Whether you are planning a vacation to Vermont or New York, it is very important to understand the effect that an out-of-state traffic ticket has on your driver’s license. Although many of the rules in VT and NY are similar, you ought to be aware of where they diverge and what can happen to your driving privileges upon receiving an out-of-state traffic ticket.
Both New York and Vermont signed the Driver’s License Compact. This means NY and VT freely share driver information with one another. If you receive a NY traffic ticket but are a VT driver, VT will be notified about the ticket you received. This also applies if you are licensed in NY and got a ticket in VT.
As a general rule, Vermont does not add points onto your driver’s license for an out-of-state violation unless the violation would have resulted in the“suspension” of your New York driving privileges.
In other words, if you received a New York speeding ticket for traveling 1-10 miles over the posted speed limit, points will not be add onto your VT driver’s license.
However, if you are driving in NY with a revoked VT license, which is a 10 point violation in VT worthy of a suspension, VT will have the ability to suspend your license. Similarly, if you are cited in NY for reckless driving and DUI/DWI simultaneously, VT will be notified and can suspend your license.
New York handles out-of-state tickets relatively similarly. If you have a New York driver’s license and receive a Vermont traffic ticket, New York will not typically add points onto your driver’s license.
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.” Nevertheless, NY makes exceptions for alcohol-related violations, drug-related violations, and moving violations committed in Quebec or Ontario.
As such, if you are caught speeding in Vermont, not a single point will 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. This point about insurance is also applicable if you are a VT license holder ticketed in NY.
If you are an out-of-state driver and accrue 11 points or more, you will lose your New York driving privileges. This accumulation of 11 points will be determined based on the New York point system, not your home state’s point system.
Therefore, if you are caught speeding 41 miles over the posted speed limit or get cited twice for speeding 21-30 miles over the limit, you will no longer be allowed to drive in the State of New York for a specified duration of time.
Remember, your driver’s license will not be suspended by your home state and NY does not have the authority to suspend an out-of-state driver’s license. However, since VT and NY are both members of the Driver’s License Compact, VT will honor the “suspension” of your New York driving privileges even though it will not take away your ability to drive elsewhere.
Never forget, no state can require you to pay a double fine and you will only be required to pay the state in which you received the ticket. As such, if you got a NY traffic ticket, you will pay the State of New York. If you got a VT traffic ticket, you will pay the State of Vermont.
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.
If you recently received a New York traffic ticket, contact Rosenblum Law today at 888-883-5529.
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