Unpaid Surcharges
Every year for three years — Keep that in mind when you receive a New Jersey surcharge following a ticket. Issued for things like excessive points on your driving record and specific driving offenses, surcharges are essentially fines imposed by the New Jersey Surcharge Violation System. These fines (which are in addition to any court fines and other penalties you may incur) are always for three years, to be paid on a yearly basis. The amount of the surcharge depends on the nature of the offense. For instance, driving without a proper license will result in a $100 annual surcharge whereas a first-time DUI will result in a $1,000 annual surcharge. Sure they are annoying but a suspended license is significantly more annoying and more expensive than just paying the surcharges in the first place.
Although you should be placed on notice of this obligation, it is easy to see how a driver could miss the third payment; after all, it would be two whole years since an offense — a lot can happen in that time. This is especially true for out-of-state drivers who receive a ticket in New Jersey and don’t realize that they have this continuing financial obligation to attend to. That’s right, out-of-state drivers are subject to New Jersey surcharges as well.
The way a New Jersey driver will discover a missed payment is quite dramatic; he or she will receive a drivers’ license suspension notice from the state. The notice will inform you that your license is being suspended (as well as the date it will start and the duration of the suspension) because you have unpaid surcharges. This action may seem extreme and shows you just how serious the state is about getting their money.
When you receive this notice you have a couple options: accept the suspension and deal with the stress and hassle of a license-free life for a while, or fight it with the chance of delaying, reducing or eliminating the pending suspension altogether. The information for fighting a suspension is also listed on the notice but a detail many drivers overlook in the panic of receiving the notice. Don’t ignore your opportunity to fight your license suspension; get in touch with me today, and let’s begin working to keep you on the road!
Contact The Law Offices Of Thomas Carroll Blauvelt, LLC
At the Law Offices of Thomas Carroll Blauvelt, LLC, I have over 28 years of experience working with people in very situation. I understand how easy it is to forget this important yearly payment. At your initial free consultation, I will explain the process to you and what I can do to try to keep you on the road and fight your pending suspension.
If you are facing a license suspension for unpaid surcharges, give me a call today to discuss your case, and let’s begin working to keep you on the road! I look forward to hearing from you!
