How To Get Driving With Suspended License Dismissed

A driver license suspension or revocation is a separate action from any court case. Reinstatement of your driving privileges is not automatic. You must follow DMV reinstatement procedures and physically receive a license to regain your driving privileges, even if your criminal charges were dismissed or reduced.

No state may issue a driver license if there is an active suspension or revocation in another state. License suspension and revocation information is shared with all 50 states. If your driving privilege is suspended or revoked in another state, you must follow that state's reinstatement procedures prior to obtaining a Nevada driver license. See Links to All 50 State DMV's.

Payment Authorization Form (ADM 205)

Types of Suspensions & Revocations Top ↑

You may lose your Nevada driving privilege or license under certain circumstances. You will be notified by certified mail or by law enforcement of the period of ineligibility and if you are entitled to an Administrative Hearing. Please be sure to have the correct address on your driver's license to ensure that you receive our notice.

Examples of driver license suspensions and revocations are listed below. Juveniles may also have the issuance of their license delayed for some offenses.

Point Suspension — When you accumulate 12 or more demerit points against your license in a 12-month period.
Driving Under the Influence — If breath, blood or urine tests reveal you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or if you are convicted of DUI. The minimum license revocation period has been raised from 90 to 185 days. (2021 Assembly Bill 427 Sec, 14)
Collision with Bicyclist or Pedestrian — If you cause a collision with a person riding a bicycle or a pedestrian.
Failure to Appear — If you receive a traffic ticket and do not appear as required.
Security Deposit — If an accident occurs with more than $750 in damage (personal injury or property damage) and you do not have liability insurance. Driver's license and vehicle registration are suspended.
Failure to Maintain Insurance
- If you are required to provide proof of financial responsibility because of a license suspension or revocation and do not do so, or;
- if you are cited by law enforcement and convicted of failure to maintain insurance, or;
- if you have repeated lapses in vehicle liability coverage.
Child Support — If you are in arrears in court-ordered child support payments.
Graffiti — If you are found guilty of a graffiti violation.
Firearms — If a juvenile is found guilty of certain offenses related to firearms.
Street Racing — If you are found guilty of participating in, or organizing, an unauthorized speed contest on a public highway.
Alcohol and Drugs — If a juvenile is found guilty of buying, drinking or possessing alcohol; or using, possessing, selling or distributing any controlled substance.

Your license may be canceled for an incorrect or fraudulent license application or it may be canceled if a check written to pay driver license fees is returned for insufficient funds.

Reinstating Your License Top ↑

SB 219 Automatic License Suspension Reinstatements

The 2021 Nevada Legislature passed SB 219 to automatically reinstate driving privileges that were suspended for delinquent fines, fees, assessments and restitution. See the flyer for more information.

Customer Delinquent Fine Flyer for SB 219 (PDF)

SB 219 applies only to suspensions for delinquent payments. Suspensions ordered for other reasons will remain in effect. The DMV will notify motorists covered by SB 219 in the coming months.

If you have multiple suspensions or are unsure of any issues, you can obtain a 10-year driver history or contact us. Be sure to choose a 10-year history online or at a kiosk.

Other Suspensions

For suspensions not covered by SB 219, your driving privilege will remain suspended or revoked indefinitely until you comply with all reinstatement requirements and apply for a new license. There is no time limit or statute of limitations for reinstating suspensions or revocations.

In addition to any other requirements, you may have to take vision, written, and driving skills tests. The driving skills test will be required if your license has been suspended or revoked for more than one year.

DUI Revocations

If your license is revoked based on a DUI or failure to submit to testing, you may reinstate your driving privilege before the end of the revocation period by installing an ignition interlock device on any vehicle you operate.

You must present a Certificate of Compliance in person at a DMV office and follow any other reinstatement procedures as well. Requirements may include written testing, SR-22 insurance and payment of reinstatement fees.

Contact us for the exact requirements needed to reinstate your privilege. See Ignition Interlocks for a list of interlock providers.

Non-DUI License Withdrawals

If your license is suspended because of a court order related to a case such as Failure to Appear, you must resolve all of the criminal charges before your license can be reinstated.

Contact Us

Reinstatement requirements vary with the type of offense(s). For more information about your case, email, call or write with your questions and provide your name and Nevada driver license/ID number:

DMV Driver License Assessment 555 Wright Way Carson City, NV 89711-0400
Las Vegas	(702) 486-4368 option 1, 2, 2
Reno/Carson City	(775) 684-4364 option 2, 2
TDD for the Hearing Impaired	(775) 684-4904
Email	Contact Us

The DMV does not notify drivers when the suspension or revocation period has ended. The notice sent to you when the action was first taken clearly states the beginning and ending dates. Drivers with multiple suspensions or revocations must wait for all periods to end before applying for reinstatement.

