Virginia SB1: Driver’s license; suspension for nonpayment of fines or costs.

This bill ends driver’s license suspensions for unpaid fines and fees. The bill also requires the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles to reinstate licenses suspended solely due to the nonpayment of fines and costs prior to July 1, 2019, and waive all reinstatement fees. 

You can read the full text of the bill here. 

Key Provisions

• Permits fines, restitution and other monetary sanctions to be deferred or paid in installments. 
• Eliminates driver’s license suspensions for nonpayment of deferred or installment payments. 
• No longer requires that outstanding fees and costs owed to other courts in the state be considered when determining the amount of payments and length of a payment plan. 
• Eliminates the requirement that a habitual offender pay all outstanding fines, costs and judgements in full before their driving privileges can be restored. 
• No longer requires the suspension of all registration certificates and license plates in the name of a person whose driving privileges are suspended due to the nonpayment of fines and fees. 
• Ends driver’s license suspensions due to nonpayment of fees associated with abandoning a motor vehicle.