About
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.
Who Must Pay
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- You must pay a driver civil penalty if your driver license or driving privilege was revoked because of the following reasons: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.
VIOLATION | PENALTY |
---|---|
1st violation of Zero Tolerance Law | $125 |
2nd violation of Zero Tolerance Law | $125 |
Chemical Test Refusal
| $500 |
Chemical Test Refusal (Commercial Drivers)
| $550 |
Chemical Test Refusal within five years of a previous DWI-related charge/Chemical Test Refusal
| $750 |
Chemical Test Refusal within five years of a previous DWI-related charge/Chemical Test Refusal (Commercial Drivers)
| $750 |
Chemical Test Refusal - Zero Tolerance Law violation | $500 |
Chemical Test Refusal - Second or subsequent Zero Tolerance Law violation | $750 |
Uninsured accident 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.
| $750 |
Operated or permitted operation of an uninsured vehicle
| $750 |
How to Pay
Online
You can pay with a credit or debit card. Your name and address on DMV records must be correct. Create a MyDMV account to verify or change your address.
You must provide the following:
- the last four digits of your Social Security Number
- your DMV ID Number (Client ID Number) from your New York State driver license, learner permit, or non-driver photo ID card (see where to find information on your driver license), or
- your full name, date of birth, and gender
You can pay more than one civil penalty online at a time
You are not required to pay all of your civil penalties in one transaction, but you cannot be approved for a new driver license or restoration of your driving privilege until you pay all the civil penalties you owe. You can return to the transaction later to pay additional civil penalties.
Pay a driver civil penalty online
By Mail
To pay a driver civil penalty by mail for uninsured operation or uninsured accident, send a certified check, personal check or money order payable to “Commissioner of Motor Vehicles” to the Insurance Services Bureau (see below).
To pay a driver civil penalty by mail for a chemical test refusal or violation of the Zero Tolerance Law, send a certified check or money order payable to “Commissioner of Motor Vehicles” to the Driver Improvement Unit (see below).
At a DMV Office
You can pay the driver civil penalty at the office listed on your suspension or revocation order, but it’s much faster and easier to pay online.
See location, instructions and reservation information for your DMV
Contact Insurance Services Bureau
Contact us by phone:
Mailing Address:
Insurance Services Bureau
New York State DMV
6 Empire State Plaza, Room 332B
Albany, NY 12228
Contact Driver Improvement Unit
Contact us by phone:
Mailing Address:
Driver Improvement Unit
New York State DMV
6 Empire State Plaza, Room 336
Albany, NY 12228