I want to get my driver’s license for the first time

Hi, my name is Heather Ford and I am a traffic attorney in the city of New Orleans- also known as the Traffic Ticket Lady. Today I want to talk about what you can do if you want to get your driver’s license for the first time, but you’re concerned about having old traffic tickets.

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.

What happens when you have old traffic tickets but you to get a driver’s license? Will old tickets impact your ability to get a license? Even if you’ve never had a driver’s license before, it is possible for you to be “suspended” in the system. 

If you miss a court date or missed a payment date, the court may transmit that information to the DMV. If they get that information and they don’t have a driver’s license for you, they will assign what they call a reference number as a mechanism to suspend you in the system.

That reference number will be there when you go to get your license. So it is possible that you complete all the requirements, you’ve completed the driving course, you’ve completed the hours, and you’ve taken the test and passed, but you go to the DMV to get your license and it turns out there’s still something you need to resolve. 

If you have a concern about that, one thing you can do is get a printout. You can get that printout even before you start the process of getting your driver’s license and before you start classes. That way we can work on that while you’re doing the process of everything that’s required to get your license. We can clear up the tickets and get all the paperwork you need to get your license.

Normally the printout is something you can get online yourself if you have your driver’s license number. If you never had a license you need to go to the DMV. When you check in they can give you a printout. 

Are there any things that would be considered a flag on your license? This could be something that will prevent you from being able to get a license, or if you already have a license, would prevent you from being able to renew it. You want to go to the DMV, they can give you the printout, and you will know what you need to resolve if you want to get your license. 

If you ever have any questions about these type of issues, maybe you need some help to figure out maybe what some tickets might be, you can shoot me a text or visit my website and I’m happy to lend you my thoughts with a free consultation and point you in the right direction.