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What To Do If Your Driver’s License Is Suspended In Missouri

police pulling over driver whose license is suspended

What To Do If Your Driver’s License is Suspended

  • Call the Department of Motor Vehicles in your home state to find out why your license is suspended. They can tell you what you need to do to get your license reinstated. In Missouri, call the Department of Revenue (DOR) at (573) 751-4475 in Jefferson City, MO. That is the headquarters of the Missouri Department of Motor Vehicles.
  • If you can’t get through to the DOR on the phone, you can email the Drivers License Bureau of the DOR at [email protected]
  • If you can’t call or email the DOR, go in person to a local Department of Motor Vehicles office to find out why your license is suspended, and what you need to do to get it reinstated.
  • Ask the DOR or DMV if you are eligible for reinstatement of your driver’s license.
  • If you are NOT eligible for reinstatement, you may be able to apply for a Limited Driving Privilege (“Hardship License”). A Hardship License allows you to drive to and from work, school, the grocery store, or to drop off your kids at daycare. You will NOT be eligible for a Hardship License if you have any old unpaid traffic tickets.
  • If you are eligible for reinstatement of your driver’s license, ask the DOR what you need to do to get reinstated. You might just need to re-take your driver’s license exam and pay a reinstatement fee. Or you might have some old speeding tickets that you forgot to pay. (Nowadays, many courts put a hold on your license instead of issuing an arrest warrant when you fail to appear in court or fail to pay a fine for a speeding ticket.)
  • Hire a traffic ticket lawyer to get your old tickets amended to a non-moving, no-point infraction so you won’t have any more points added to your driving record. After you pay the fines & court costs, the DOR will release the hold on your license.
  • The DMV may require you to get a “Release” or “Compliance Order” from the court after you pay the fines & court costs for your speeding tickets. Take that Release or Compliance Order to the DMV, pay the reinstatement fee, and they will reinstate your license.
  • If you pleaded guilty to a ticket that caused your license to be suspended, you can hire an attorney to withdraw your plea and get your ticket reduced to a no-point infraction. Then the points will be removed from your driving record, which may be enough to lift the suspension of your license.

PLEASE NOTE:  Everyone’s situation is different, and there are many different reasons why your Missouri driver’s license could be suspended or revoked. Only the DMV can tell you for sure why you are suspended, and what you need to do to get reinstated.

What Is Required To Get Your License Reinstated?

The requirements for driver’s license reinstatement vary depending on why your license was suspended or revoked.

You might have to do one or more of the following tasks before you can get your driver’s license reinstated in Missouri:

  • Pay a reinstatement fee to the Department of Motor Vehicles
  • Get old speeding tickets amended to non-moving, no-point infractions, then pay the fines and court costs for those tickets
  • Re-take the driving exam or written exam
  • Pay off unpaid child support payments
  • Show proof that you obtained an ignition interlock device for your vehicle
  • Show proof that you completed SATOP class
  • File an SR-22 form to prove you have liability insurance on your vehicle
  • Get a Release or Compliance Letter from the court after you pay the fines & court costs and send that to the Department of Motor Vehicles

Why Is Your Driver’s License Suspended or Revoked?

Here are some common reasons why your driver’s license can be suspended or revoked in Missouri:

  • Too many points on your driving record (8 points within 18 months will cause your license to be suspended for 30 days; 12 points within 12 months will cause your license to be revoked for 1 year) Here is the Missouri DMV’s list of how many points are added to your record for Missouri traffic violations.
  • Driving a vehicle that is not insured
  • Accident while driving uninsured vehicle and you failed to pay for victim’s damages
  • Failure to appear in court for a traffic ticket
  • Unpaid child support
  • DWI conviction
  • Refusal to submit to an alcohol or drug test
  • Failed to pass the required driving test or written exa
  • Diagnosed with medical condition that prevents you from getting driver’s license
  • Conviction for Minor in Possession (MIP) of alcohol or drugs under the Abuse & Lose law
  • You didn’t file an accident report
  • You have a 5-year or 10-year license denial of driving privileges
  • You stole motor fuel

A Conviction For Driving While Suspended Stays On Your Driving Record Forever

If you plead guilty to Driving While Suspended, the conviction stays on your record forever and can not be expunged. Before you plead guilty, consult an attorney to see if they can get your Driving While Suspended ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation.

Here is a list of tickets that stay on your driving record forever:

  • Driving Without Insurance
  • DWI
  • DUI
  • Excessive BAC (Blood Alcohol Content)
  • No Driver’s License (state, not municipal)
  • Vehicular Manslaughter
  • Vehicular Injury
  • Vehicular Homicide
  • Violation of Interlock Device
  • MIP (Minor in Possession of Alcohol)
  • Driving While Suspended or Revoked
  • Leaving the Scene of An Accident (State, not Municipal)
  • Driving Without a License (State, not Municipal)
  • Driving Motorcycle Without Permit/Endorsement

An Attorney Can Help Get Your Driver’s License Reinstated

Here’s how an attorney can help get your license reinstated:

  • Your attorney can get your old unpaid tickets reduced to non-moving, no-point infractions so you won’t have more points added to your record.
  • An attorney may be able to cancel a warrant, so you can pay the fines & court costs and get your license reinstated.
  • Your attorney can withdraw your plea (if you already pleaded guilty but changed your mind later) and get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction. This will remove existing points that are on your record, and possibly lift the suspension of your license (depending on how many points still remain on your driving record).

