It’s Section 708.150 of the Texas Transportation Code, and it provides that if someone can prove in court (through specific documentation as provided in the new statute) that they are indigent, then the Judge can waive their surcharge. There is controversy right now about how the new law is to be read.
Full Answer
On September 1, 2019 all surcharge assessments were waived and no future surcharges will be assessed after. You will still be responsible for any other suspensions, fines or fees on your driving record. 3. Does this mean I no longer need to make a surcharge payment?
Will this affect any failure to appear holds on my license? No. Failure to appear is not related to surcharges. Under the Failure to Appear / Failure to Pay Program, the Department may deny the renewal of a driver license if you have failed to appear for a citation or failed to satisfy a judgment ordering the payment of a fine.
If your Texas license has been expired less than two years, you may be eligible to replace it online. If your Texas license has been expired more than two years or you have never had a license, visit our webpage on How to apply for a driver license. 7. Will I receive a refund for payments I made prior to September 1, 2019?
Any suspensions that resulted from surcharges while DRP was in effect will remain on your driving history. 9. I received a notice to pay a surcharge. Is this still valid? You were required to make payments until September 1, 2019 to avoid having your driving privileges suspended. 10. What happens if I defaulted on my installment plan?
What does this mean? The bill passed by the Texas legislature eliminates the DRP entirely, including all past, present, and future surcharges. This means any surcharges owed as of September 1, 2019, will no longer be owed. And no surcharges will be assessed after September 1, 2019.
For questions about your Surcharge account, you can contact Municipal Services Bureau (MSB) at 1-800-688-6882.
To check the status of your driving privilege or pay reinstatement fees visit texas.gov. You will need your DL/ID number, date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number. Please be aware driver records update on a daily basis.
Approximately 7 in 10 license holds and suspensions in Texas are directly because of unpaid fines and fees. Regardless of the reason a person does not pay their surcharges, the Department suspends their driver's license.
Certain convictions come with surcharges that must be paid every year for three years following the conviction date. Conviction based surcharges are typically more expensive than the other type of surcharge. However, these surcharges do not add any additional points to your driving record.
There is some confusion lately with surcharging and cash discounting. Both surcharging and cash discounting are legal in Texas.
Suspension in a Different State or Jurisdiction If your driver license status is suspended, revoked, denied, or cancelled in another state, you are not eligible to apply for Texas driver license.
In order to reinstate a Texas driver's license after it has been suspended, you must do three things:wait out the suspension period.complete the requirements for reinstatement, and.pay the reinstatement fees.
Under current legislation, you will be disqualified under the "totting up" procedure if you amass 12 points within any 3 year period. However, the rules are different for new drivers. Any driver who amasses 6 points within the first 2 years of passing their test will have their licence revoked.
If you can't afford to clear your warrant, send a letter or an email to the court and ask to clear you warrant without paying money. Include proof that you cannot afford to pay the court, like a financial affidavit, and keep a copy of whatever you send. You should also contact the ACLU of Texas.
How to Get Around While Your License Is Suspended Applying for a Restricted Driver's License. Using Public Transportation or Ridesharing. Carpooling, Walking, and Biking.
Aside from possible arrest, the Court could also issue a Failure to Appear citation and order additional warrant fees. Further, if you have a warrant out, you will be unable to renew your driver's license until the matter has been taken care of. Don't let your ticket become a warrant.
Texas’ Driver Responsibility Program was a system for evaluating, issuing, and collecting surcharges for certain traffic offenses.
As problematic as critics found the DRP to be, it did provide critical funding to trauma care in the state. To ensure this funding would not be lost, the new Texas law increased the fines for all:
If your Texas license has been expired less than two years , you may be eligible to replace it online. If your Texas license has been expired more than two years or you have never had a license, visit our webpage on How to apply for a driver license.
On September 1, 2019 all surcharge assessments, including installment plans, were waived and no future surcharges will be assessed after. You will still be responsible for any other suspensions, fines or fees on your driving record.
On September 1, 2019 all surcharge assessments were waived and no future surcharges will be assessed after. You will still be responsible for any other suspensions, fines or fees on your driving record.
