the Road
Not sure whether you’re eligible, or how much you may have to pay? Our experienced traffic violation and driver’s license restoration attorneys can answer your questions. Don’t risk more fines by driving on a suspended license. We can help you start your license restoration process today.
Contact us online or call (616) 227-3737 for a consultation.