An experienced traffic ticket lawyer can give you a flat-fee price quote for legal representation, as well as an estimate of the fines and court costs you will have to pay.

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For a free consultation about your Driving While Suspended ticket, or to discuss how to get your Missouri driver’s license reinstated, contact St. Louis Traffic Law Attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or [email protected]

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Withdraw Your Guilty Plea To Remove A Conviction From Your Record

Missed Court Date

You can withdraw your guilty plea for a speeding ticket or criminal offense such as marijuana possession or shoplifting if 1) not much time has passed since your plea, and 2) you did not have an attorney representing you when you pleaded guilty.

Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For A Speeding Ticket And Remove Points From Your Driving Record

When you plead guilty to a moving violation, points are added to your Missouri driving record. If you accumulate too many points, your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked. Click here for a list of Missouri traffic violation points.

If you withdraw your plea and hire an attorney to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction, the points will be removed from your driving record.

Removing points from your driving record can lift your license suspension and prevent an increase in your car insurance rates.

Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For A Criminal Charge And Remove The Conviction From Your Criminal Record

If you have pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, such as possession of marijuana or shoplifting, it’s not too late to change your mind and withdraw your plea.

Many people plead guilty to a minor criminal offense and later realize the conviction is causing them problems when trying to rent an apartment or get a job, internship, or financial aid for college.

An experienced criminal defense attorney can withdraw your guilty plea and get your criminal charge dismissed or reduced to a less serious offense, such as “Littering,” which does not show up on a criminal record.

How Can An Attorney Help You Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

You can’t just walk in to court and tell the judge you changed your mind and want to withdraw your guilty plea. You will need to hire an experienced attorney to file the right motion and represent you in court if you want to successfully withdraw your guilty plea.

If the judge allows you to change your plea from “guilty” to “not guilty,” then your attorney will meet the Prosecuting Attorney to get the original charge reduced to a less serious offense. For example, your attorney can get a speeding ticket reduced to “Illegal Parking” or a shoplifting charge reduced to “Littering.”

Your attorney can walk you through the process and tell you what to expect. The outcome of your case depends on the following:

  • Which court is your case being prosecuted in?
  • Do you have prior arrests, charges, or convictions on your criminal record?
  • How much time has passed since you pleaded guilty?
  • Did you have an attorney representing you when you pleaded guilty?

In many cases in which a defendant hires an attorney to withdraw their guilty plea, the defendant does not have to appear in court at all.

What Happens After You Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

Once you withdraw your guilty plea and a new plea bargain deal is negotiated, the Prosecutor will assess a new fine for the amended charge. The new fine may be higher than the fine you already paid when you pleaded guilty to the original charge. You will have to pay the difference between the original fine amount and the new higher fine.

After you withdraw your plea and pay the difference between the old fine and the new fine, the court will revise their records and the original conviction will be removed from your record.

For example:  If your original guilty plea was for a speeding ticket, the original speeding conviction (and the points) will be removed from your driving record. If the original conviction caused your license to be suspended, removing the points will lift the suspension.

Other Ways To Avoid Adding Points To Your Driving Record

If you have not already pleaded guilty to a traffic violation, here are some suggestions for how to keep speeding ticket points off your driving record:

  • If you have not already paid the fine and pleaded guilty, you can hire a traffic law attorney to get your speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction that won’t affect your driving record or car insurance rates.
  • Ask the judge to let you attend traffic school to remove the points from your driving record. This option may not be available in all counties, and it does NOT hide the speeding conviction from your insurance company.

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For a free consultation about withdrawing your guilty plea, contact St. Louis attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or [email protected]

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How To Get Speeding Tickets Removed From Your Driving Record

driving record

To get speeding tickets removed from your driving record, you can submit a request to the Missouri Department of Revenue to purge all tickets that are 3 years old or older.

How To Get Old Speeding Tickets Removed From Your Driving Record

When you plead guilty to a speeding ticket, points are added to your driving record.

  • If you accumulate 8 points within 18 months, the state of Missouri will suspend your driver’s license for 30 days (if it’s your first suspension)
  • If you accumulate 12 points within 12 months, the state of Missouri will revoke your driver’s license for 1 year
  • If you continue to drive on a suspended or revoked license, you risk getting a 12-point ticket for Driving While Suspended

Speeding tickets stay on your driving record for 3 years. The points count toward a suspension for 18 months.

To get old speeding tickets removed from your driving record, contact the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) in Jefferson City, Missouri and ask them to review your driving record and purge any tickets that are 3 years old or older.

