Let App WinIt fight your ticket.
So you got a ticket and now you have to pay the Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA) fee.
To understand what a DRA fee is and what to do when you get one keep reading.
What Is the Driver Responsibility Assessment?
The DRA is a penalty that you have to pay after committing certain kinds of violations or getting too many points on your license in too short a period of time. How much you have to pay depends on how many points you have on your license.
The DRA lasts for three full years and can cost hundreds of dollars.
It is worth noting that you only have to deal with the DRA if you are convicted of your traffic ticket. If an attorney manages to get you off the hook and your case is dismissed, you will not get points on your license. That means goodbye, DRA!
DMV Requirements for Driver Responsibility Assessment Payments
There are three ways to get saddled with the burden of the DRA. Each of these ways also has its own penalties and charges in addition to the DRA’s fees. All you have to do is satisfy one of these requirements and that’s it. Once you’ve done that, you’re in for three years of bad luck.
Option 1: Get six or more points on your license within 18 months.
If you are convicted of a traffic ticket that applies enough points to put you at or above six within 18 months, you’ll have to pay the DRA. This could be from one ticket or more than one, as all points are combined. For example, whether you have one ticket or three doesn’t matter for the DRA. What matters is the combined point total of those three tickets.
Option 2: Get convicted of an alcohol- or drug-related traffic offense.
The two most common forms of DUIs in New York are Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and Driving While Ability Impaired by Alcohol or Drugs (DWAI-Alcohol or DWAI-Drugs). A conviction for any kind of DUI, whether in a car, snowmobile, or even a boat can result in you being required to pay the DRA fees.
Option 3: Refuse to take a chemical test for blood alcohol content (BAC) in New York.
It is illegal to drink and drive, but it’s also illegal to refuse to let an officer see whether you’ve been drinking. You are legally required to submit to BAC tests in New York. Failure to do so will result in serious consequences including, but not limited to, the DRA.
How Much Does the Driver Responsibility Assessment Cost?
How much the DRA costs depends on why you’re being required to pay it. That is, it is dependent on the type of violation that brought you here in the first place. The following table lists common violations and how much they will cost you:
| Violation Description | DRA Fine Total (Three Years) |
| Six or more points on your license within 18 months. | $300 + $75 per point over 6. |
| Alcohol- or drug-related traffic offense. | $750 |
| Refuse to take a chemical test for blood alcohol content (BAC) in New York. | $750 |
For example, if you have 10 points, you will have to pay $600 in total.
Penalties for Not Paying the Driver Responsibility Assessment Fee
Failure to pay the DRA fee is similar to if you fail to pay a normal traffic fine. Your driving privileges will be suspended until the day you pay off the DRA or establish a qualifying payment plan. If you cannot afford to pay the DRA fee, you should hire a lawyer to get your ticket dismissed. You can do so through the WinIt App’s user-friendly interface.
What Do the Dates on My Statement Mean?
There should be five dates on your DRA statement. Every single one of them is crucial to your case and so is knowing what they mean.
Violation Date
Your violation date is the date the violation occurred. That means the day you received the ticket. For example, getting the ticket on March 1st would mean your violation date is March 1st.
Conviction Date
The conviction date is the date the conviction occurred. That is, the date when the judge found you guilty. This is usually done during traffic court.
Assessment Date
The DRA assessment date is the date that the DMV adds the violation to your record. That is when they assess whether to apply the DRA fee or not.
Annual Statement Date
The annual statement date is the date when the DMV issued your DRA statement. This is the annual mark for when you can expect each payment to be due.
Payment Date
The payment date is the last date you can pay your DRA fees before the DMV suspends your license.
Reducing the Driver Responsibility Assessment Fee with a Point and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP) Course
Taking a PIRP course does not reduce your DRA penalties. However, taking a good PIRP course can reduce your insurance premiums, which could help to offset the total financial burden of the DRA fees.
There is no way to reduce the amount of DRA fees that you will have to pay without getting your case dismissed. Hire a lawyer through the WinIt app to help fight your ticket and avoid the DRA.
How To Pay the Driver Responsibility Assessment Fee
To pay the DRA fees, you can go to the DMV’s online payment portal and follow the instructions on the screen. The steps are as follows:
- Enter your personal information.
This includes your DMV ID number or your name, gender, and date of birth. You will also need to submit the last four digits of your social security number (SSN) and your email address.
- Enter your payment information.
Once you’re in the system and your answer’s match the DMV’s records, you will be able to pay your fees.
It is important to know that, although you can not reduce the cost of the DRA fees, you can avoid the DRA entirely. The best way to do that is to hire a lawyer to fight your case through the WinIt app.
