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How to Reinstate Your Suspended Drivers License in Nebraska
A revoked or suspended drivers license in Nebraska is issued in situations when motorists fail to obey state road rules and regulations. The state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) may release driving license suspensions to operators of motor vehicles for both driving-related and non-driving-related offenses. You need to satisfy a set of requirements for a drivers license restoration in a situation when your driving privileges are suspended.
The steps for reinstating suspended drivers licenses include waiting for the suspension period to be over and paying certain applicable fees. Continue reading the sections below for more information about suspended driving privileges and Nebraska drivers license reinstatement procedures.
Reinstating a Nebraska Suspended License
To reinstate suspended drivers licenses in Nebraska, motorists must fulfill certain requirements set by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Drivers may get their driving privileges suspended or revoked due to various offenses and misdemeanors. The most common reasons for getting an NE drivers license suspension or revocation are:
- Failure to pay traffic ticket
- Court order for a traffic violation
- Accumulation of points
- Failure to maintain a certificate of car insurance
- Failure to provide proof of financial responsibility
- Failure to stay current on child support payment
How to Reinstate a Nebraska Suspended Drivers License
The Nebraska drivers license reinstatement procedure is mandatory for drivers who want to restore their driving privileges. The NE Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) administers drivers license restoration processes by stating the necessary requirements drivers must fulfill in order to continue operating their motor vehicles legally.
Your reinstatement requirements may vary, depending on the type of offense you have committed. For that reason, the Nebraska DMV website offers online service for drivers to check their license status, their driving license reinstatement requirements and fees, as well as their eligibility for obtaining an Ignition Interlock Permit.
You can use this service by providing your last name, date of birth and your license number or Social Security Number. To reinstate suspended drivers licenses in Nebraska, motorists may need to complete any of the following steps:
- Satisfy court requirements.
- Provide proof of insurance.
- Complete a driver improvement course, if needed.
- Retake the knowledge and skills exams.
- Pay the required fees.
Suspension Periods in Nebraska
Motorists are eligible for a drivers license reinstatement in Nebraska after they complete a specific suspension period. The length of the period depends on the traffic violation you have committed and on the corresponding penalties. For instance, you can get a drivers license suspension period of one year for refusing a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test.
The period may range from six months to one year for failing a BAC test. Drivers who violate the auto insurance laws may receive an indefinite driving license suspension which may be reinstated once they satisfy the imposed requirements. Committing criminal DUI offenses will get you the following suspended driving license periods:
- First DUI offense: six months.
- Second DUI offense: 18 months.
- Third DUI offense: 15 years.
Nebraska Point System
Suspended or revoked drivers licenses in Nebraska are typically issued due to the accumulation of too many demerit points on state driving records. The Department of Motor Vehicles has created a point system which determines the number of points given to drivers who commit certain violations or offenses.
Overall, the severity of the crime or violation determines the number of demerit points that you will get on your NE driving record. Nebraska has determined the following points:
- Motor vehicle homicide: 12 points.
- Third or subsequent DUI offense: 12 points.
- First or second DUI offense: 6 points.
- Reckless driving: 5 points.
- Failure to yield to a pedestrian, thus injuring him or her: 4 points.
- Careless driving: 4 points.
- Using a wireless devise while driving: 3 points.
- Failure to yield to a pedestrian leaving no one injured: 2 points.
- Failure to submit to an alcohol content test: 1 point.
- Other traffic violations: 1 point.
For more information about the point system and the violations that can bring you a suspended drivers license in Nebraska, contact a local DMV branch.
Traffic School in Nebraska
For reinstating drivers licenses and for other numerous reasons, drivers can enroll in Nebraska traffic school. Completing such course may help you dismiss a minor traffic ticket, avoid point accumulation on your driving record, obtain an employment driving permit or prevent an increase of your car insurance premiums. The Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles approves the following defensive driving courses:
- Safety Training Option Program (STOP) – for dismissal of minor traffic citations and tickets.
- Attitudinal Dynamics of Driving (ADD) course – for repeat traffic offenders.
- Four-hour Defensive Driving Course (DDC) – for improvement of the driving skills and for prevention of traffic accidents.
- Under Age 21 Point Accumulation program – for drivers younger than 21 years of age to earn a two-point credit on their driving records.
Voluntarily completing a traffic school course will help you earn a credit of two points and have it added to your driving record. This course is available only to drivers who have less than 12 points on their driving records. Note that you can apply for a two-point credit only once in a five-year period.
