The process for reinstating a driver’s license in Georgia can be somewhat complex and unclear. This confusion is even more pronounced for out-of-state drivers.
Georgia Drivers
If you’re a Georgia driver dealing with a Failure to Appear (FTA) suspension, you’ll likely be informed by the DDS app that you owe a reinstatement fee, usually around $90. While the app allows for payment, your license won’t be reinstated until DDS receives the court-issued 912 paperwork. However, the court doesn’t directly send this document to the DDS. As a driver, you need to request this completed paperwork from the court and submit it to a local DDS branch.
Out-of-State Drivers
For out-of-state drivers, the procedure is similar. You need to request the 912 form from the court and then submit it to your own licensing authority. However, this can be tricky as licensing authorities from different states may not be familiar with Georgia’s 912 form. Each state has its own form for such situations, and Georgia’s is uniquely referred to as a 912 form.
Therefore, as an out-of-state driver, there’s nothing automatic about the reinstatement of your license, even after you’ve acquired the 912 form from the court. This is why we often assist our clients in managing this communication, to ensure a smoother license reinstatement process.
The law authorizing license suspension upon a missed court date is:
375-3-3-.12 Suspension of License for Failure to Appear
The Department shall suspend the driver’s license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this state of any person who has failed to respond to a citation to appear before a court of competent jurisdiction of this state or of any other state for a traffic violation other than a parking violation. The Department shall forthwith notify such person that his license is to be suspended subject to review as provided for by law.
If your license was suspended for failure to appear you must:
(1) get a clearance letter from the court or a 912 license reinstatement form; and
(2) take the form to DDS along with the reinstatement fee.
For more information, you may contact DDS at 678-413-8400, or call our office to assist you.