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Out-of-state traffic tickets are any traffic tickets issued to New York drivers when driving in states other than New York. For example, if you get a speeding ticket in New Jersey but you hold a New York driver license, New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will consider that ticket an out-of-state ticket.
Of course, the same is true for people who hold driver licenses from other states and get traffic tickets in New York. No matter where you’re licensed to drive, if you get a ticket in a different state, that ticket will be considered an out-of-state traffic ticket.
Contrary to what you might think, these tickets can have a very real—and very bad—effect on your license. Here’s what you need to know about out-of-state traffic tickets in New York.
What Happens When You Get a New York Traffic Ticket With an Out-of-State Driver’s License?
If your driver license were issued by a state other than New York (such as New Jersey or Connecticut), then it’s an out-of-state driver license. If you get a ticket in New York with an out-of-state driver license, that ticket can still affect your record, impose fees and fines, and increase your insurance premiums.
Do Out-of-State Tickets Go on a NY Driving Record?
All too often, drivers from out of state will just plead guilty and move on, hoping that the out-of-state ticket will just go away after they pay it. Or, maybe they think that the New York DMV or Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) won’t report it to their home state. Unfortunately, that’s not how things work.
If you’re licensed to drive in New York and get a traffic ticket in another state, that ticket can go on your New York record if the other state’s DMV equivalent reports it to New York’s DMV or TVB. If not, you just might escape without the points or conviction going on your record, but you can still be treated as having points on your license in the other state.
If you’re licensed to drive in another state and get a traffic ticket in New York, the same is true. In addition, no matter where your license was issued, you will receive points on your New York driving record. That’s true even if you don’t actually have a New York driving record. In that case, the government will create one for you and assign points to it as though you had a New York driver license.
What Happens if an Out-of-State Driver Gets Too Many Points?
Regardless of where your license is from, keep racking up ticket convictions in New York and odds are it’s going to get suspended. That’s because New York has a law requiring the automatic suspension of anybody’s driving privileges if they earn more than 12 points in an 18-month period of time. Pass that threshold and your license goes poof!
If you’re an out-of-state driver, however, things work a little more slowly than that. Your license will likely still be suspended, but it may take a few weeks. That’s because, if there’s one thing we can all agree on about the DMV, it’s that it’s as slow as molasses. Unfortunately, once that molasses starts flowing, it doesn’t stop. Eventually, the DMV will report the suspension to your home state and your home state will uphold it (in all but the rarest situations).
As a general rule of thumb, you can ask yourself, “Is it worth points where I’m from?” If yes, and you are convicted of it in New York, your home state will also apply those points to your license after hearing about it from the New York DMV.
How Will My Home State Know About My Traffic Ticket?
We’ve mentioned that the DMV reports convictions back to your home state’s traffic-regulating body. Now, let’s break down what that actually means.
Most states work quite closely with one another and maintain a clear and open line of communication. States with partnerships such as those will almost always provide updates about your out-of-state driving record to your home state, resulting in those convictions being added to your home state’s driving record as well.
The largest one of these partnerships is the Driver’s License Compact (DLC), which 45 states have signed onto. The DLC allows these states to quickly transfer information about your driving record from one state to another, regardless of where you’re licensed to drive. That means that a traffic ticket conviction pretty much anywhere has a high chance of finding its way back to your home county’s book of records.
What Should an Out-of-State Driver Do if They Receive a New York Speeding Ticket?
If you’re licensed to drive in a state other than New York and you get a speeding ticket in New York, don’t panic. This four-step process should help maximize your chances of getting out of the ticket and avoiding the significant financial and legal consequences that come after a conviction.
1. Know the Law
Knowledge is power, especially in the courtroom. However, in this case, we’re not talking about buying a Westlaw subscription and going back to law school. No, we’re referring to the actual penalties themselves. Knowing what penalties are available can help spur you into action.
The fine for a New York speeding ticket depends on how fast you were going and where you were driving at the time of the violation, but you can typically expect a fine of anywhere between $90 and $600. On top of that, you’ll also have to pay either $88 or $93 in surcharges, any applicable court fees (maybe the $300 DRA Fee), etcetera.
Needless to say, these financial penalties can quite easily bankrupt somebody with less disposable income.
2. Find an Experienced New York Traffic Ticket Attorney Through appwinit.com
Immediately after receiving a ticket in New York, download the WinIt app and select a lawyer. There are countless traffic ticket attorneys to choose from on the WinIt app. You can also go to www.appwinit.com on your computer, if you don’t have a smartphone or smart device.
The attorneys available in the WinIt app empower you to make the best decisions regarding your case and, if necessary, will go to court on your behalf so that you don’t have to. Of course, for some more serious violations, you’ll still need to attend court. That’s not the norm, though.
3. Ensure That Your Attorney Is Honest About Your Prospects
Attorneys get paid to know the law and to act in your best interest. If you don’t understand what your attorney is trying to tell you or if you’re not okay with the level of risk associated with their plan, let them know. The attorneys found on the WinIt app are known for being personable and understanding, with years of experience working for and alongside people just like you.
4. If You Are Facing an Out-of-State Speeding Ticket or Other Traffic Tickets in New York, Listen to Your New York Traffic Ticket Lawyer.
Just like your lawyer should listen to you, you should listen to your lawyer. Whether you can win your case or not comes down to how good you are at communicating with your lawyer and how solid the evidence is.
If your lawyer takes you down a path that you’re not comfortable with, let them know. And if your lawyer says the best possible outcome of a case will only be possible if you do what they say, then do what they say. At the end of the day, their reputation depends on their ability to make you happy and to win your case, so they’re going to do everything in their power to do just that.
What Happens if a New York Driver Gets an Out-of-State Ticket?
What happens if a New York driver gets an out-of-state ticket is similar to what happens if an out-of-state driver gets a New York traffic ticket. However, New York tends to be one of the most lenient states when it comes to deciding whether or not to record a driver’s out-of-state convictions.
Moving Violations
If you are convicted of failing to answer or respond to a traffic ticket for a moving violation in another state, then New York will likely suspend your license. The following states are the exception to this rule:
- Alaska
- California
- Michigan
- Montana
- Oregon
- Wisconsin
That being said, the New York state DMV does not record out-of-state traffic violations for any drivers other than those with commercial driver licenses (CDL) unless the violation took place in the Canadian provinces of Ontario or Quebec. So, if you have a standard Class-D driver license, you won’t have to worry about an out-of-state traffic ticket impacting your license unless it occurs in one of those two places.
Alcohol and Drug Violations
The following table breaks down what happens to drivers with New York driver licenses who are convicted of alcohol- or drug-related violations in other states:
| Driver’s Age | Penalty |
| 21 years or older | Drivers in this age bracket who are convicted of alcohol- or drug-related violations in any other state or the Canadian provinces of Ontario or Quebec will have their New York driver licenses revoked for at least 90 days. |
| Under the age of 21 | Drivers in this age bracket who are convicted of alcohol- or drug-related violations in any other state or the Canadian provinces of Ontario or Quebec will have their New York driver licenses revoked for at least one year. If the driver has any prior convictions for alcohol- or drug-related driving offenses on their record, their license will instead be revoked for one year or until the age of 21, whichever is longer. |
Convictions for Criminal Negligence, Homicide, or Assault
The New York state DMV records any and all criminal traffic convictions that stem from the operation of a motor vehicle and result in somebody’s wrongful death, no matter where that conviction occurred. As a result, any conviction for any of these three crimes anywhere in the world can result in the permanent revocation of your New York driver license.
