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Can I Get a Driver’s License in Another State
Having your driver’s license revoked or suspended can be a major inconvenience or even a life-altering problem. Losing your license can affect your work, family responsibilities, and personal life. We are often asked whether having your driver’s license suspended or revoked in one state will affect your ability to get a driver’s license in another state.
Most states, including Illinois, joined in an agreement called the Driver License Compact (DLC for short). The DLC is used to facilitate communicating information regarding people’s driving records between states. This means that if your driver’s license has been suspended in your home state, it will most likely prevent you from obtaining a license in the state to which you are moving. When you apply for a license, the local DMV (or its equivalent) will first check if your name appears in the National Driver Register’s (NDR) Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) which contains a list of names of people who have had their driver’s license revoked or suspended. If your name is listed in the NDR as “Not Eligible” you won’t be able to get a license in the given state.
If your driver’s license is revoked (not suspended) in your home state and you are a new Illinois resident, you can apply for a restricted driving permit one year from the date of the out-of-state revocation. In order to do so, you must have an administrative hearing before the Secretary of State and meet certain requirements. You are encouraged to seek competent legal representation to assist with this process.
It is also true that some states are not members of the DLC. To check if your state has a membership, you can visit the National Center for Interstate Compacts website.
It is important to understand that different states have varying laws related to driving penalties. If the offense you committed in another state is not punishable in the state where you are applying for a driver’s license, then this offense may not be taken into consideration.
If your license has been suspended or revoked, an experienced Illinois driver’s license reinstatement lawyer may be able to help. Our attorneys represent drivers from across the country before the Illinois Secretary of State. We have decades of experience providing high-quality legal representation to our clients. Do not hesitate to contact the attorneys at The Davis Law Group, P.C. by visiting our contact page or calling us directly at (847) 390-8500.