As of September 1, 2019 the DRP is repealed which means that the program has ended. Any suspensions that resulted from surcharges while DRP was in effect will remain on your driving history.
No, payments made on your surcharge accounts prior to September 1, 2019 will not be refunded. Those payments were collected under the laws in place at that time. This includes Advance Payment on surcharge accounts.
No. Failure to appear is not related to surcharges. Under the Failure to Appear / Failure to Pay Program, the Department may deny the renewal of a driver license if you have failed to appear for a citation or failed to satisfy a judgment ordering the payment of a fine.
The article written below will become obsolete effective September of 2019. Over the last 13 years we have spent exhaustive time helping people across Texas with surcharge related issues. It is our pleasure to announce that this time has come to and end as it relates to financial penalties attached to traffic ticket convictions.
The indigency program for surcharges are based on evaluation of the income level of the individual. The chart used to determine level of income is as follows:
The Texas Incentive Program for surcharges is different in that it does not rely as heavily on the income level of the individual request a reduction in the surcharges. The official word from DPS regarding this program is as follows:
The cold hard facts are that surcharges are expensive and can drain your bank account. Another fact is that hiring a lawyer to defend your traffic tickets will cost you less money than a single surcharge from The State of Texas.
The Driver Responsibility Program wasn’t exactly a beloved initiative in the Lone Star State. In fact, the program was despised by almost all Texas citizens who came face to face with it. Why? Because the Driver Responsibility Program was expensive.
In an effort to replace an outdated and failed program with a shiny new one, lawmakers have passed House Bill 2048. To the pleasant surprise of many a lawyer, House Bill 2048 appears to be a leap in the right direction.
Yes, this new bill will have a drastic impact on the fines associated with DWIs. In fact, those caught and convicted of DWI may actually have to pay an additional $6,000 in additional DWI fines.
We have the answers. Thiessen Law Firm is the go-to criminal defense team in Houston. We have the experience needed to help you overcome life-changing charges, from DWIs to intoxication manslaughter charges and more.
If your Texas driver’s license is suspended or you have received a Suspension Notification from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), contact our Texas driver’s license suspension defense lawyers immediately.
If you are convicted of possession of a controlled substance, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, or heroin, your Texas driver’s license will be suspended for a period of 180 days.
If you are issued a traffic ticket and are ultimately convicted of a moving violation, DPS will issue points against your driver’s license. When a driver accumulates 6 (six) or more points on their driver record, DPS will assess a surcharge every year they maintain six or more points in addition to any fines you may already have. If you fail to pay the surcharges in a timely manner, DPS will move to suspend your driver’s license.
DWI Suspension. If you are arrested for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and refuse to provide a breath or blood test, you are subject to having your driver’s license suspended for a period of 180 days. If an individual takes a breath or blood test and “fails,” then their license can be suspended for 90 days.
DPS is the agency that administers driver’s licenses in the State of Te xas. DPS has the authority to issue licenses, but it can also suspend or revoke your driver’s license for a variety of reasons.
Class B misdemeanors have a range of punishment of up to 180 days in jai and fines up to $2000.
No. Although all unpaid DRP surcharges will be eliminated on September 1, 2019, there will not be reimbursement for any DRP surcharges that have already been paid through the program.
You can read the text of H.B. 2048 here: bit.ly/2XpT70L. Click on the icon on the row marked ‘ Enrolled ‘ to read the final version of the bill that was sent to the governor. The bill text will pop up in a new window or browser tab.
If your driver’s license has been expired for more than two years, you will need to apply and re-test for a driver’s license. These tests include a written test, vision test, and driving test.
There is currently a lawsuit against DPS for the DRP program. That case is still pending, and it is unclear what impact repeal will have on it. However, monetary damages in that lawsuit were not requested, so you will not be eligible to receive damages.
Most new laws in Texas, unless otherwise specified, become law at the beginning of the new fiscal year, which begins September 1. That’s why the repeal bill has an effective date of September 1.
The Texas legislature passed a bill to repeal the Driver Responsibility Program this session (H.B. 2048), and it was signed into law by the Governor in June. The bill will go into effect on September 1, 2019. This document is intended to answer common questions about how the repeal will work.