The 10 Most Common Ways to Get a Suspended License in North Dakota
From DUIs to missed child support payments, here are some common reasons for license suspension in North Dakota.
Written by Shannon Fitzgerald
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
In North Dakota, your license may be suspended or revoked for a number of offenses, from an overdue traffic fine to a DUI. No matter how you lost your driving privileges, driving with a suspended or revoked license is an even worse offense, leading to hefty fines and possible jail time. It'll also make it much harder to find
cheap car insurance in North Dakota
.Getting your driver’s license is always an exciting moment, but if you’re not careful on the road, your license—and freedom to drive—can be suspended or revoked. Failing to comply with certain rules both on and off the road can lead to loss of license, which is why it’s important to know the suspendable offenses in your state.
Here to guide you through some of the most common reasons for license suspension in North Dakota is the
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What’s the difference between a license suspension and revocation?
The terms “suspension” and “revocation” are commonly used interchangeably, but their meanings are actually different.
In North Dakota, the definitions vary as such:
- License suspension—You have lost your driving privileges temporarily, but you can get your license back after a certain period of time has passed or an action has been completed
- License revocation—Your license and driving privileges have been terminated, and you will need to be approved or meet certain conditions in order to reapply for a license
Typically, a license suspension is the penalty for lesser offenses like an overdue traffic fine, while a license revocation is reserved for more serious convictions.
Common reasons your license may be suspended or revoked in North Dakota
There are quite a few ways you can get your license suspended or revoked in North Dakota—some you might not expect. To give you a basic guide, here’s a list of common suspendable offenses.
1. Accumulating too many points
Like many other states, North Dakota utilizes the
point system
to keep track of traffic offenses on a driver’s record. If you earn 12 or more points on your record, you will face seven days of license suspension for every point in excess of 11. If you’re under 18, you can only receive six points on your record before losing driving privileges. 2. Driving while under the influence
If you are caught driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, your license will automatically be suspended. The period of your suspension will increase in length with higher BAC levels and repeat
DUI convictions in North Dakota.
3. Refusing to submit to an alcohol test
In North Dakota, refusing to take an alcohol or drug test is considered an unlawful refusal. This is because North Dakota has an implied consent law in place, which states that anyone who holds a North Dakota license and operates a vehicle within the state automatically consents to undergo a blood, breath, saliva, or urine test when prompted by law enforcement. Refusing the test is therefore breaking the law, resulting in license revocation between 180 days and three years.
4. Buying alcohol for a minor
Using your driver’s license unlawfully or fraudulently is cause for license suspension in North Dakota. So if you use it to buy alcohol for a buddy who’s under 21, you’re breaking the law and could lose your driving privileges.
5. Failing to answer for a traffic violation
If you receive a traffic citation in North Dakota, you are required to either pay a fine within 15 days of the specified due date or appear in court. Failure to do either will result in license suspension until you either pay up or show up.
6. Engaging in reckless driving
Speeding more than 35 mph over the limit, weaving dangerously in and out of traffic, and generally disregarding the safety of other drivers is considered reckless driving.
Reckless driving in North Dakota
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7. Failing to pay child support
Though paying child support might not seem to go hand-in-hand with your driving privileges, failing to pay it on time may lead to license suspension. This is an extreme enforcement action that North Dakota Child Support only takes if other actions don’t lead to payments. So if you’re having trouble paying your child support on time, be sure to
contact your caseworker
. 8. Driving with a suspended or revoked license
Driving under suspension or driving under revocation in North Dakota is punishable by additional suspension or revocation. On top of this, if your license was revoked for certain offenses, like a DUI, you will also face a mandatory four days in jail and your license plates may be impounded.
9. Failing to meet medical requirements
In North Dakota, if a judge determines that you are incompetent to drive a motor vehicle due to a medical condition, you may have your driving privileges temporarily suspended. This suspension will be overturned once the Driver’s License Division receives a new court order deeming you competent to drive again—usually with input from a medical professional.
10. Failing to maintain North Dakota insurance minimums
If you don’t maintain
North Dakota’s liability insurance requirements
, you will be charged a fine ranging from $150 to $1,000 and your license will be suspended until the proper insurance is purchased. Violating North Dakota’s insurance requirements a second time within the same year will increase your fines to as much as $5,000 and may lead to 30 days of jail time and an indefinite suspension. How to save money on car insurance in North Dakota
With the hefty penalties that come with lapsed insurance in North Dakota, you’ll want to make sure you’re covered with at least the state’s minimum required car insurance.
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