Here are some options for how to contact the DOR to get old speeding tickets removed from your driving record

  • Email your request to [email protected]
  • Call the DOR at (573) 526-2407 and ask them to remove all old tickets
  • Mail a written request to:

Missouri Department of Revenue
301 West High Street – Room 470
PO Box 200
Jefferson City, MO, 65105-0200

Some Types Of Tickets Stay On Your Driving Record Forever

Traffic tickets that support an administrative suspension, revocation, or denial of driving privileges can NOT be removed from your driving record.

Other types of tickets that stay on your driving record forever include:

  • No Insurance
  • DWI
  • DUID
  • Excessive BAC
  • No Driver’s License (state, not municipal)
  • Vehicular Manslaughter
  • Driving While Suspended or Revoked
  • Leaving the Scene of An Accident (state, not municipal)
  • Felonies

In addition, tickets that led to a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license must remain on your Missouri driving record until 5 years after you get your license reinstated.

An Attorney Can Help Keep Points Off Your Driving Record

If you have a current speeding ticket that you want to get “fixed” (reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation), you will have to hire a traffic law attorney to represent you. An experienced speeding ticket lawyer can get your ticket amended to “Illegal Parking” or some similar non-moving, no-point violation.

You will have to pay a fine and court costs to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving violation. The fine will be slightly higher than the original fine you would have paid if you had pleaded guilty and accepted the points on your driving record.

The court will give you at least 30 days to pay the fine and court costs, and you won’t have to appear in court if it’s just a standard speeding ticket.

Why Should You Hire A Lawyer To Fight Your Speeding Ticket?

If you hire an attorney to get your speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving violation, no points will be added to your driving record and your insurance company will never know that you received the ticket, so they will have no reason to increase your rates.

Some people choose to plead guilty to a speeding ticket because they have a clean driving record and are not in danger of having their license suspended for accumulating too many points.

If you are having a hard time deciding whether to fight your speeding ticket or plead guilty, you can call your insurance agent to ask if your insurance rates will increase if you plead guilty to a speeding ticket. You can also call a traffic ticket lawyer to ask for an estimate of their fee and the amount of the fine and court costs.

How Much Does It Cost To Get A Speeding Ticket Reduced To A Non-Moving Violation?

It is cheaper to plead guilty to a speeding ticket than to hire an attorney and pay the higher fine to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving violation.

However, the long-term cost of pleading guilty may be much higher if your insurance company increases your car insurance rates because you pleaded guilty to a speeding ticket.

An experienced traffic ticket lawyer can give you a flat-fee price quote over the phone and an estimate of the fine and court costs you will have to pay.
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For a free consultation about your Missouri speeding ticket, contact St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or [email protected]

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How to Remove Points From Your Driving Record

To remove points from your driving record, you can hire a speeding ticket lawyer to get your ticket fixed, or you can attend traffic school.

Hire a Traffic Ticket Lawyer to Remove Points From Your Driving Record

When you get a speeding ticket or other traffic violation in Missouri, you can hire a traffic ticket lawyer to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction. Some people call this “getting a speeding ticket fixed.”

Or you can just plead guilty and pay the fine. However, when you plead guilty to a speeding ticket, points are added to your driving record and your insurance company may increase your car insurance rates.

Your Driver’s License Will be Suspended if You Have Too Many Points On Your Driving Record

Some drivers don’t hire a traffic ticket lawyer until after they have accumulated so many points on their driving record that their license is in danger of being suspended.

  • If you accumulate 8 points within 18 months, your Missouri driver’s license will be suspended for 30 days, if it’s your first suspension.
  • Your driver’s license will be revoked for 1 year if you accumulate 12 points within 12 months.

How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Speeding Ticket Lawyer to Get Your Ticket Reduced?

A speeding ticket lawyer’s price to fix your ticket depends on the following factors:

  • How fast were you driving?
  • How many other speeding convictions are on your driving record?
  • Which court is your case being prosecuted in? (The court name and address are listed on your ticket.)

Most speeding ticket lawyers charge a one-time flat-fee price to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction such as “Illegal Parking.”

An experienced traffic law attorney can give you a price quote over the phone, along with an estimate of the fine and court costs. The fine (after getting your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction) will be slightly higher than the original fine.

You won’t have to appear in court, and the court will give you at least 30 days to pay the fine and court costs.

A Speeding Ticket Lawyer Can Lift the Suspension of Your Driver’s License

If you have already pleaded guilty to a ticket that caused your license to be suspended or revoked, a traffic law attorney can withdraw your guilty plea and get your old ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation. Removing the old ticket will reduce the number of points on your driving record, which will lift the suspension of your driver’s license.

You can call the Missouri Department of Revenue in Jefferson City, Missouri at (573) 751-4475 to ask if your license is suspended and find out how many points you have on your driving record.

How to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For an Old Speeding Ticket

If you have an old speeding ticket that you pleaded guilty to without consulting an attorney beforehand, you can hire an attorney to withdraw your guilty plea and get the ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation.

Withdrawing your plea and getting the ticket reduced will remove points from your driving record, which will lift the suspension of your driver’s license if you have accumulated too many points on your driving record.

PLEASE NOTE:  It is more difficult to withdraw a guilty plea if too much time has passed since you pleaded guilty, or if you were represented by an attorney when you pleaded guilty.

