Can a traffic attorney help me get back on my payment plan with the DMV?

My name is Heather Ford and I am a traffic attorney out of New Orleans, also known as the traffic ticket lady. Today I want to talk about what happens when you default on your payment plan with the DMV and what a traffic attorney may be able to do or not do to help you in that situation. 

Before I get started, if you ever have any questions about a suspended license, a violation for driving with a suspended license, a traffic ticket, or anything of that nature, you can always shoot me a text or call me at 504-233-8529. You can also schedule a free strategy session at  traffictickettalks.com.

I occasionally get phone calls from people that started a payment plan with the DMV to get their license reinstated. It’s usually due to fees from suspended license. You may have fees from missing court dates, they create a flag, and the DMV says you owe more money. A few years ago they created an installment payment plan. You can make payments every month that they will pull from a credit card or a bank account every month. 

There was a time in which if something happened and you missed a payment, you could go to the DMV and restart. Now if you start a payment plan and if for some reason that payment does not go through, it’s really hard to get back on your plan. Lately they’ve been allowing people to reinstate if you pay 25% down. But otherwise, there’s not many options to get back on the payment plan. This is departmental with the DMV. And I get those phone calls saying how can you help? Unfortunately I don’t have a way to assist with payment plans and the DMV. It’s only something you can work out with them. Their guidelines are always evolving a little bit so I always encourage people to check in with the Baton Rouge office. Usually they have the most current information about payment plans. 

The most important thing you can do is if you start a payment plan, make sure there’s always enough money in your account for the payment to process. If you lose your credit card or your bank account changes, you have to update that information with the DMV. If that payment doesn’t go through, they have been very, very reluctant to let people back on their plan unless they pay a lot of money upfront.

If you get stuck in an issue with the DMV or need some advice on how to navigate the court system, you can shoot me a text and I’m happy to lend you my thoughts with a free consultation and point you in the right direction.

If you ever have any questions about DMV fees, traffic tickets, or a suspended license, I’d be happy to speak with you. You can always shoot me a quick text at 504-233-8529 or visit my website trafficticketlady.com.