FAQs

Maryland has a driver’s license point system where drivers accumulate points against their licenses if they’re convicted of certain driving offenses. The system is designed to penalize repeat traffic offenders. Your driver’s license can be suspended if you reach a certain number of points within a given time frame.

If you fail or refuse to pay a fine or appear in District Court to contest it, the Court will notify the Maryland Vehicle Administration, which mails you a notice that your driver’s license will be suspended unless you satisfy the court requirements by the suspension date printed on the notice.

In Maryland, driving without a license carries up to 60 days in jail. A conviction for driving without a license also results in 5 points being assessed on your record.

If you’ve been stopped by a law enforcement officer for drunk driving, your first option is to remain silent. Under the Constitution, you have a right against self-incrimination and don’t have to answer the officer’s question. You can ask to speak to an attorney.

Under Maryland drunk driving laws, if you refuse a field sobriety test, you can face stiff penalties including having your driver’s license immediately suspended for 120 days. Maryland does allow you to have an attorney present while taking a test to determine blood-alcohol content. You have the constitutional right to a Maryland DWI attorney, as long as your lawyer can appear within 2 hours of your arrest.

Behaviors often used as a reason to pull someone over and start an investigation for driving under the influence can include failing to turn on your lights after dark, failing to signal, weaving in and out of traffic, failing to go when a light turns green, driving too fast or too slow, failing to yield and going the wrong way on a one way street.

If you get a ticket in Maryland, it means points on your license. Points matter because your insurance rates rise with the number of points you have, and the more serious the violation, the more points you’ll get.

A moving violation occurs whenever a traffic law is violated by a vehicle when it’s in motion. Examples of moving violations include speeding, running a stop sign or red light, and drunk driving.

A non-moving violation relates to parking or faulty equipment. Any traffic offense, including a non-moving traffic violation, can appear on your driving record.

Don’t assume that if a police officer makes an error while writing a traffic ticket that it will quickly get dismissed by the court. Judges often ignore objections about the validity of the ticket if the error was minor. Only major mistakes, such as misidentifying your vehicle or listing the wrong location of the stop, will prompt judges to question the integrity of the ticket.

An experienced traffic attorney will work to ensure you get the best possible outcome in your traffic case. Even minor traffic violations like a ticket can impact your driving privileges in Maryland.

Individuals can apply for reinstatement of their CDL once the applicant pays the required fees and takes all relevant skills and knowledge tests. You also need to show that your driving privileges have not been suspended, revoked, or canceled in Maryland or any other state.

If your commercial driver’s license (CDL) is disqualified, you can’t legally operate a commercial vehicle. But you may be able to exchange your surrendered CDL for a non-commercial driver’s license that allows you to continue driving your personal vehicle.