You Can Take the Missouri Driver Improvement Program To Remove Points From Your Driving Record

Another way to remove points from your driving record is to take the Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP) traffic school.

The Missouri DIP traffic school removes points from your driving record after you have pleaded guilty to a speeding ticket or other traffic violation.

Most people hire a traffic ticket lawyer before the court date to get their speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation. But if that is not an option because your ticket was issued in a county that does not allow tickets to be reduced, or because you got a ticket for a very high speed (or other traffic violation) that the court refuses to reduce, the Missouri DIP class may be an option.

What You Need to Know Before Taking the Driver Improvement Program

Before taking the Missouri DIP class, you must get the judge’s permission. Some courts automatically grant permission, while other courts require the defendant to appear in person to ask the judge for permission to take the DIP class.

You must complete the DIP class within 60 days after pleading guilty to your speeding ticket.

After you complete the DIP class, fax proof of completion to the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) in Jefferson City, Missouri and they will remove the points from your driving record. The DOR may not accept proof of completion of the DIP class if you don’t get the judge’s permission prior to taking the class.

Here are some other important tips you should know before taking the DIP class:

  • You are not eligible to take the DIP class if you have taken it within the past 3 years.
  • You are not eligible to take the DIP class if you have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
  • You are not eligible to take the DIP class if the traffic violation was committed while driving a commercial motor vehicle.
  • Taking the DIP class removes points from your driving record but your insurance company will still be able to see the speeding ticket on your driving record, so they may use that as an excuse to increase your car insurance rates.

 

For more information about removing points from your Missouri driving record, read my previous blog post “How to Get a Speeding Ticket Reduced to a Non-Moving Violation in Missouri.” 

If you have a Missouri speeding ticket that you want to get reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, call Missouri traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 for a price quote and an estimate of your fine and court costs. Or email Andrea at [email protected]

 

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Get Your St. Louis Speeding Ticket Reduced to a Non-Moving Violation

A traffic ticket lawyer can get your St. Louis speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation to avoid points being added to your driving record and an increase in your car insurance rates.

Don’t Plead Guilty to Speeding in St. Louis

If you plead guilty to speeding in St. Louis, points will be added to your driving record, and your car insurance rates may increase.

Instead of pleading guilty, you can hire a traffic law attorney to represent you. Your attorney will negotiate a plea bargain deal with the Prosecutor to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation such as “Illegal Parking.” The Prosecutor will require you to pay fine that is slightly higher than the original fine, plus court costs. You won’t have to appear in court, and the court will give you at least 30 days to pay the fine and court costs.

As soon as the court receives your payment, your ticket will be reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation. This means no points will be added to your driving record, and your insurance company will never know you got the ticket.

Too Many Points on Your Driving Record Will Cause Your License to be Suspended

When you receive a speeding ticket, it is tempting to just pay the fine and forget about it. However, if you pay the fine, that means you are pleading guilty to speeding. That guilty plea will cause points to be added to your driving record and may also cause your car insurance rates to increase.

For a typical speeding ticket issued by a Missouri State Trooper, 3 points are added to your driving record. For “Driving Without Insurance,” 4 points are added. Standard traffic violations such as running a stop sign or improperly changing lanes are typically 2-point violations.

If you accumulate 8 points on your Missouri driving record within 18 months, your driver’s license will be suspended for 30 days (if it’s your first suspension). Your license will be revoked for 1 year if you accumulate 12 points within 12 months.

You Can Change Your Mind After Pleading Guilty to a St. Louis Speeding Ticket

Many people plead guilty and pay the fine for a speeding ticket and later wish they could change their mind. An experienced traffic law attorney can help you by withdrawing your guilty plea and getting your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation that won’t affect your driving record or car insurance rates.

It is much easier to withdraw your guilty plea if you 1) did not have an attorney representing you when you pleaded guilty, and 2) not much time has passed since your guilty plea.

If you have pleaded guilty and want to withdraw your plea, consult an experienced attorney to get a price quote for legal representation and an estimate of the fines and court costs you will pay.

How to Remove Points From Your Driving Record After Pleading Guilty to a Speeding Ticket

If your ticket was issued in a county where the Prosecutor won’t reduce your ticket to a non-moving, no-point violation, you may be able to take the Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP) to remove the points from your driving record.

You are eligible to take the DIP class if you have not taken it within the past 3 years. You are not eligible to take the DIP class if you have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or if the traffic violation was committed while driving a commercial motor vehicle. You must obtain the judge’s permission to take the DIP class, and you must complete the DIP class within 60 days after pleading guilty.

Read my previous blog post “Missouri Driving School Removes Points From Record” for more information about the Missouri DIP class.

PLEASE NOTE:  If you complete the DIP class, points will be removed from your Missouri driving record, but the speeding conviction will still show up on your driving record, and your insurance company may increase your rates.

For more information, read my previous blog post “How to Get a Speeding Ticket Reduced to a Non-Moving Violation in Missouri.”

