Auto Insurance
Get A Free Insurance Quote. Instantly compare rates.
How to Reinstate Your Suspended Drivers License in Indiana
A drivers license suspension in Indiana will be issued to motorists who do not comply with state rules and road regulations. Per state law, drivers will be issued an IN suspended driving license by the court or the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) for a variety of different reasons. Such offenses may include failure to obtain the required liability insurance, or not arranging payment for a ticket or child support among others.
If you are dealing with a driving license suspension in IN, you are required to restore your credential, and thus, continue legally operating your vehicle. The steps to reinstate suspended drivers licenses in Indiana vary, depending on the type of criminal offense you have committed. Should you need more information about suspended licenses and reinstatement requirements in the Indiana, continue reading below.
Reinstating an Indiana Suspended License
Reinstating your suspended driving license in Indiana is a mandatory procedure, as driving with a license that has been suspended or revoked is against the law. Details about your current driving license status and reinstatement procedure can be found on your driving record. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles provides licensees with two options to review their record: either by using the online Viewable Driver Record (VDR) or the printable Official Driver Record (ODR).
How to Reinstate an Indiana Suspended Drivers License
The Indiana driving license reinstatement requirements will be listed on your ODR, including the earliest date to complete the procedure and the allotted fees. In case the date of reinstatement is indicated as “Indefinite”, licensees may have a suspension ordered by the court or the DMV with additional requirements to fulfill. To reinstate drivers license privileges following a court-ordered suspension, motorists will need to first contact the court to ask about any specific conditions, and how to satisfy them.
Once they have been completed, the court will notify the BMV by sending the reinstatement information for processing. If you are facing an administrative driving license suspension in IN, it is your responsibility to review the ODR and the required steps to proceed.
In case your record shows that you must provide proof of auto liability coverage, the insurance company must electronically submit one along with an SR22 insurance form to the state BMV. Insurance policy documents submitted personally by motorists will not be accepted. To complete the procedure, licensees must also pay insurance and reinstatement fees in full.
Suspension Periods in Indiana
The period of a drivers license suspension in Indiana will be stated on the driver’s record. For instance, the drivers license revocation period for driving under the influence for motorists who did not pass a chemical or alcohol test can be up to 180 days. On the other hand, if drivers refuse to undergo a drug or alcohol test, they can have their driving credential suspended for two years by the BMV.
State courts may also order an Indiana drivers license suspension for DUI. If you are a habitual offender, you may be subject to longer suspension periods. The BMV may also suspend your driving license indefinitely if you have ever submitted dishonored funds for any type of service provided by the bureau.
Indiana Point System
Drivers license suspensions in Indiana can result from accumulating violation points against your driving credential. Every traffic violation or conviction in Indiana is assessed through a point system indicating the severity of the offense.
Indiana laws range the point values from zero to eight and the points will remain on an individual’s driving record for two years from the date of violation. Some of the most common point values that may lead to a suspended drivers license include:
- Speeding (2-6 points depending on the speed limit exceeded).
- Improper U-turn (4 points).
- No signal lights or brakes (2 points).
- Failure to stop or yield at a stop/yield sign (6 points).
- Racing with another vehicle (8 points).
- Failure to use headlights (2 points).
- Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle (8 points).
- Driving with a suspended license.
Traffic School in Indiana
Motorists with suspended drivers licenses in Indiana resulting from accumulated penalty points or DUI offenses may be required to complete a certain traffic school program such as the Defensive Driving Course or the Driver Safety Program. The completion of such programs may be requested either by the court or the BMV, depending on the conviction.
If a driver has two or more violations in a 12-month period, the BVM will request completion of a DSP. Motorists younger than 18 years of age with two or more traffic violations are obliged to complete a BVM-approved DSP.
Failure to complete the courses within the designated time period may result in prolonged IN drivers license suspension. Licensees can also complete a BMV-approved DSP course if they would like to reinstate drivers licenses through receiving a four-point credit on their driving record and thus balance out their penalty points.
Types of Indiana Drivers License Suspensions
Revoked or suspended drivers licenses in Indiana may be due to various factors and offenses and can be driving or non-driving related. There are different types of IN drivers license suspensions depending on the nature of the violation and the type of offender (a first-time or a habitual offender). The most common reasons leading to suspended driving licenses in Indiana include:
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Failure to appear in court.
- Failure to pay traffic offenses.
- Driving with a suspended license.
- Failure to pay child support.
- Submitting payment for a BMV service with dishonored funds.
Habitual offenders in Indiana are subject to serious BMV penalties. Depending on the type of traffic violation and the severity of its consequences, habitual offenders may face drivers license suspensions ranging from five years to having their driving privileges suspended indefinitely.
