Revocation and a civil penalty

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Pay a Driver Civil Penalty

A driver civil penalty is a fine you must pay to DMV for certain offenses before your license or driving privilege can be restored after a suspension or revocation.

A driver civil penalty is a fine you must pay to DMV for certain offenses before your license or driving privilege can be restored after a suspension or revocation. This fine is in addition to any other fines, penalties or surcharges that you must pay for a traffic conviction. The purpose of the driver civil penalty is to prevent the repeated behavior of problem drivers and to improve traffic safety.

There are two reasons that you may need to pay a driver civil penalty.

• You must pay a driver civil penalty if your driver license or driving privilege was suspended or revoked because you violated the New York State Zero Tolerance Law for drivers under age 21 (see Penalties for Alcohol or Drug-Related Violations), or
• You must pay a driver civil penalty if your driver license or driving privilege was revoked because of the following reasons:
  • you refused to take a chemical test for alcohol or drugs
  • you operated or permitted the operation of a motor vehicle without automobile liability insurance
  • you operated a motor vehicle involved in a traffic crash and the vehicle was not covered by automobile liability insurance
  Revoked License

  If your driver license is revoked, your payment of the driver civil penalty does not restore your privilege to drive. You must request and receive approval from DMV to restore your license or driving privilege unless your revocation was for an uninsured accident. If your revocation was for an uninsured accident, you must contact the DMV Insurance Services Bureau (see below).

  Suspension for a Violation of the Zero Tolerance Law

  If you are suspended for a violation of the Zero Tolerance Law, you must wait until the suspension period ends, pay a suspension termination fee and have a valid driver license before you can legally drive. To check if you have a valid driver license, create a MyDMV account and use our My License, Permit, or ID service.

  Penalty Amount

  The amount depends on the reason for the suspension or revocation. You may owe more than one civil penalty.

  Chemical Test Refusal
  This is the civil penalty amount effective 11/1/2006. If your order was issued before that date, the civil penalty depends on the date of the order.

  • if the order was issued between January 1, 1981 and June 30, 1990, the civil penalty is $100
  • if the order was issued between July 1, 1990 and October 31, 1996, the civil penalty is $200
  • if the order was issued between November 1, 1996 and October 31, 2006, the civil penalty is $300

  Chemical Test Refusal (Commercial Drivers)
  This is the civil penalty amount effective November 1, 2006. If your order was issued before that date, the civil penalty depends on the date of the order.

  • if the order was issued between November 1, 1992 and October 31, 1996, the civil penalty is $250
  • if the order was issued between November 1, 1996 and October 31, 2006, the civil penalty is $350

  Chemical Test Refusal within five years of a previous DWI-related charge/Chemical Test Refusal
  This is the civil penalty amount effective November 1, 1996. If your order was issued before that date, the civil penalty depends on the date of the order.

  • if the order was issued between September 1, 1983 and June 30, 1990, the civil penalty is $250
  • if the order was issued between July 1, 1990 and October 31, 1996, the civil penalty is $500

  Chemical Test Refusal within five years of a previous DWI-related charge/Chemical Test Refusal (Commercial Drivers)
  This is the civil penalty amount effective November 1, 1996. If your order was issued before that date, the civil penalty depends on the date of the order.

  • if the order was issued between July 1, 1990 and October 31, 1996, the civil penalty is $500

  This is the civil penalty amount effective May 13, 2003. If your order was issued before that date, the civil penalty depends on the date of the order.

  • if the order was issued between June 1, 1972 and April 30, 1989, the civil penalty is $300
  • if the order was issued between May 1, 1989 and May 14, 2003, the civil penalty is $500

  Operated or permitted operation of an uninsured vehicle
  This is the civil penalty amount effective May 13, 2003. If your order was issued before that date, the civil penalty depends on the date of the order.

  • if the order was issued between June 1, 1972 and April 30, 1989, the civil penalty is $300
  • if the order was issued between May 1, 1989 and May 14, 2003, the civil penalty is $500