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.

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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.

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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You must pay a driver civil penalty if your driver license or driving privilege was revoked because of the following reasons: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

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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).

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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.

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Penalty Amount

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

**Penalty Amounts**
VIOLATION	PENALTY
1st violation of Zero Tolerance Law	$125
2nd violation of Zero Tolerance Law	$125
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	$500
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	$550
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	$750
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	$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. 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	$750
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	$750

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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

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Contact Insurance Services Bureau

Contact us by phone:

8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. - Weekdays (except state holidays) 1-518-474-0700

Mailing Address:

Insurance Services Bureau
New York State DMV
6 Empire State Plaza, Room 332B
Albany, NY 12228

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Contact Driver Improvement Unit

Contact us by phone:

M-F, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (518) 474-0774, Option #5

Mailing Address:

Driver Improvement Unit
New York State DMV
6 Empire State Plaza, Room 336
Albany, NY 12228

Contact us by fax:

(518) 474-6208

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