The loss of a driver’s license can be a massive inconvenience for an adult in Tennessee. Being unable to drive to work or to handle household responsibilities is stressful. People often dislike arranging for rides provided by someone else or securing paid transportation services. Relying on others for transportation can be both frustrating and expensive.
Many people subject to licensing consequences are eager to regain their driver’s licenses as quickly as possible. How someone regains their driving privileges depends in no small part on why the state took their privileges in the first place. Those hoping to reinstate their driver’s licenses need to avoid driving while their licenses are suspended, as doing so could worsen their circumstances.
What steps must someone take to regain their driving privileges after a suspension in Tennessee?
The process begins with paperwork
Many types of traffic violations that lead to the loss of someone’s license allow people to seek the reinstatement of their licenses. Drivers who have had their privileges suspended can file paperwork with the state and pay a reinstatement fee to regain their driving privileges. Exactly what documents someone has to fill out and what fee they must pay depends on the type of violation that led to their suspension. Someone could lose their license if they failed to provide proof of insurance. The courts can also revoke someone’s license after a car crash.
If a driver has not proven that they have satisfied a prior traffic citation or has failed to follow a payment plan for the fines imposed because of traffic citations could lose their licenses. In some cases, drivers could lose their Tennessee driver’s license for violations that occurred in other states. A license revocation or suspension elsewhere could have an effect on someone’s eligibility for a Tennessee driver’s license.
Judges frequently suspend driver’s licenses for impaired driving offenses involving alcohol or drugs. Young adults could also lose their licenses if they use a fake state identification card while attempting to purchase alcohol. If someone under the age of 18 faces accusations of unlawfully possessing a weapon, they could lose their license as a consequence of that infraction.
License revocation is also common after hit-and-run collisions where people flee the scene instead of reporting a crash. Speeding, reckless driving and repeat traffic offenses can also lead to license suspension. There are many other violations listed on the Tennessee government website that could potentially have licensing penalties.
Someone who is facing a charge or ticket that could cost them their license or someone dealing with a suspension who wants to gain their privileges may need the assistance of an experienced criminal defense attorney to handle the process appropriately. A lawyer familiar with Tennessee’s unique laws can help those who want to retain their licenses when facing criminal accusations or regain their driving privileges after losing them.