When you do things such as rack up too many speeding tickets, get a DUI conviction, let your car insurance lapse or do not pay a speeding ticket, your driver's license can be suspended. This means that you cannot legally drive until you have your license replaced. A number of requirements must be met in order to reinstate a suspended license, depending on the severity of the driver's infractions.
Contact or visit your local department of motor vehicles to confirm the reason your license was suspended, such as canceled insurance or having too many moving violations. You may have to pay for a copy of you driving record in order to get this information. If that is the case, the price varies by state but averages $10 as of February 2010.
Review the requirements that must be met to replace your suspended license. Typically the state DMV website gives these details, but you can also get them in person from the DMV office. For example, on the California DMV website it states that an operator whose license is suspended for negligent driving must pay a fee and court costs, file proof of financial responsibility and undergo a probationary period, while a license suspended due to a DUI conviction can't be replaced until a mandatory suspension period has passed and a DUI treatment program has been completed. The driver must also pay a fee, file proof of financial responsibility, pay court fees and serve any required prison time.
Complete any necessary waiting period, treatment program or other program as required by your state DMV. If you are unsure of how to find an appropriate program, ask at your local DMV for assistance.
Pay any court fees, fines or other DMV fees as required to replace your suspended license. Fines and fees vary by state.
Show proof of financial responsibility if required. This means that you need to show proof of insurance coverage for your vehicle.
