Suspended License Question?

Question

I don't have a suspended license but me and my friend were arguing the other day about this. If you for whatever reason were to have your license in jeopardy of being suspended, or already suspended, would the DMV notify you beforehand to let you know it is going to be suspended or would they just do it without notifying you now? My friend, who is an idiot by the way, told me that it can be suspended for a year before they have to notify you.
This all started when a friend of ours didn't turn in some minor traffic incident form. It was nothing major like a wreck report, but something that said if he didn't turn it in, it may result in the suspension of his license. He drives around now worried if he gets pulled or in a wreck, he'll get arrested for driving under suspension because of what my other friend told him.
If anyone could help me out on this one, I'd love it.
Thanks.

Answer 1

They have to notify you before hand and about getting pulled over they wont arrest you they will just impound whatever your driving...good luck

Answer 2

Assuming the suspension is an administrative one (ie you earn the points and the DMV suspends it - vs. a Judge yanks it from you in court), then the DMV must notify you promptly.

Until they do, you have no constructive notice of the suspension and if you were pulled over and cited, you might be able to beat the ticket...

BUT.. all they need to do is to mail a letter to your address of record (its YOUR job to make sure you promptly report changes of address) and give you an effective date of suspension. Your arguement that you did not receive the letter would be very weak. Thus the DMV record would likely be accepted in the even of a contest or an accident.

(bottom line.. once they mail it you are, essentially, without a license no matter what you say).


Your friend can always call up or go into the DMV offices to check on his status. Its not like they are going to haul his *ss in to jail.

.

Answer 3

In most states when your license is suspended it is either picked up in person by a law enforcement officer, or you receive a certified letter requiring you to mail it in. Then your license shows up on the data base as suspended, so if an officer radios in orotherwise checks the data base he will know the license is suspended. However, in most states there will be some form of notification either in person OR via certified mail to the address showing on the drivers license, and the notification will tell you the actual date the suspension begins.