Types of Nebraska Drivers License Suspensions
Motorists may face drivers license suspensions in Nebraska for various reasons. The most common offenses committed that may lead to a suspended driving license are the following:
- Failure to pay traffic tickets.
- Accumulation of 12 or more points in a two-year period.
- Accumulation of six or more points for drivers under 21 years of age.
- Revocation ordered by a judge.
- Failure to maintain SR22 certificate of auto insurance.
- Failure to stay current on support payments.
- Failure to provide proof of financial responsibility.
- Failure to make agreed payments.
- Judgment ordered in court.
- Administrative License Revocation (ALR) for alcohol violation.
Nebraska DUI Suspensions
Motorists may get suspended drivers licenses in Nebraska as a result of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) convictions or refusals to submit to a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) test. The severity of the driving license suspension or revocation depends on the type of offense and the number of previous convictions.
To reinstate drivers licenses in Nebraska which are suspended due to DUI offenses, motorists will be required to complete an alcohol education program, pay the reinstatement fees and pass the necessary DMV exams.
Older Than 21
Adult motorists may get NE suspended drivers licenses as a result of a higher BAC level than expected. The average BAC level for drivers older than 21 years of age is 0.08 percent. Drivers who submit to the test and get a higher result than allowed will receive a Nebraska driving license suspension.
Younger Than 21
Minor drivers, on the other hand, can also get suspended drivers licenses in Nebraska for a BAC result higher than the allowed level. Drivers who are younger than 21 years of age cannot show results above the average limit of 0.02 percent for minors.
Therefore, you will receive a drivers license suspension if you are a minor and you are found to have an alcohol level higher than 0.02 percent while operating a motor vehicle.
Car Insurance Suspensions
Motorists can face a suspended driving license in Nebraska if they fail to provide proof of car insurance when requested by a law enforcement official. State law requires drivers to maintain a minimum liability insurance coverage while operating a motor vehicle on public roads within the state. For that reason, drivers must pay $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for total bodily injury to more people, and $25,000 for property damage.
Drivers who are found driving without proof of auto insurance will have to reinstate suspended drivers licenses. Drivers can begin with the driving license reinstatement procedure after preparing the proof of financial responsibility and payment of a $50 fee. Once the Department of Motor Vehicles receives the documents, your NE drivers license suspension may be withdrawn.
Traffic Summons or Failure to Pay
Drivers may be issued Nebraska drivers license suspensions for failure to pay traffic tickets. To avoid a suspended driving license, drivers must pay the ticket online, by mail or in person at the court written on your citation.
If you fail to pay your traffic ticket, then you will have to contact the court and find out the necessary information about the payment. After that, you need to comply with the citation and provide the DMV with a notice of compliance or receipt from the court. You are required to pay a $50 drivers license reinstatement fee, once you take care of the traffic ticket.
Note: If you manage to pay the traffic ticket before or on the date written on your notice or receipt, you may get your drivers license suspension withdrawn.
Nebraska Hardship Drivers License
Motorists with suspended drivers licenses in NE, may be allowed to apply for a hardship credential, such as an employment driving permit for driving to work, or a medical hardship driving permit for medical purposes. The Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles issues hardship licenses to drivers who need to operate their motor vehicle for work and medical reasons while they wait their drivers license suspension period to be over.
Applying for a Nebraska Hardship License
Prior to reinstating suspended drivers licenses in NE, motorists may apply for a hardship credential for business or medical purposes. The application steps and requirements may differ depending on the type of violation committed.
However, to make a request for hardship credential while holding a suspended drivers license, you need to complete an application form and submit it at a nearby DMV office. In addition to the application form, you may be required to provide proof of financial responsibility and money order of $45 made payable to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Drivers License Reinstatement Fees
The fees for reinstating drivers licenses in Nebraska may vary depending on the type of suspension or revocation you received. For instance, drivers must pay a fee of $50 to reinstate driving licenses from the following suspensions:
- Insurance cancellation
- Support order violation
- Involvement in an accident
- Failure to make payments
- Default in payment unsatisfied judgment
- No proof of insurance
- Accumulation of six or more points for drivers under the age of 21
- Failure to comply with a traffic ticket.
Motorists must pay a drivers license reinstatement fee of $125 for the suspensions: point revocation, court-ordered revocation, Administrative License Revocation (ALR), and CDL disqualification. You need to pay a $3 transaction fee to complete the drivers license restoration procedure when paying the applicable fees online.
Nebraska License Reinstatement Forms
Note: DMV forms change regularly. The forms provided above are current based on the date of writing.
Sources
- Online Services from dmv.nebraska.gov