How can I get my drivers license reinstated after losing it for back child support?

Question

How can I get my drivers license reinstated after losing it for back child support?

Answer

Any state in the United States may suspend a person's driver's license for failing to pay back child support. If this occurs, while exact proceudres may vary depending on the state and the specifics of the situation, to get drivers license reinstated child support involves two steps:

Paying the back child support.

It is not always necessary to pay the entire amount, but typically any other arrangements would require a specific deal to be made and a payment plan to be put in place, in which case you will likely need the help of a lawyer. Basically, the simplest and quickest way to clear up this problem is to write a check for what is owed, either to the parent who was supposed to receive the payments, or to the county under which the child support order exists.

Applying for reinstatement of the license.

Once the child support is paid up, it's essential to follow up on the case and apply to the court to get the license reinstated. Doing so may require going directly to the court, or may also require going through the DMV/ licensing agency. The exact procedure may vary. This application will likely require documentation to be filed and a court hearing to be held, at which proof of payment will be required. The process can take at least a few weeks.

If the parent who is owed the back child support is in support of the person in question getting the license back, he or she may state to the court that they waive claim to any back child support, which erases the debt and thus eliminates the cause of the suspension; in this case, the person could then go ahead with the application for reinstatement provided there is written proof of the waived debt to bring to the court hearing.

Regardless of exactly what your situation is or how you plan to proceed, having a lawyer on your side to navigate the laws here can be invaluable to getting your license back as quickly as possible.

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