Need Help With Your Traffic Ticket?

Get your FREE attorney consultation from Rosenblum Law.
888-883-5529
Call now for a free consultation
Home » New York » Traffic Tickets » New York Speeding & Traffic Tickets - Out Of State License » Michigan Drivers With New York Traffic Tickets

Michigan Drivers With New York Traffic Tickets

Trusted Content

Editorial Standards

Rosenblum Law is committed to delivering informative content of the highest quality. All content is subject to our rigorous editorial standards for relevance, accuracy, sourcing, and objectivity. Everything is fact-checked by an editor and reviewed for legal soundness by one of our practicing attorneys prior to being published.

Read our full editorial policy here

Written By 
Last updated 
November 15, 2022

Whether you are on your way to Yankee Stadium or are going to Grand Rapids, you really need to know about out-of-state traffic tickets. Many people think that points do not transfer and failing to respond to will allow you to get away with not paying it.

However, this is utterly wrong. Depending on what state you are visiting and what state issued your driver’s license, you can be facing much more than you think.

Driver’s License Compact

Both Michigan and New York have signed the Driver’s License Compact. That means NY and MI freely share driver data with each other.

Consequently, if you get a New York traffic ticket but are a MI driver, MI will be notified about the ticket you received. This also applies if you are licensed in NY and get a traffic ticket in MI.

Michigan Drivers with NY Tickets

Contrary to popular belief, if you are a Michigan driver and get a traffic ticket in New York (or any other state), points can and will be assessed against your MI driver’s license.

According to the State of Michigan’s official website,

  • “Will out-of-state traffic tickets show up on my Michigan driving record? … Answer: It is likely that it will eventually appear on your Michigan driving record. If the violation substantially corresponds to a violation of a Michigan law, then the conviction will be posted to your driving record and points will be assessed as required by the Michigan Vehicle Code. If the ticket is for an offense for which a suspension would have been given if the ticket had been received in Michigan, then a suspension will be imposed after the posting of the ticket, allowing time for due process and the sending of a notification letter. Most states are reciprocal and provide ticket information to the driver’s home state. Michigan law requires that the same action be taken for tickets received out-of-state as those received in Michigan, therefore, points and suspensions may be imposed.”

This means the State of Michigan not only has the ability to assess points against you for any corresponding out-of-state offense you commit, but it can also suspend your license if the violation is serious enough.

Remember, the amount of points that Michigan will put on your driving record depends on what the offense is worth in Michigan, not New York.

For instance, if you get pulled over for driving 31 miles per hour over the speed limit in New York, that is an 8 point offense. However, in Michigan it is only a 4 point violation. Therefore, only 4 points will be placed on your MI driving record if you plead guilty or are convicted.

However, you will be forced to pay the New York rate for the fine, not Michigan’s rate, and the money will go to the State of New York (since that is where you were ticketed).

New York Drivers with MI Tickets

New York handles out-of-state traffic tickets very differently.

According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, “The NYSDMV does not record out-of-state violations committed by NYS drivers in other jurisdictions. The exceptions are alcohol-related violations, drug-related violations, and moving violations committed in Quebec or Ontario.”

In other words, if you are convicted of speeding in a work zone, running a red light, tailgating, etc. in Michigan, points will not be added onto your New York driver’s license.

However, your insurance carrier will have the ability to raise your insurance rates due to the violation you committed, and it usually will do so.

Regardless, you will have to pay the State of Michigan the applicable fine and surcharge and could be required to appear depending on the gravity of the charge.

Losing Your Driving Privileges

If you are an out-of-state driver (i.e. your driver’s license is from a state other than New York) and accrue 11 points or more, you will lose your New York driving privileges.

This accumulation of 11 points is determined based on the NY point system, not your home state’s point system.

Imagine: You are in the Big Apple and you decide to text your friend who is expecting you that you almost got to the hotel. Next thing you know, an officer tickets you for texting while driving, a 5 point ticket in NY. To make matters worse, just a day later while on vacation there, an officer ticketed you for driving 21 mph over the speed limit, a 6 point ticket. If you plead guilty or are convicted of both offenses, you will officially be barred from driving in New York (since you would have accumulated 11 points).

Similarly, if the offenses you commit in New York would give rise to a suspension in Michigan, your entire license will be suspended (not merely your ability to drive in NY).

Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA)

If you get a NY traffic ticket or set of tickets that total 6 or more points, you will be required to pay a Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA) above and beyond the regular fine and surcharge—even if you are an out-of-state driver.

If you receive 6 points within 18 months, you will have to pay a DRA of $100 per year for 3 years.

Furthermore, if you accumulate more than 6 points in 18 months, an additional $25 per year will be charged for each additional point you receive. That means 1 extra point will cost you $75 more because the assessment lasts for 3 years.

Lastly, if you get convicted of a drug- or alcohol-related offense or refuse to submit to a chemical test, the DRA will be $250 per year for 3 years.
Although it might be tempting to simply plead guilty and pay the fine, doing so will not make these negative consequences go away. In fact, the conviction is the very thing that brings most of them on.

Who Should You Contact?

If you recently received a New York traffic ticket, contact Rosenblum Law today at 888-883-5529.

Other States

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM   NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI DC WY

Author Bio

Adam H. Rosenblum

Founding Attorney Of Rosenblum Law

Adam H. Rosenblum is an experienced and skilled traffic violations and criminal defense attorney. Mr. Rosenblum provides expert and aggressive representation to those facing points on their drivers’ licenses and the associated fines and surcharges.

Read Full Bio

Free Consultation

Call us now for a quick, free, and no obligation consultation.
888-883-5529

Featured Experts

Kent Ng

NYPD (Ret.)
Read More

Mike Gheller

NYPD Officer
Read More

Travis Hall

NY State Police
Read More

News & Updates

Learn more about traffic tickets and criminal matters in New York and New Jersey.
When I Let a Driver Off With a Warning and Why

Every driver who gets pulled over hopes to avoid getting a traffic ticket. As police officers, we understand there is...

Learn More
NY DWI Crackdown in Effect Through Labor Day Weekend

Drivers looking to kick back and enjoy some beers this Labor Day weekend should be careful before getting behind the...

Learn More
What NOT to Do When Pulled Over by Police

Nearly everyone is pulled over by police at some point in their life. The flashing red-and-blue lights are hardwired into...

Learn More

We've Fought Over 50,000 Traffic Ticket Cases

Call us now for a quick, free, and no-obligation consultation.
888-883-5529
crosschevron-down Call Now ButtonFree Consult Call Now linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram