A person who is out of state and gets a ticket in North Carolina cannot simply ignore it. If they simply throw their ticket away and think that it will not affect them, they are in for a shock. The state DMVs communicate with each other regarding traffic tickets and suspensions. If the person fails to appear (or fails to hire a lawyer to appear in court for them) in a traffic matter, then the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles with suspend their privilege to drive in North Carolina. This is not the only repercussion. Most states will revoke a license if a person has a pending ticket that they have ignored in another state. This can lead to even more problems, including a charge for Driving While License Revoked or similar type of charge in their home state. Oftentimes, people forget about their ticket and don’t realize that their license has been suspended. They may find out about the suspension only when they are pulled over by an officer for another traffic violation, and the officer informs them that their license is suspended.
So what must be done to get the suspension lifted? The original ticket must be added back to the docket to get dealt with. In addition to the fine for the ticket, there is an additional fee because of the failure to appear. This must be paid, or excused by a judge in order for the person to be eligible to get their driving privilege back. After this fee is paid and the ticket is handled, the person will have to contact their state’s motor vehicle agency to determine how to get their license reinstated. It varies state to state, but it will most likely involve a fee.
The best way to avoid the increased costs and frustration of having your license revoked is to deal with the ticket on the court date that is assigned to. If you are out of state, you can hire an attorney to appear on your behalf. While this does cost some money, it will save you the trip of having to come back to North Carolina. Ignoring the ticket will only cost more in the end, both in terms of hassle and money.