The Real ID Act

You may wish to upgrade to a Real ID at reinstatement if you have not already done so.

To obtain a compliant license, you must show proof of identity, social security number and residential address one time at the DMV. See the Real ID Act in Nevada for more information and a list of acceptable documents.

Clearance letters

Former residents who now live in another state may pay their reinstatement fee and obtain a clearance letter by using the Payment Authorization Form (ADM 205). Please contact us before faxing or mailing your payment. You may be required to meet additional requirements. A clearance letter does not reinstate your driver license. It will clear your driving status in Nevada to obtain a driver license in another state.

SR-22 Proof of Financial Responsibility Top ↑

If you are required to maintain an SR-22 filing as a condition of your reinstatement, it must be maintained for three years from the date you reinstate your driver license.

If at anytime during the three-year period you fail to maintain the SR-22, your driving privilege will be suspended. This may result in starting the three-year requirement again. If we receive a cancellation of your SR-22, you will be notified of a possible suspension by certified mail. Please be sure to have the correct address on your driver's license to ensure that you receive our notice.

There is no statute of limitations on the SR-22 requirement. The continuous three-year requirement begins from the date you reinstate your driver's license regardless of how long you have been in suspension or when you purchased the coverage.

The DMV does not notify drivers of when they are eligible to remove the SR-22 filing. If you are unsure of the date, please contact us.

If you do not maintain coverage continuously during the required period, your insurance company will notify the DMV by sending a Form SR-26. DMV will suspend your license and send notification of this to you by certified mail. The required period of coverage will begin over. Be sure we have your correct address. See Address Changes.

Out-of-State Issues and Answers Top ↑

All 51 U.S. driver license jurisdictions share information on suspensions, revocations, cancellations, denials and serious traffic violations through the National Driver Registry/Problem Driver Pointer System or the Commercial Driver License Information System.

A suspension or revocation must be cleared by the state which originated it. There is no time limit or statute of limitations on how long an active suspension or revocation remains listed and in effect.

If your license is suspended or revoked in another state, you must follow that state's reinstatement procedures. See Links to All 50 State DMVs. There is no need to contact the Nevada DMV until you have completed the process. Most states will issue a clearance letter and you will not have to physically travel there. Once your record is cleared in the national database (the Problem Driver Pointer System), you may apply for a Nevada driver's license.

If your license is suspended or revoked in Nevada and you have left the state, contact us for reinstatement requirements. In many cases, we can send you a clearance letter by mail. Suspensions and revocations which originate in Nevada are assigned to a case worker in the DMV Driver License Review Section. Email, call or write us with your request for information on obtaining a clearance letter. The address and phone are listed above.

Ignition Interlocks Top ↑

DUI suspects may have their driving privileges reinstated following an arrest by installing an ignition interlock device on any vehicle they operate.

A court may also order a motorist to install an interlock as part of sentencing.

The DMV will issue a driver's license with Restriction Y after the motorist presents proof of the installation and meets any other reinstatement requirements such as fees, testing and SR-22 insurance.

Interlock manufacturers are certified by the Nevada Committee on Testing for Intoxication. Manufacturers contract with local auto audio retailers, dealers or garages to install and maintain the devices.

Certified Interlock Providers

ALCOLOCK	alcolockusa.com	(800) 356-3473
Alcohol Detection Systems	adsinterlock.com	(800) 246-9586
B.E.S.T. Labs	bestinterlocks.com	(877) 237-1541
Instant Interlock	instantinterlock.com/	(800) 957-0036
Intoxalock	intoxalock.com	(844) 328-2434
Draeger	draegerinterlock.com	(800) 332-6858
Global Interlock Service (AlcoAlert)	alcoalertinterlock.com	(888) 336-5603
Guardian	guardianinterlock.com	(800) 499-0994
LMG / Lifesafer	LifeSafer.com/Nevada	(800) 634-3077
Low Cost Interlock	lowcostinterlock.com	(844) 390-8571
SkyFineUSA	skyfineusa.com	(888) 886-5016
Smart Start	smartstartinc.com	(800) 880-3394

Choose your interlock provider and contact the DMV for the exact requirements needed to reinstate your privilege.

Once you have reinstated, you are no longer eligible to request an Administrative Hearing on your license revocation. (NRS 484C.230(1))

The driver must pass a breath alcohol test before the vehicle will start and is subject to retesting while driving. Interlocks include a camera focused on the driver's seat to verify identity.

Penalties for tampering with an interlock or driving a vehicle not equipped with one include jail or house arrest and a minimum driver's license revocation of three years. (NRS 484C.470)