Your driver’s license is a privilege and not a right. The Missouri Department of Revenue can suspend or revoke your privilege to drive for a number of reasons. The most common cause for a suspension is an accumulation of points from prior offenses. However, you can be suspended if you have gotten a DWI, been in an accident without insurance, failed to appear in court on a previous ticket or even if you owe past due child support. Depending on why you are suspended, the suspension can be for a short period of time, for twelve months or indefinitely (revocation). Clearly, losing your privilege to drive can impact your ability to work and support yourself and your family.

A driving while suspended or revoked ticket is a serious issue and needs to be treated accordingly. Do not ignore this charge or simply plead guilty without first hiring an attorney. This offense stays on your Missouri driving record forever. It will impact your ability to get affordability automobile insurance indefinitely.
And even though you may be suspended now, it is likely that you are eligible for reinstatement in the near future. However, pleading guilty to a driving while suspended charge will add twelve points to your driving record. Those twelve points will earn you an additional twelve month suspension.

The O’Fallon Law Firm, LLC will negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecuting attorney to get the ticket amended to a non-moving, no-point violation. This plea bargain will keep any reference to the charge off of your permanent driving record, avoid the further accumulation of points and avoid any additional periods of suspension or revocation.

Depending on the jurisdiction, you may need to show that your driver’s license has been reinstated by the Department of Revenue before the prosecuting attorney can recommend any type of reduction or amendment of the charge. You can contact the Department of Revenue at (573) 526-2407 or visit http://dor.mo.gov/drivers/ldp.php to learn more about what you will be required to get your driver’s license reinstated.

The requirements for getting your license reinstated vary depending on why your license was suspended or revoked. The Department of Revenue can tell what you will need to supply in order to be reinstated. For example, you may have to provide proof that you completed a SATOP (Substance Abuse Traffic Offenders Program) class, proof that you have paid your fines on previous tickets in other jurisdictions or proof that you currently have automobile insurance.