Driving with a Suspended License
in New York City

Driving with a suspended license is found in Vehicle and Traffic Law or VTL511 which is titled Unlicensed Operation.  It is a misdemeanor.  If found guilty you will have to pay fines and may have your license suspended or revoked.  Additionally, you will have a criminal record.

Often times, a motorist will be issued a ticket for this type of offense when he or she did not know that their license was suspended and they were pulled over for a routine traffic stop.  If such a case were taken to trial the district attorney will need to show that the DMV sent letters to you informing you that your privilege to drive was suspended.  They may also show that you were advised in court that your license was suspended.  Either way, they will need to prove that you had reason to know that your license was suspended.  If you failed to notify the DMV that you changed your address, you may still be found guilty of VTL 511 since a motorist is required to notify the DMV of any change of address.  Often a skilled lawyer can negotiate a settlement to these cases where the motorist provides proof that his or her license is no longer suspended.  You may need to clear up any suspensions at the DMV and order your current driving abstract.

If you have been arrested or issued a DAT or pink summons for VTL 511 you should call a skilled criminal attorney to make sure that you get the best possible result.