To get your St. Louis speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation that won’t affect your driving record or insurance rates, call traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 for a price quote and estimate of your fine and court costs. Or email Andrea at [email protected]

 

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Missouri Driving School Removes Points From Record

If you complete the Missouri Driver Improvement Program traffic school within 60 days of pleading guilty to a speeding ticket, the points associated with that ticket will be removed from your driving record.

What is the Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP)?

The Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP) is traffic school that you can take to remove points from your driving record. Here are a few important facts about the Missouri DIP class:

  • You must take the Missouri DIP class within 60 days after you plead guilty to a speeding ticket.
  • If you have taken the Missouri DIP class within the past 3 years, you are not eligible.
  • You must get the court’s approval before taking the DIP class.
  • You must fax proof of completion of the DIP class to the Missouri Dept. of Revenue.

Many courts automatically give defendants their approval to take the DIP driving school, but some courts require you to go to court and ask the judge for permission. If you don’t want to go to court yourself, you can hire an attorney to go to court for you and ask for permission to take the DIP class.

If you don’t have the court’s approval to take the Missouri DIP class, the Missouri Dept. of Revenue will not accept your proof of completion of the class.

Take the DIP Traffic School if You Can’t Get Your Ticket Reduced to a Non-Moving Violation

The courts in most Missouri counties allow speeding tickets to be reduced to non-moving, no-point violations in exchange for paying a higher fine plus court costs. In those counties, drivers can hire a traffic ticket lawyer to get their speeding ticket amended to “Illegal Parking” or some other non-moving, no-point violation that won’t affect their driving record or insurance rates.

Unfortunately, some courts in Missouri refuse to reduce speeding tickets to non-moving violations. In that case, the driver’s only option is to either hire a traffic law attorney to negotiate a plea bargain deal that includes probation, or just plead guilty on your own without an attorney representing you.

If you decide to plead guilty to a Missouri speeding ticket, points will be added to your driving record and your car insurance rates may increase. The DIP program allows drivers to get the points removed from their driving record after pleading guilty.

The Missouri DIP Driver Improvement Program Will Not Keep the Ticket Off Your Driving Record

PLEASE NOTE:  If you take the Missouri DIP driving school class, points will be removed from your driving record. However, taking the DIP class does not prevent the ticket from showing up on your driving record and possibly causing your car insurance rates to increase.

Therefore, if at all possible, I strongly recommend hiring a traffic ticket lawyer to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation that won’t affect your driving record or car insurance rates.

Speeding Tickets Cause Points to be Added to Your Driving Record

In Missouri (and many other states), points are added to your driving record when you plead guilty or are convicted of a traffic violation, such as speeding, driving without insurance, driving without a license, driving while suspended, leaving the scene of an accident, careless & imprudent driving, running a stop sign, etc.

Most standard speeding tickets issued by Missouri municipal police officers are 2-point tickets, and most speeding tickets issued by Missouri State Highway Patrol officers are 3-point tickets.

If you accumulate 8 points within 18 months, your Missouri driver’s license will be suspended. Your license will be revoked for 1 year if you accumulate 12 points within 12 months.

Speeding Tickets Can Cause Your Car Insurance Rates to Increase

It is common knowledge that a speeding ticket conviction on your driving record can cause your car insurance rates to increase.

If you are having a hard time deciding whether to hire a traffic law attorney to represent you or just plead guilty, you can call your insurance agent and ask how much your car insurance rates will increase if you plead guilty to the speeding ticket. Then you can compare that amount with the price of hiring a traffic ticket lawyer to get your ticket “fixed” (reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation).

How to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

In many cases, you can change your mind after pleading guilty to a traffic ticket or other criminal offense.

If you did not have an attorney representing you, and not much time has passed since you pleaded guilty, you may be able to withdraw your plea and get the ticket reduced to a non-moving violation, or get the criminal charge reduced to a lesser offense.

Consult an attorney to get an estimate of the probable outcome of your case.

For more information about the Missouri Driver Improvement Program, read my previous blog post “DIP Class Won’t Keep Tickets Off Driving Record.”

To get your Missouri speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation that won’t affect your driving record or insurance rates, call St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 for a price quote and estimate of your fine and court costs. Or email Andrea at [email protected]

 

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How To Clean Up Your Driving Record in Missouri

Call St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers today at (314) 724-5059 to clean up your Missouri driving record.

Withdraw Your Guilty Plea To Get a Clean Driving Record

When you plead guilty to a speeding ticket, three things happen:

  1. A conviction shows up on your driving record.
  2. Points are added to your driving record.
  3. Your insurance rates will probably increase.

If you accumulate too many points on your driving record, your license will be suspended or revoked.

Many defendants have hired me to withdraw their plea because their license has been suspended for having too many points on their driving record and they need to get those points removed from their record. Often, people don’t realize how many points they have on their driving record until they receive a warning from the state that their license is about to be suspended or revoked.

Some people hire me to withdraw their guilty plea and get their ticket reduced to a no-point violation because they have been offered a job that requires that they have a clean driving record.

Regardless of the reason, if you want to clean up your driving record and remove points, you will need to hire an experienced traffic law attorney to withdraw your guilty plea.

