To check if your New Jersey driver’s license is suspended, call the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) at 609-292-6500 or request your driver abstract online.
- A New Jersey driver’s license can be suspended for a variety of infractions, from moving violations and drug offenses to failure to pay child support.
- You can check the status of your license and review your driving record by phone, online, or in person at the DMV.
Learn more: How to lower New Jersey car insurance costs
How to check the status of your license in New Jersey
The easiest way to find out if your New Jersey driver’s license is suspended is to call the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission at 609-292-6500 or 1-888-486-3339. You can check the status of your license and request a driver history abstract, which summarizes the reason for your suspension.
You can also request your driver abstract online or go to an MVC location near you to inquire about your license suspension. Whether you check the status of your suspended license online, in person, or by phone, be sure to ask about:
- The reason for the suspension (e.g. DUI, driving without insurance, unpaid child support, exceeding the number of violation points permitted by NJ’s point system)
- The duration of the suspension
- Any steps you need to take to reinstate your license (e.g. paying outstanding fines or taking a defensive driving course)
How to get a NJ driver’s license reinstated
If your driving privileges have been suspended by the state of New Jersey, you need two things to get them back: time and money.
There’s a $100 reinstatement fee for any suspended license in New Jersey—but just paying the restoration fee might not be enough to get your license back. You’ll also need to serve the full court-ordered suspension period, which varies based on the type of offense that led to the suspension in the first place.
For example, a first-offense DWI with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .10% or more comes with a mandatory suspension for a minimum of three months, along with vehicle impoundment, at least 30 days of jail time, and fines from $300 to $500.
But if you’re convicted of a second offense, your license could be suspended for one year to two years. Whatever the period of suspension attached to your license, you’ll need to wait until the full term is up before you can pay for a reinstatement.
Depending on the reason for the suspension, you might also need to:
- Provide proof of payment for any NJMVC surcharges
- Complete an Intoxicated Driving Resource Center (IDRC) program or another driver improvement program
- Complete mandatory community service
Once you’ve met all the requirements to have your driver’s license suspension lifted, you’ll need to send the license restoration fee to the NJMVC. You can pay the fee online or send a check or money order (payable to NJMVC) to the following address:
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission
P.O. Box 165
Trenton, NJ 08666-0165
Include the bottom portion of your suspension notice (if you have it) and make sure your driver’s license number is listed on any payment.
A final warning: while getting your New Jersey driver’s license reinstated can be a pain, it’s better to check off all these boxes than to drive with a suspended license.
For a first offense, the penalty for driving with a suspended license is $500 and an extra six months added to the suspension period—and the consequences just get steeper from there.
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Licensed Insurance Agent
R.E. Fulton is an expert insurance writer specializing in car ownership topics from car shopping and loan advice to insurance and repair guides. R.E.’s mission is to create unique and accessible content that helps readers to become more successful and independent car owners. R.E. has written and edited over 900 high-performing articles for Jerry, with an average of 1 million+ views. As a senior writer on Jerry’s editorial team, R.E. draws on over 10 years of experience as a professional writer and digital publishing specialist. Prior to joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2021, R.E. worked as a writing coach at Columbia University, the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and the University of Rochester. They serve as a managing editor for peer-reviewed history publication Nursing Clio, where their work has appeared regularly since 2015.
Kathleen Flear is an expert insurance writer and editor who previously lead up Jerry’s editorial team as director of content. Kathleen empowers drivers to make smart car ownership decisions through best-in-class articles on insurance, loans, and maintenance. Prior to joining Jerry in 2021, Kathleen served as managing editor for a team of SEO content marketing professionals at Article-Writing.co and worked as a freelance writer and editor for a range of digital publications, including Chicago Literati magazine and Golden Words. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from Queen’s University, and a master’s degree in creative writing and fiction from Sierra Nevada University.
