Can I Get a Hardship License in New Jersey if my Driver’s License is Suspended?

No. Unlike in some other states, the Motor Vehicle Commission of New Jersey does not allow individuals whose drivers’ licenses are suspended to receive special licenses to drive to work. This type of license is known as a hardship license. In the states where they are an option, they exist to allow individuals with suspended driver’s licenses to continue to earn their livings. If you lose your driver’s license in New Jersey, you will need to explore other options for getting to work and running your errands. Public transportation, rides from friends and relatives, and apps like Uber can meet this need for you until your driver’s license is restored.

Why Would my Driver’s License be Suspended?

There are a few reasons why an individual can have his or her driver’s license suspended in New Jersey. They include the following:

• A DWI conviction. For an individual’s first DWI conviction, his or her driver’s license may be suspended for up to three months. For an individual’s second DWI, the suspension period is seven months to one year. For a third DWI conviction, the individual’s driver’s license is suspended for 10 years.

• Refusing to take a Breathalyzer. If an individual is pulled over on the suspicion that he or she is driving under the influence of alcohol, he or she is required to take a Breathalyzer test. Refusing to take this test can result in a driver’s license suspension for seven months for a first offense, two years for a second offense, and 10 years for a third offense.

• Criminal offenses involving a motor vehicle. These can include vehicular manslaughter, evading police in a vehicle, or leaving the scene of an accident.

• Failing to pay fines for criminal offenses or to appear in court to pay these fines.

• Failure to pay surcharges imposed to criminal offenses such as DWI.

• Accumulating 12 or more points on one’s driver’s license for traffic violations.

• Failing to pay one’s required child support.

• Disqualification due to a mental or physical condition that can impair driving, such as epilepsy.

In New Jersey, the penalty for driving while one’s driver’s license is suspended is up to five years in jail.

You can avoid losing your driver’s license by avoiding the offenses that can lead to a license suspension. If you can not afford your child support payments, seek a modification to your child support order instead of allowing yourself to fall behind on your payments. Do not drink and drive. When you are written a ticket for a moving or parking violation, pay it online or in court as soon as possible.

For legal guidance with child support or criminal defense issues, contact Lansing & Hannum, LLC today at 732-370-9596 to schedule your free legal consultation with us. Our firm proudly serves clients in Ocean, Monmouth, Mercer, Middlesex, and Burlington counties.