NJ insurance surcharge for non-residents?

What is the name of your state? New Jersey.

I moved to Florida in June 1998. I had no outstanding tickets, but I was aware that I had still had to pay my insurance surcharge despite no longer being a resident. I made all my payments on my insurance surcharge (or so I had thought.) About 3 years later I was visiting New Jersey and was pulled over for 45 in a 35. I was not issued a ticket for this, but the officer issued me a ticket for driving on a suspended license. My New Jersey driving priveledges had been suspended for failure to pay my insurance surcharge. I checked with the DMV and they claimed not to have received one of my surcharge payments and I still owed $30 (out of several hundred dollars.)

I ended up having to pay to fly back to NJ for court (appearance required), serveral hundred more dollars in fines and court costs. I paid all these things although I thought it unfair (I had sent all my payments and received no notification that my license was suspended.)

Now, it's been over five years since I moved to Florida. I got a free credit report, and I find out there is a tax lein against me by the state of NJ. I finally track it down to the insurance surcharge people again. They want to continue collecting surcharges on the driving while suspended ticket although I had been a Florida resident with a Florida drivers license for over 3 years at the time of the ticket. The amount they want is almost $700 and I think they'll probably want another $350 or so next year.

All this over a $30 insurance surcharge payment that they claimed not to have received 5 years ago.

My question is: Is it legal for them to be assessing these surcharges to a non-resident? Is it worth paying an attorney to get out of this? I certainly don't want the money to go to their surcharge scam if it doesn't have to.

Sorry I don't have any answers for you about NJ's DMV.

I also moved to florida many years ago leaving many unpaid traffic tickets from 1988 and prior years (before the surcharge laws went into effect).

About 3 years ago I had my Florida license suspended and in order to have it reinstated I had to satisfy NJ's traffic tickets.

I was able to get reinstated in florida just in time for NJ to send me suspension notices for failure to pay the surcharges which now have added up to over $3,500.

My problem now is that I am interested in over-the-road truck driving and I would need to get right with NJ.

Your nightmare with NJDMV has me sort of scared to deal with them.

I may need to contact a lawyer about whether or not it is legal for them to assess these surcharges on me because of the age of my tickets and my Florida residency.

I will let you know if and when I do this. In the mean time please let me know if you have learned anything new.

My name is Ken and my email is [email]deepdiverken@webtv.net[/email]. I moved from Fort Lee NJ to New Port Richey Fl. (near Tampa).