How to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For a Speeding Ticket 

First, your attorney will file a motion with the court to withdraw your guilty plea.

Next, if the judge approves the motion to withdraw your guilty plea, your attorney will then work out a deal with the Prosecutor to reduce your speeding ticket to a non-moving no-point violation that won’t affect your driving record or insurance rates.

In many cases, the attorney can take care of everything without the defendant having to appear in court.

Please Note:  It is much more difficult, if not impossible, to withdraw your guilty plea if you were represented by an attorney when you originally pleaded guilty, or if too much time has passed since your guilty plea.

Withdrawing Your Plea Removes Points From Your Driving Record

After your attorney withdraws your guilty plea and reduces your speeding ticket to a non-moving, no-point violation, the court will require you to pay the difference between the original fine you already paid and the new fine assessed by the Prosecutor.

Then the points for the original speeding ticket will be removed from your driving record and there will be no conviction on your driving record.

Withdrawing Your Guilty Plea Can Lift Your Driver’s License Suspension

If your driver’s license was suspended because you accumulated too many points on your driving record, withdrawing your guilty plea and getting your ticket reduced to a no-point violation will clean up your record and lift your suspension. 

You Can Also Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For a Criminal Offense

If you pleaded guilty in the past to a criminal offense and you have now changed your mind about your plea, you can withdraw your guilty plea and hire an attorney to negotiate a plea bargain with the Prosecutor to get your criminal charge dismissed or reduced to a lesser offense.

Click here to read my previous blog post about how to withdraw your guilty plea for a criminal offense, such as marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia, or shoplifting.

To withdraw your guilty plea and clean up your driving record, call St. Louis attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 for a flat-fee price quote for legal representation. Or email Andrea at [email protected]

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How to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

Call St. Louis attorney Andrea Storey Rogers today at (314) 724-5059 about withdrawing your guilty plea for a Missouri speeding ticket or criminal charge.

You Can Change Your Mind After Pleading Guilty

It is possible to change your mind after pleading guilty to a speeding ticket or criminal offense such as marijuana possession or shoplifting if you were not represented by an attorney when you pleaded guilty.

Withdrawing a Guilty Plea Can Remove Points From Your Driving Record

Withdrawing your guilty plea for a speeding ticket or other traffic violation will remove the points that were added to your Missouri driving record when you paid the fine.

Some people need points removed so a license suspension can be lifted, while others want points removed to prevent an increase in their car insurance rates

Get a Conviction Off Your Criminal Record by Withdrawing Your Guilty Plea 

Anyone who pleads guilty to a minor criminal offense, such as marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia, or stealing, quickly realizes that the conviction shows up on their criminal background report. Even a minor criminal conviction can prevent you from getting a job, renting an apartment, or getting financial aid for school.

In many cases, an experienced attorney can withdraw the guilty plea and negotiate a plea bargain deal with the Prosecutor to get your criminal charge dismissed or reduced to a lesser offense, such as “Littering.” Having a conviction for “Littering” on your criminal record is much better than a conviction for drug possession or stealing.

How to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

Hire an experienced attorney to help you withdraw your guilty plea. Your attorney will file a motion with the court to request that the judge allow you to withdraw your guilty plea.

If the judge agrees to let you change your plea, then your attorney will  negotiate a plea bargain deal with the Prosecutor to get your traffic ticket amended to a non-moving no-point violation.

Or, if you are withdrawing a guilty plea for a criminal offense, your attorney will negotiate with the Prosecutor to get your criminal charges dismissed or amended to a lesser offense.

In many cases of withdrawing a guilty plea, the defendant does not have to appear in court at all.

What Happens After You Withdraw Your Guilty Plea?

Once your attorney successfully withdraws your guilty plea and negotiates a plea bargain deal with the Prosecutor, a new fine will be assessed by the Prosecutor. The new fine will be higher than the fine you already paid. The court will subtract the amount you already paid from the new higher fine and you will pay the difference.

Then the court will revise the court records to remove the original conviction from your record. So, if you originally pleaded guilty to marijuana possession but your attorney was able to change your plea and get the charge amended to “Littering,” your criminal record will now show that you have a conviction for “Littering.”

If you originally pleaded guilty to speeding and your attorney withdrew your guilty plea and got your ticket amended to “Illegal Parking,” the points will be removed from your driving record and there will be no conviction on your record.

To change your plea or withdraw your guilty plea for a traffic ticket or criminal offense, call St. Louis attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 to discuss your case and get a price quote for legal representation. Or email Andrea at [email protected]

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How to Remove Points From License After Paying Fine

You can get speeding ticket points removed from your driving record even though you already pleaded guilty and paid the fine.

You Can Change Your Mind After Pleading Guilty

When you pay a speeding ticket fine, you are pleading guilty to a traffic violation. Points are added to your driving record for the violation, and if you accumulate too many points, your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked.

It’s not too late to hire a lawyer to remove old speeding ticket points from your driver’s license if:

    • You paid a speeding ticket fine but changed your mind and want to hire a lawyer to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, or
    • You paid a speeding ticket fine without realizing the points for that ticket will cause your license to be suspended, and you want to hire a lawyer to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving violation.