Indiana DUI Suspensions
Drivers may face an immediate driving license suspension in Indiana for DUI-related issues. Since driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol is considered illegal, the court and the Indiana BMV may take specific actions against motorists not complying with state law. Note that the duration of the suspension period will depend on the type of criminal offense you are being charged with.
Older Than 21
A suspended driving license in Indiana will be issued to drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeding the legal limit. Law enforcement officers are authorized to perform chemical testing and confirm the level of alcohol in your system.
Drivers will have an IN suspended drivers license for up to 180 days in case they fail the BAC test. If you refuse to submit to the testing procedure, but the officer has probable cause to believe you have committed an offense, you will have your driving privileges suspended for up to two years.
A driving license suspension in Indiana may also be ordered by the court following a conviction while operating under the influence. The Indiana driving license suspension periods may be longer if you have repeatedly committed traffic offenses, and thus, you are considered a habitual traffic violator.
Note: Following the DUI license suspension, drivers may be required to install an ignition interlock device, which tests their alcohol level before the vehicle engine can be started. Additionally, motorists may be issued a special license to operate their motor vehicle under specific circumstances.
Younger Than 21
The drivers license suspension in IN may be also valid for licensees younger than 21 years of age. Note that, if you are younger than 18 years of age and you have been detained or arrested for operating while intoxicated, the Juvenile Court has the authority to recommend a suspension of your driving credential.
Car Insurance Suspensions
An Indiana driving license suspension will be also issued to motorists who failed to obtain the required auto insurance. Per state law, the minimum liability coverage that drivers must purchase is as follows:
- $25,000 for property damage.
- $25,000 for body injury or death of one person.
- $50,000 for body injury or death of two or more people.
In addition to having an IN suspended drivers license for a period of 90 days to one year, you will be charged with financial penalties for violating the law. To reinstate your suspended driving license in IN, you must satisfy the set requirements.
Licensees with a suspended credential due to a court conviction or failure to submit insurance to the BMV must have their insurance agent electronically send proof of financial responsibility along with an SR22 form for their license to be reinstated. Also, you will be obliged to arrange payment for the allotted reinstatement fees to complete the process.
Furthermore, motorists must have an effective SR22 form on file with the BMV in Indiana for three years due to a first or second no-insurance suspension, or five years due to any subsequent suspension. If you fail to submit the document when required, your credential will be suspended until this condition has been satisfied.
Traffic Summons or Failure To Pay
A drivers license suspension in Indiana will also occur provided motorists have failed to pay for a traffic ticket or appear in a court of law due to a traffic citation. In such case, your license will be suspended until the court has notified the IN Bureau of Motor Vehicles that you have paid the appropriate fine.
Licensees can utilize the official website for Online Ticket Payment to verify how to arrange payment, as well as check whether they are eligible for an online transaction. For more details regarding the Indiana driving license suspension due to failure to pay, you can also contact the court listed on your Official Driving Record.
Indiana Hardship Drivers License
If you have a suspended drivers license in Indiana, but are required to drive for work, school or any other mandatory reason, you may be able to apply for a special hardship license. Since driving with a suspended license is illegal and can lead to fines and penalties, drivers who need to drive on a daily basis can obtain a conditional or probationary license to restore some driving privileges.
If a hardship or specialized license is granted by a court, the driver must provide proof of SR22 insurance for the entire duration of the hardship license. Also, a copy of the court order granting this restriction (known as Restriction 5) must be kept in the vehicle at all times while driving. The restriction may be removed when the driver meets certain eligibility requirements.
Applying for an Indiana Hardship License
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles may allow drivers with a suspended driving license to obtain a probationary credential which will serve as a replacement license. To request the hardship license to operate, motorists may need to satisfy certain conditions and submit additional documents to the BMV. Should you need the restricted credential, contact the local BMV branch in IN and ask about specific steps to complete the procedure.
Drivers License Reinstatement Fees
To reinstate drivers licenses in Indiana, drivers must pay the appropriate drivers license restoration fees. The total reinstatement can be found in the Reinstatement Requirements section of your driving record and is calculated according to the type of violation committed.
For instance, if the drivers license suspension resulted from driving without an insurance policy, motorists will need to pay an IN drivers license reinstatement fee in addition to the insurance requirements. Thus, for a first-time no-insurance suspension, licensees will need to pay $$250, $500 for a second suspension and $1,000 for a third and all subsequent suspensions of this kind.
Fees for reinstating drivers licenses can be paid online (by e-checks, credit and debit cards), in person at any License branch or a BMV-authorized partner location (by cash, credit/debit cards, checks and money orders) or by mail (by completing a Reinstatement Fee Submission Form along with a check, money order or credit/debit card information).
Related Forms
Note: DMV forms change regularly. The forms provided above are current based on the date of writing.
Sources
- Suspension & Reinstatement from IN.gov
- Reinstating Your Driving Privileges from IN.gov