Maryland Driving on a Suspended License

Driving on a suspended license means that an offender drives while is ordered not to by a judge. A license can be suspended for the following reasons:

• DUI/DWI
• Failure to appear in court for a minor traffic violation
• Failure to pay a traffic ticket (including out-of-state traffic tickets)
• Too many points accumulated against the license
• Failure to pay civil judgment related to an automobile accident
• Not paying pay child support

While many think that driving on a suspended license is a harmless crime, the penalties can be extremely severe. A conviction of driving on a revoked or suspended license in Maryland could mean a rise in insurance premiums, a revocation of driving privileges, fines up to $1000 and a year of jail time. Repeat offenders can face up to 3 years of jail time. Here are the 4 most common citations on driving on a suspended license:

1. Driving on a Suspended License (TA 16-303(h))

This particular citation for Driving on a Suspended License in Maryland is punishable by a $500 fine, 60 days in a jail and up to 3 points on your driving record. The state must prove that your license was suspended for either failing to pay a fine to the court after being found guilty or admitting guilt to a criminal or traffic offense or failing to appear for a court date.

2. Driving on a Suspended License (TA 16-303(c))

Driving on a Suspended License under this section has much more severe consequences than TA 16-303(h). It is punishable by a $1000 fine, up to 12 points on your driving record, and 12 months of jail. The State's Attorney is only required to prove that your license was suspended for anything other than Failing to Appear in Court or Failing to Pay a Fine to the Court. This would include, but is not limited to the following:

• An outstanding warrant by a Law Enforcement Agency (LEA flag);
• Having a high number of points;
• Failure to pay child support; or
• Not attending a mandatory driver improvement program.


3. Driving on a Revoked License (TA 16-303(d))

Driving on a Revoked License carries a maximum penalty of a $1000 fine, 12 months in jail and up to 12 points on your driving record. The State must prove that, when you were stopped, reinstatement of your license was incomplete, your license was revoked by the Motor Vehicle administration for excessive amounts of points, or any other appropriate basis for revocation. A driving revoked conviction can have a much more devastating effect on your driving record than a driving suspended conviction because it extends the amount of time you will be denied the privilege to drive in Maryland.

4. Driving on Out of State Suspended or Revoked License (TA 16-303(f), 16-303(g) & 16-303(i))

The elements of proof for Driving on an Out of State Suspended or Revoked License are similar to the standard driving suspended or revoked charge. The one major difference is that the State must provide evidence of the out of state suspension. There is debate over how this can be done in court, but most Defense Attorneys, State's Attorneys and Judges have come to agreement that the State must produce a certified copy of the out-of-state driving record that shows the suspension, satisfies the State's notice requirement and affirms it was not cleared up before the date the Defendant was charged with the offense.