Warrants and Your Driver's License

A warrant is a legal document issued by a court or judicial body that orders an arrest, search, or other legal action against a defendant. If a person has an outstanding warrant issued for their arrest, their driver’s license will be suspended and this information, along with information about the warrant, will show up on their driver’s record, even if the warrant has nothing to do with traffic violations. Warrants may be issued for many legal reasons, including:

· Failure by the defendant to follow a court order, such as a restraining order

· Failure by the defendant to pay a fee required by law, such as penalties levied by a civil or criminal conviction

· Failure by the defendant to complete court ordered community service

· Failure by the defendant to complete any terms of a probation sentence, such as the completion of counseling or an alcohol rehabilitation program for a DUI

· Failure by the defendant to appear in court when scheduled

· Failure by the defendant to meet bail terms or leave town after posting bail

· Unpaid child support by the defendant.

When a driver is pulled over, the police officer will check their driver’s license number in their state and national database. The purpose of recording warrant information on driving records is to alert the officer about outstanding warrants and allow them to act on the warrants. It can also warn officers about potentially dangerous criminals. It does not matter where the driver is pulled over because of the national database, called the National Driver Registry (NDR); warrants issued in one state can be enforced in another.

Some drivers might not even be aware that they have outstanding warrants; not every warrant is for a major crime and can include unpaid parking tickets or missed court dates for traffic violations. Every driver should be aware of their driving record and can check it through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

A license suspension is very serious, as are outstanding warrants. Defendants who are facing legal trouble because of warrants should contact an attorney for help.