Driver License Points and Penalties

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.
Pay a Driver Civil Penalty

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  • You must pay a driver civil penalty if your driver license or driving privilege was revoked because of the following reasons: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 crash/accident. If your revocation was for an uninsured crash/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.

Penalty Amounts
VIOLATIONDESCRIPTIONPENALTY
Zero Tolerance Law (BAC) first violation

First time driver under 21 operated vehicle with measurable blood alcohol content (BAC)

The First violation of Zero Tolerance (BAC) is a Suspension:

  • $125 Civil Penalty
  • $100 Suspension Termination Fee 
$125 + fees
Zero Tolerance Law (BAC)
second violation

Second time driver under 21 operated vehicle with measurable blood alcohol content (BAC)

The Second violation of Zero Tolerance (BAC) is a Revocation of 1 year or until age 21 (Longest):

  • $125 Civil Penalty
  • If the violation occurred before 07/06/09, the reapplication fee is $50
  • If the violation occurred on or after 07/06/2009, the reapplication fee is $100 
$125 + fees
Chemical Test Refusal

Driver refused chemical test

This is the civil penalty amount effective 11/1/2006. If your violation occurred before that date, the civil penalty depends on the date of the violation.

  • if the violation occurred between January 1, 1981 and June 30, 1990, the civil penalty is $100
  • if the violation occurred between July 1, 1990 and October 31, 1996, the civil penalty is $200
  • if the violation occurred between November 1, 1996 and October 31, 2006, the civil penalty is $300
$500
Chemical Test Refusal (CDL)

Commercial driver refused chemical test

This is the civil penalty amount effective November 1, 2006. If your violation occurred before that date, the civil penalty depends on the date of the violation.

  • if the violation occurred between November 1, 1992 and October 31, 1996, the civil penalty is $250
  • if the violation occurred between November 1, 1996 and October 31, 2006, the civil penalty is $350
$550
Additional chemical test refusal within five years

Driver refused chemical test within five years of a previous DWI-related charge or chemical test refusal

This is the civil penalty amount effective November 1, 1996. If your violation occurred before that date, the civil penalty depends on the date of the violation.

  • if the violation occurred between September 1, 1983 and June 30, 1990, the civil penalty is $250
  • if the violation occurred between July 1, 1990 and October 31, 1996, the civil penalty is $500
$750
Additional chemical test refusal within five years (CDL)

Commercial driver refused chemical test within five years of a previous DWI-related charge or chemical test refusal

This is the civil penalty amount effective November 1, 1996. If your violation occurred before that date, the civil penalty depends on the date of the violation.

  • if the violation occurred between July 1, 1990 and October 31, 1996, the civil penalty is $500
$750
Chemical Test Refusal as a Zero Tolerance Law violation

First chemical test refusal for a driver under 21

First Violation of Zero Tolerance Chemical Test Refusal is a 1-year Revocation (even with IDP completion):

  •  If the violation occurred before November 1, 2006, the civil penalty is $300
  • If the violation occurred on or after November 1, 2006, the civil penalty is $500
  • If the violation occurred before July 6, 2009, the reapplication fee is $50
  • If the violation occurred on or after July 6, 2009, the reapplication fee is $100 
$500 + fees
Second chemical test refusal as a Zero Tolerance Law violation

Second chemical test refusal for a driver under 21

Second Violation of Zero Tolerance Chemical Test Refusal is a Revocation of 1 year or until age 21 (Longest):

  • $750 Civil Penalty
  • If the violation occurred before July 6, 2009, the reapplication fee is $50
  • If the violation occurred on or after July 6, 2009, the reapplication fee is $100
$750 + fees
Uninsured accident

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

  • if the violation occurred between June 1, 1972 and April 30, 1989, the civil penalty is $300
  • if the violation occurred between May 1, 1989 and May 14, 2003, the civil penalty is $500
$750
Operation or permitted operation of an uninsured vehicle

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

  • if the violation occurred between June 1, 1972 and April 30, 1989, the civil penalty is $300
  • if the violation occurred between May 1, 1989 and May 14, 2003, the civil penalty is $500
$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:

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

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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