Moving/Suspended License

Hello,

I recently moved to Virginia from Pennsylvania to live with my father and got a license in Virginia. About a month later I got a letter to my mom's house in Virginia that said that my license is to be suspended for too many points and I was to mail my PA drivers license to them within two weeks. I do not have my PA license anymore as I turned it into the Virginia DMV when getting my license down there. Can I get in trouble for not turning the license in or will they just automatically mark it suspended? I also will be living with my Mom about 3 or 4 months of the year in PA. Can I get in trouble for driving with my Virginia license in Pennsylvania?

anybody have any help for me here?

[Shay-Pari'e]

Originally Posted by Bogey88

Hello,

I recently moved to Virginia from Pennsylvania to live with my father and got a license in Virginia. About a month later I got a letter to my mom's house in Virginia that said that my license is to be suspended for too many points and I was to mail my PA drivers license to them within two weeks. I do not have my PA license anymore as I turned it into the Virginia DMV when getting my license down there. Can I get in trouble for not turning the license in or will they just automatically mark it suspended? I also will be living with my Mom about 3 or 4 months of the year in PA. Can I get in trouble for driving with my Virginia license in Pennsylvania?

Is this a Quiz? Seriously, you make no sense.

[racer72]

How about a simple little note.

Dear PA dept of driver's licenses;

I received your letter concerning the suspension of my DL. I am no longer in possession of a PA DL. I moved to another state and I am licensed to drive in that state. I do live near a creek so you could say I am up a creek without a PA DL. Haha, I made a funny.

Sincerely,
Bogey88

Then wait a few months and the state of Virginia will send you a letter stating that your DL has been suspended due to the PA suspension. Or do nothing but you will likely get the same letter from the Virginia department of licensing. Do a google search of "Driver's License Compact" and learn about how a suspension from one state can and will affect your driving priveliges in another.

[ptlmejo]

Timed that one out well.

In reference to the DL Compact, yes, that allows states to share info, but one state can not suspend a license from another state. Generally speaking, your DL in VA will be fine, but I wouldn't drive in PA if I were you as your privledges there will be suspended.

If you were suspended BEFORE you attempted to get your VA license, that would be a different story.

[JETX]

Originally Posted by ptlmejo

In reference to the DL Compact, yes, that allows states to share info, but one state can not suspend a license from another state. Generally speaking, your DL in VA will be fine, but I wouldn't drive in PA if I were you as your privledges there will be suspended.

And of course, that is NOT correct.

Pennsylvania will be 'noticed' about your turned in license by the state of Virginia. When PA reviews your record (as is standard), they will notice VA of your license suspension in PA. Then, VA will suspend your license due to your failure to resolve your license problem in PA.
What you have done is NOT 'new' to the state licensing authorities as it was an old 'trick' of truckers long ago.

Though this is sort of 'reversed' from your post, it works both ways; from the 'Drivers License Compact': "When a state suspends the license of a driver who is from out-of-state, the state where the motorist received a license to drive will also suspend their license as well."

[ptlmejo]

And of course, that is NOT correct.

Pennsylvania will be 'noticed' about your turned in license by the state of Virginia. When PA reviews your record (as is standard), they will notice VA of your license suspension in PA. Then, VA will suspend your license due to your failure to resolve your license problem in PA.
What you have done is NOT 'new' to the state licensing authorities as it was an old 'trick' of truckers long ago.

Though this is sort of 'reversed' from your post, it works both ways; from the 'Drivers License Compact': "When a state suspends the license of a driver who is from out-of-state, the state where the motorist received a license to drive will also suspend their license as well."

Here we go again...

It actually depends upon what the violation was that caused the suspension and what VA's rules regarding it are.

VA MAY suspend your VA license if they decide that it meets the criteria given by PA, however, PA CAN NOT suspend your VA license.

[JETX]

Originally Posted by ptlmejo

Here we go again...

It actually depends upon what the violation was that caused the suspension and what VA's rules regarding it are.

VA MAY suspend your VA license if they decide that it meets the criteria given by PA, however, PA CAN NOT suspend your VA license.

And I agree. Since this statement no longer includes your original erroneous post of "Generally speaking, your DL in VA will be fine**************.".

Simply, you can't say that as you don't know ALL the facts.... or how each state may respond.

[OG_of_Crime_Law]

just found this forum. interesting stuff here. Here's an extra 2-cents on that VA drivers license thingy. Ptmeljo(sic?) was on the money. Virginia MAY not necessarily suspend your license per their share info agreement with PA from the DL Compact. Here's a little note from the good folks down at the VA DMV themselves:

"If your license has been suspended or revoked by another state, a Virginia license may not be issued until your driving record in that state is cleared and you meet Virginia requirements."

HOWEVER, you, of course, aleady HAVE the VA drivers license. Isn't that special? So now what? Do nothing my friend until they contact you--and they most surely will if the mood strikes them (most likely if it's real serious from the PA suspension). Also stay out of PA. The folks in PA can only RECOMMEND that your DL be suspended but VA (if they decide to move on it) will investigate the matter. If you get a letter from them you have about 10 days to respond and request a hearing by law. Doin that time your license won't be affected or at the least they may STAY it(but you will still be able to drive).

One more little caveat. You can always do intermittent checks on the status of your VA drivers license by calling the Virginia Dept of Revenue and asking if your license has been suspended. You can tell them that you're checking because you're working on a legal issue. It's well within your rights under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). As long as you have the right name, sosh, dob--they can check that for ya.
This way you can find out (other than a letter of course) when VA has decided to take action on your DL. But as i said, if they do move on it, you'll get a missive in the mail. For now, relax and drive!

OG of Crime Law
"They say lady justice is blind but i do believe the old girl is peeking!"

[Bravo8]

I'd add one more thing.

Make sure you contact PennDOT to advise them that your license was surrendered to Virginia. If, for whatever reason, PA does not receive notice that your PA DL was surrendered, they will not credit you for the suspension. In other words, if your DL is to be suspended for one year, that year will not begin to toll until they receive your DL. If VA were to suspend your DL due to the PA suspension, they will likely require you to rectify the PA situation prior to reinstating your Virginia license. However, PA will show an indefinite suspension until you surrender your DL to PennDOT.