How does a $500 fine, 6 months probation, and up to 60 days in county jail sound to you? Well it doesn’t sound that appealing to us either but those are the potential punishments attached to driving with an expired license in Sarasota. The punishments seem harsh because the state of Florida considers this to be a criminal offense.
A common traffic offense in Sarasota, the criminal punishments kick in after four months of driving with an expired license. In Sarasota, drivers should receive notification in the mail 45 days before their license is set to expire. The expiration date is also written on your driver’s license so not knowing that you have an expired license is not an excuse the police officer will necessarily accept from you.
A $48 fee for a class E driver’s license, drivers can renew their license online or by mail. There is an additional $15 fee for renewing a delinquent license in Sarasota. In addition to the fines and other punishments mentioned at the beginning of this post, if a driver has an expired license for over one year then a trip to your local DMV is your only renewal option. Additionally, drivers will have to take a vision test and potentially re-take their driving test in order to have their license reinstated. Not passing the various tests administered at the DMV means that you will have to keep taking them until you do pass.
Here are some other helpful tips related to renewing your Florida driver’s license that you should be aware of:
- Address Change: In the state of Florida, drivers are required to update your home address on your driver’s license within ten days of moving. You can update your address online or by mail. Failure to comply with this requirement does not carry the same penalties as a delinquent license but is nevertheless the law.
- Replacement Licenses: Replacing a lost or stolen license requires a trip to the local driver license office and a check for $25. One detail many people may not be aware of when replacing a stolen Sarasota license is that if you bring a copy of the police report with you, the fee will be waived.
- Commercial Drivers: If you are a commercial driver in Sarasota, then the online and mail license renewal options are not available to you. Commercial drivers must apply for a renewal in person.
- Non US Citizens: Similar to commercial drivers, if you are a non US citizen living in Sarasota then license renewals need to take place in-person at the local driver license office. You will also be required to bring proof of your legal presence with you at this time and pay the required renewal fee.
If you have recently been charged with driving with an expired license in Sarasota, get in touch with the attorneys at Finebloom & Haenel P.A. today for a free consultation. We are happy to chat with you about your legal options going forward. We look forward to hearing from you. http://www.fightyourticket.com