Removal of Points Can Cancel the License Suspension

In both situations listed above, an attorney can withdraw your guilty plea and get your speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation. After your ticket is reduced, the Missouri Department of Revenue will remove the points from your driving record that were added when you originally paid the fine. If your license was suspended because of the added points, removal of those points will cancel the suspension.

PLEASE NOTE:  Withdrawing a guilty plea is much more difficult if you were represented by an attorney when you pleaded guilty, or if too much time has passed since the conviction date.

How to Withdraw Your Guilty Plea For a Speeding Ticket

To withdraw your guilty plea, you will need to hire an experienced traffic law attorney to file the proper motion in court. If the judge approves the motion and allows you to withdraw your guilty plea, your attorney can negotiate a plea bargain deal with the prosecutor to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation.

Your Fine Will be Higher After Your Ticket is Reduced to a Non-Moving Violation

Most courts charge higher fines if they agree to reduce a traffic ticket to a non-moving, no-point violation. After your attorney gets your guilty plea withdrawn and your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, the prosecutor will assess a new fine that will be higher than the fine you already paid. You will be required to pay the difference between the original fine and the new, higher fine.

The Driver Improvement Program Won’t Keep Tickets Off Your Driving Record

You may have heard that you can get points removed from your license if you take the Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP). This is true in many Missouri courts, but the DIP class won’t prevent the ticket from being reported on your driving record and possibly causing your car insurance rates to increase.

If you take the DIP class instead of hiring a traffic law attorney to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, the points will be removed after you pay the fine. However, the speeding ticket will show up on your driving record, and your insurance company will see it the next time they review your driving record.

For more information, click here to read my previous blog post about how to remove points from your license by completing the Missouri Driver Improvement Program.

To withdraw your guilty plea and remove points from your license after you have paid a speeding ticket fine, call St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 for a price quote and estimate of your fine and court costs. Or email Andrea at [email protected] or at [email protected]

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Traffic School Keeps Points Off Missouri Driving Record

Traffic school keeps points off your Missouri driving record and can prevent your driver’s license from being suspended, but the speeding ticket conviction will still show up on your driving record.

Your Driver’s License Will be Suspended if You Have Too Many Points

If you accumulate too many points on your driving record, your Missouri driver’s license will be suspended or revoked. A speeding ticket is a moving violation that causes 2 points to be added to your driving record if the ticket was issued by a city or county police officer. 3 points are added if the ticket was issued by a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer.

If you accumulate 8 points on your Missouri driving record within 18 months, your driver’s license will be suspended for 30 days, if it’s your first suspension. If it’s your second suspension, then your driving privileges will be suspended for 60 days; for a third suspension, your license will be suspended for 90 days. Your license will be revoked for 1 year if you accumulate 12 points within 12 months, 18 points within 24 months, or 24 points within 36 months.

Out-of-state speeding tickets are also reported to your home state of Missouri and points are added to your driving record, just as if you received those traffic tickets in Missouri. See my previous blog post about how out-of-state speeding tickets affect your Missouri driver’s license.

Traffic School Can Prevent Your Missouri Driver’s License From Being Suspended 

The Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP) is a statewide traffic school program, presented in cooperation with the Missouri Division of Highway Safety and the Missouri Department of Transportation, that drivers can attend to reduce the points on their Missouri driver’s licenses. Some people refer to this as “Traffic School,” “Driving School,” or “Defensive Driving Class.” If you search online, you will find many Missouri traffic schools that offer classes, both online and in person.

If your Missouri driver’s license is about to be suspended because of too many points, attending traffic school can prevent the suspension by reducing the amount of points that will be added to your driving record.

Your Speeding Ticket Will Not be Dismissed if You Attend Traffic School, But No Points Will be Added to Your Missouri Driving Record

After successfully completing traffic school, your speeding ticket will not be dismissed (it will still show up on your Missouri driving record), but no points will be added to your driving record. If you are pulled over for a traffic violation, the police officer will see the no-point speeding conviction on your driving record. And an insurance agent will be able to see the speeding ticket when he reviews your driving record before giving you a price quote for car insurance.

What You Need to Know Before Attending a Missouri Traffic School

Before attending a Missouri traffic school or taking an online driving school class, here are a few things you need to know:

  • Prior to attending a Missouri traffic school, you must plead guilty to the moving violation and pay the fine and court costs to the court. The traffic ticket will be reported to the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR), but no points will be added to your driving record at that time.
  • You have 60 days from the date you pleaded guilty to complete driving school. After successful completion of the driving class, the traffic school will send a certificate to the DOR, proving that you completed the class. Then your speeding ticket will be reported on your driving record, but no points will be assessed for it.
  • Traffic school is an 8-hour class and can be taken online or in person. (Many people complete the class in less than 8 hours.)
  • You are allowed to attend traffic school to avoid point assessment only once every 36 months.
  • You must contact the court that issued the speeding ticket to confirm that they will allow you to attend traffic school.
  • Many courts (for example, municipal courts located in St. Louis County) require that you go to court and ask the judge for permission to attend traffic school.
  • Call the DOR to confirm that the court has notified the DOR that the court is allowing you to attend traffic school.
  • Confirm that the traffic school or driving class is approved by the Missouri Safety Center.
  • For violations committed while operating a motorcycle, the driver must attend an approved motorcycle-rider training course.
  • If your driver’s license was issued by a state other than Missouri, attending traffic school in Missouri may not help you. Check with your home state to determine how it will treat a speeding ticket received in Missouri, and find out if you can attend traffic school in your home state.
  • Traffic school is not available for drivers who commit a traffic violation while driving a commercial motor vehicle, or for any driver who has a commercial driver’s license (CDL) from Missouri or any other state.
  • Prices for Missouri traffic school range from $20 to $35, depending on the court and the county. Many websites advertise that they offer online traffic schools.

