How To Restore & Renew NJ DMV License?
Has your driver’s license expired or been suspended in New Jersey? If this is the first time, you most likely don’t know what to do. Fear not; in the following sections, you will discover how to renew and restore your NJ DMV license.
Let’s examine the grounds for the NJ DMV license suspension first, though.
Circumstances Leading To Suspension Of The NJ DMV Licence
A licence will be suspended if:
1) Driving In Relation To:
- Violation of traffic laws. This licence suspension is caused by common violations of state and local traffic laws. Your vehicle may be involved in criminal activity, or someone may be injured.
- Point accumulation: Up to 12 points due to traffic offences will result in a two-year licence suspension, while 15 or more points will result in a further licence suspension.
- Drunk driving is also subject to a licence suspension. The first suspension is for seven months, but the court can extend it to one year. The second suspension is for two years. After the third, the suspension is for ten years. After the fourth, the suspension is for two years. After the fifth, the suspension is for two years. After the fifth, the suspension is for two years. After the sixth, the suspension is for two years.
2) Driving Without Insurance:
Driving without insurance can result in a court suspension. The insurance company may also contact the Motor Vehicle Commission.
3) Failure To Pay Insurance Surcharges:
This offence has nothing to do with insurance and is subject to this exemption if the offence accumulates more than six points over three years. The court imposes penalties, and the number of points depends on the nature of the offence.
4) Non-Payment Of Child Support:
Failure to pay child support is subject to suspension from the DL by the court and the Probation Department:
- Failure to pay child support for more than six months.
- Failure to participate in a paternity test.
- Pay premiums for at most six months.
- The court can lift this suspension if it is likely to affect your child support payments. For example, the court can spread your payments over 12 months.
5) Non-Appearance In Court:
If you fail to appear in court to defend yourself against an indicted traffic offence or a general court summons, the District Court of New Jersey will suspend your case. You will be given up to 60 days to appear in court.
6) Failure To Pay A Court-Ordered Fine:
Court-ordered fines include, in this case, traffic fines and other court costs.
Must Check: Pay your NJ Traffic ticket Online at the NJMCDirect official portal & save your valuable time by not visiting the offices.
Other Suspensions Include Criminal Law, Juvenile Law & Payment Of Parking Tickets
Each suspension has a specific solution. In this next step, find out how to get your NJ DMV licence back.
- You can pay NJ traffic tickets online and pay NJmcdirect surcharges, pay a parking ticket online in NJ, plead not guilty in NJ, and recover your DMV licence in NJ.
The DMV licence recovery process is simple and involves two critical steps:
Pay The Restoration Fee
The restoration fee is USD 100. There are three payment options. Namely.
- Pay in person at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
- Pay online via the NJ MVC website.
Send a money order or cheque to the address at the bottom of the waiver notice:
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, P. O. Box 140, and Street Address Trenton, NJ 08650-0134 (this is faster).
Alternatively, do not complete the bottom of the Notice of Suspension of Driver’s Licence and send a money order or cheque made payable to the NJ MVC, with the driver’s licence number attached to all payments, to the address bolded in 3 above.
The next step is to prove the fines paid.
As a driver, you must provide proof of payment showing that you have paid any outstanding tickets or fines. Now, tick the following items on your list for the last few steps of reinstating your licence.
- You meet the grounds for licence suspension
- You have completed the period of licence suspension
- You have paid any outstanding fines
- Received a licence reinstatement notice by email
Once all of the above has been resolved, the next step is to check if your licence is still valid. This depends mainly on the length of the licence suspension. If the licence has expired, the next step is the normal licence renewal process.
The renewal procedure is described later in this section. We promised above that we would talk about the online payment procedure for renewal fees. Here we explain how to do this:
- First, access the NJ MVC online service.
- Then scroll down to Pay Your Surcharge or Restoration Fee.
- Then, select the restoration fee.
- NJ MVC Online Services – Pay Your Restoration Fee
- Scroll down to Pay Your Surcharge or Restoration Fee and select Restoration Fee.
- Verify your identity by entering your postcode, driver’s licence number and SSN.
- NJ MVC – Additional Fee Payment page
- Fill in the fee payment form and click Continue.
- Finally, click Continue and follow the instructions to complete the payment process.
If a payment is due, select ‘Surcharges’ in the above step and make the payment. The accumulated points need to be cleared together with the points added by the court.
This completes the renewal of your licence.
How Do I Renew My NJ MVC License?
You will need to obtain a new driving licence.
Not everyone can renew online—here are the reasons why you cannot continue.
- Your licence has been suspended, the passport photo on the right is more than four years old, and your licence has expired.
However, you are eligible.
- Firstly, go to the NJ MVC Online Services website.
- Secondly, navigate to the ‘Renew your Standard Licence’ page.
- Thirdly, select one of the options (choose Renew Standard License Online to renew online).
- Now, click on NJ MVC Online Services – Paying for Repairs
- Finally, go to Renew the Standard License and select Renew Standard License Online.
This selection will bring up the Renew License page. You will need an active social security number, driver’s licence number, email address, credit card, printer and a licence renewal form that was mailed to you.
The mailing address must be accurate. If you change your mailing address, you must update it by clicking ‘Change Address’ on the licence renewal page.
Finally, click Begin Online License Renewal. Enter your most recent mailing address, driver’s licence or ID number and social security number to log in and complete the renewal process.
NJ MVC – License Renewal Page
If you are unable to renew online, or if the online process is not available (especially in this COVID-19 era), you will need to complete the process in person. So how can you do this?
- First, go to the New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles.
- Next, prepare the necessary documents, such as proof of address and 6-point ID.
- Then, fill in an application form (usually obtained from a licensing office. Alternatively, you can fill in a form that is mailed to you.
- Pay the renewal fee by cash, card, cheque or money order, usually around USD 24.
- In addition, have your photograph and signature taken at the Motor Vehicle Commission.
- Finally, you will receive your new licence. This licence is valid for four years.
Licences can also be renewed by post. You can also continue by post:
To restore your licence by post, use Skip the Trip (a program by the MVC of New Jersey. Use the following services.
- Temporary visa restriction (TVR), graduated driver’s licence (GDL), license suspension, having a new photograph taken in person, and having an ignition interlock device fitted in the vehicle.
Where To Go From Here?
- First, complete the renewal form in black or blue pen.
- Next, enclose a postal money order or cheque with the renewal form.
- In addition, mail the form and the licence fee to the Motor Vehicle Commission.
- Finally, wait ten days for your new driving licence to arrive.
Note: If 20 days pass without receiving your licence, contact the NJ MVC by calling (609) 292-6500.
Now that you know how to reinstate your driver’s licence in New Jersey, you can get your licence back. You have learned that licence suspensions can last up to 10 years.
From what I have found out, there are a few tricks you can use to reduce your accumulated traffic violation points and avoid your following licence suspension.
I will share them with you in the next section.
Renewing Your Old Vehicle Registration In New Jersey
How Do You Reduce Your NJ MVC Surcharge Points To Avoid Licence Suspension?
Above, we explained how accumulating points from traffic violations can lead to licence suspension and other penalties. However, there are two ways to stay within six points.
Take the New Jersey Defensive Driving Course, which is available online for approximately $20 as of 30/7/2020. This will deduct two points. If you have no violations for a year, three points are deducted.
If these options do not work, the only alternative is to wait for the suspension period to end and pay the fine. These are the promised MDV repair locations in NJ:
- Newark, Trenton, Paterson, Eatontown, & west Deptford.
The New Jersey DMV is open from 8 AM to 4.30 PM Monday to Friday and from 8 AM to 3 PM on Saturdays.