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Published Wednesday, July 01, 2009 in Local

Beginning July 1 it costs more to have driver's license reinstated

Georgia Department of Driver Services reminds that beginning July 1 it will cost more to reinstate a Georgia Driver's License.

House Bill 160 was passed during the most recent legislative session to generate revenue to support trauma care throughout Georgia. These funds will be raised in two ways, including increases to reinstatement fees for many driver license suspensions and the creation of new fees and suspension for those traveling more than 75 miles per hour on a two-lane road or more than 85 miles per hour on any road.

The reinstatement fee increases and the implementation of the new traffic citation language will go into effect in two phases.

Phase One -- The driver's license reinstatement fee increases going into effect July 1 apply to suspensions imposed on or after July 1. Anyone who received a license suspension prior to July 1 will not face a fee increase.

The suspensions subject to increased reinstatement fees include:

--1. O.C.G.A. §40-5-22.1: Tiered fee structure for license suspensions imposed upon teens under age sixteen (16) who are convicted of DUI or drug offenses:

First offense: $210 (or $200 if paid by mail)

Second offense: $310 (or $300 by mail)

Third or subsequent offense: $410 (or $400 by mail).

--2. O.C.G.A. §40-5-30: Imposes a new reinstatement fee of $210 (or $200 if paid by mail) for license suspensions resulting from convictions for violations of license restrictions.

--3. O.C.G.A. §40-5-56: Increases the reinstatement fee for license suspensions for failure to appear to $100 (or $90 if paid by mail).

--4. O.C.G.A. §40-5-57.1: Increases the reinstatement fee for a second or subsequent serious juvenile suspension to $310 (or $300 if paid by mail).

--5. O.C.G.A. §40-5-62: Increases the reinstatement fee for habitual violator revocations to $410 (or $400 if paid by mail).

--6. O.C.G.A. §40-5-70: Increases the reinstatement fees for license suspensions for driving without insurance. The fee for a first suspension within five (5) years will be $210 (or $200 if paid by mail), and the fee for reinstatement of a second or subsequent suspension within five (5) years will be $310 (or $300 if paid by mail).

--7. O.C.G.A. §40-5-75: Tiered fee structure for controlled substance suspensions:

First offense in five (5) years: $210 (or $200 if paid by mail)

Second offense in five (5) years: $310 (or $300 by mail)

Third offense in five (5) years: $410 (or $400 by mail).

--8. O.C.G.A. §40-5-84: Tiered fee structure for points suspensions and suspensions for mandatory offenses:

First offense in five (5) years: $210 (or $200 by mail)

Second offense in five (5) years: $310 (or $300 by mail)

Third offense in five (5) years: $410 (or $400 by mail).

--9. O.C.G.A. §40-5-121: Tiered fee structure for suspensions imposed for driving with a suspended license:

First offense in five (5) years: $210 (or $200 if paid by mail)

Second offense in five (5) years: $310 (or $300 by mail)

Third offense in five (5) years: $410 (or $400 by mail).

--

Phase Two-Speeding penalty begins Jan. 1, 2010

The changes include an amendment to O.C.G.A. §40-6-187 to provide that every charge of speeding must indicate whether the offense occurred on a two-lane road or highway.

DDS will be making additional changes to the uniform traffic citation form used by law enforcement statewide to accommodate this requirement. This data will be used by the DDS to determine whether or not it should impose the fee and/or license suspension established in O.C.G.A. §40-6-189.

According to O.C.G.A. §40-6-189, any person who is convicted of speeding at 85 mph or more on any road or at 75 mph or more on a two-lane road is subject to the imposition of a penalty of $200.

DDS must send written notice to the customer within thirty (30) days of its receipt of a super-speeder citation, and if the customer does not pay the citation within ninety (90) days, he or she is subject to a license suspension of indefinite duration until he or she pays the fee plus a reinstatement fee of $50.

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