FCC Speeding Ticket Points Can be Removed From Your Driving Record if You Attend a Missouri Traffic School

If a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer (a state trooper) pulls you over and issues a speeding ticket to you, most likely the ticket will have “FCC” or “Fine Collection Center” written on it, and instead of a court date, it will state, “Due in 30 Days”. That is called an FCC speeding ticket. If you have received an FCC ticket, you may be able to attend a Missouri traffic school to keep the points from being added to your driving record, if the county in which you received the ticket allows it. You will have to plead guilty and pay the fine and court costs to the FCC before taking the traffic school class.

Courts in the following Missouri counties allow drivers who receive FCC speeding tickets to attend traffic school to prevent points from being added to their driving records: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Audrain, Barton, Bollinger, Boone, Buchanan, Butler, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Cooper, Dade, Daviess, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Grundy, Harrison, Hickory, Holt, Howell, Lewis, Lincoln, Livingston, Macon, Madison, Marion, McDonald, Miller, Nodaway, Oregon, Osage, Pemiscot, Perry, Pike, Platte, Putnam, Reynolds, Ripley, Saline, Schuyler, Scott, Shannon, Shelby, St. Clair, Ste. Genevieve, Sullivan, Vernon, Wayne, Worth, and Wright.  

For All Other Missouri Speeding Tickets, Get Approval From the Court Before You Attend Traffic School

If you receive a regular (non-FCC) speeding ticket in a county not listed above, such as St. Louis City or St. Louis County, you may still be able to attend traffic school to reduce the points on your Missouri driving record, but you will have to get the court’s approval first. Contact the court that issued the ticket and ask how you can request to attend traffic school.

Most of the courts that are not on the above list require that you personally appear in court on your court date to ask the judge for permission to attend traffic school, but you should call the court clerk to confirm this before going to court.

In St. Louis County Circuit Court, you can not appear in court on your own to ask for permission from the judge to attend traffic school; you have to hire an attorney to represent you and you must appear in court with your attorney. If the judge approves your attorney’s request for traffic school, you will have to pay an additional fee that is donated to the School Fund. You can sign up for traffic school that same day while you’re at the courthouse (in the building across the street from the courthouse in Clayton), or you can enroll in a driving class offered by an online traffic school.

St. Charles County Circuit Court allows drivers to appear in court on their own (without hiring an attorney) and ask the judge for permission to attend traffic school.

In St. Louis City Municipal Court, you must come to court on your court date and ask the judge for permission to attend traffic school to keep points off your driver’s license. The judge will review your driving record and decide whether to allow you to attend traffic school. The same procedure applies to most other municipal courts in St. Louis County when requesting permission to attend traffic school. Municipal courts in St. Louis County, such as Kirkwood Municipal Court, Florissant Municipal Court, Pine Lawn Municipal Court, and Chesterfield Municipal Court all require drivers to appear in court on their court date to get approval from the judge to attend traffic school.

Even if the court that issued your speeding ticket is listed in one of the paragraphs above, you should still call the court to ask what their policy is for requesting traffic school to reduce the points on your driving record.

If the Court Does Not Offer Traffic School as an Option, You Can Hire a Lawyer to Get Your Speeding Ticket “Fixed”

If you plead guilty or are convicted of a speeding ticket in Missouri, points are added to your driving record and the speeding ticket conviction appears on your driving record. As noted previously, if you accumulate too many points within a certain period of time, your Missouri driver’s license will be suspended or revoked.

If you don’t want to attend traffic school to remove the points from your driving record, or if traffic school is not allowed in the county in which you received your speeding ticket, you can hire a traffic law attorney to negotiate a plea bargain with the court to have your speeding ticket amended to a non-moving, no-point infraction. (This is sometimes called getting a ticket “fixed.”) You will pay a higher fine after the ticket is amended, plus court costs, but no points will be added to your driving record, and there will be no record of a speeding ticket conviction on your Missouri driver’s license. 

Locations of Missouri Traffic Schools 

Click here for a list of online traffic schools approved by the Missouri Safety Center.

You can go to the Missouri Driver Improvement Program website to find out more about how traffic school can keep points off your Missouri driving record.

For more information about Missouri traffic law, points, and Missouri court information, click on the Legal Resources page of my website.

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For a free consultation about your Missouri traffic ticket, contact St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or [email protected]