Suspended/Invalid Licence

[jz75455]

The $250 insurance surcharge is for three consecutive years, as my son found out. So it adds up if not paid every year. Than possibly penalties for non payment.

The surcharge is a rip off, it goes to the same "Non-Profit" company that handles all the Toll Cartels money... oh I mean NTTA.

Thank you Gov. Perry for giving my tax dollars to this fraudulent company to build highways that you intend me to pay for, furthermore then give them mafia like backing from the state if you do not pay the tolls its suddenly becomes a state issue, instead of a Civil issue as it should be like for any other company.

[jz75455]

This is a new one for me, but I don't believe the DL surcharge is legally a tax. if not, then it shouldn't impact your eligibility for a CHL.

Chas.

Sir,

Is there any way for me to find out? Do you have a number I can call? And thank you for time.

I just read your credentials and if you don't believe its a problem, then that's good enough for me. I am going to take the course and apply, I can keep you updated if you like?

Thank you once again.

I appreciate the confidence, but this is a new issue for me and I'm not at all sure. I'd call the DPS and ask them if an unpaid surcharge is going to cause a problem. (512) 424-7293 If they say "yes," let me know and we'll talk.

Chas.

I just got off the phone and they told me that it will disqualify me. I asked why and she said that I needed a valid drivers license to obtain a CHL. I asked here if I could use my TX ID card and she said no, that I needed to pay the surcharges before I submit and application.

[recaffeination]

The $250 insurance surcharge is for three consecutive years, as my son found out. So it adds up if not paid every year. Than possibly penalties for non payment.

Ahh, that may 'splain it.

$250 every year for three years with penalties. This is after the $300 ticket for no insurance... Fair?

No. It should also upgrade to a Class B misdemeanor if the insurance is more than 30 days lapsed.

[Teamless]

I asked here if I could use my TX ID card and she said no,

So what they are saying is you MUST have valid drivers license to get a CHL.

Are there any people who have CHLs who do not have a valid TX DL? Seems to me they cant stipulate you must if someone else doesnt have to

[The Annoyed Man]

Not trying to be a jerk, but why don't you pay the state what you owe them before you jump into something else?

Well the CHL is more important to me right now and more affordable.

Since I got behind I can no longer make payments and TX wants the full $900 up front. Can't do that and eat. I've tried calling and begging for a payment plan but, they don't care.

The $250 insurance surcharge is for three consecutive years, as my son found out. So it adds up if not paid every year. Than possibly penalties for non payment.

Ahh, that may 'splain it.

$250 every year for three years with penalties. This is after the $300 ticket for no insurance... Fair?

Let me get this straight, just so I understand....

1. You were driving without insurance, in violation of the law, because you can't afford it.
2. You got stopped, presumably on a traffic citation, and in addition to whatever traffic violation you were cited for, you also were cited for driving without insurance on your car....otherwise how could they have known you weren't insured?
3. You let that surcharge, or whatever they call it, go unpaid for three years, so $250 turned into $750, plus the original $300 for the citation, so now you owed (at that time) $1,050.
4. The DPS allowed you a payment plan, and you paid off a total of $150.
5. You stopped making payments after paying that $150 because you can't afford them, and now DPS wants the remaining $900 in full.
6. You want DPS to let you go back to making the payments you couldn't afford before, but DPS won't let you make payments because you defaulted on the previous payment arrangement.
7. Since they won't budge, you can't afford to pay the $900 because you have to eat.
8. You can eat, and come up with $140 application fee, plus the $100 or so average class fee, plus the cost of ammo (and a gun if you don't already have one), food & drink, and public transportation to the class (since you won't be driving with no insurance on a suspended license, right?).
9. You don't want to pay your debt off before paying for getting a CHL because getting the CHL now is more important to you than paying off your other, older obligations.

Is that an accurate assessment? Just seeking clarity......

[jz75455]

Not trying to be a jerk, but why don't you pay the state what you owe them before you jump into something else?

Well the CHL is more important to me right now and more affordable.

Since I got behind I can no longer make payments and TX wants the full $900 up front. Can't do that and eat. I've tried calling and begging for a payment plan but, they don't care.

The $250 insurance surcharge is for three consecutive years, as my son found out. So it adds up if not paid every year. Than possibly penalties for non payment.

Ahh, that may 'splain it.

$250 every year for three years with penalties. This is after the $300 ticket for no insurance... Fair?

Let me get this straight, just so I understand....

1. You were driving without insurance, in violation of the law, because you can't afford it.
2. You got stopped, presumably on a traffic citation, and in addition to whatever traffic violation you were cited for, you also were cited for driving without insurance on your car....otherwise how could they have known you weren't insured?
3. You let that surcharge, or whatever they call it, go unpaid for three years, so $250 turned into $750, plus the original $300 for the citation, so now you owed (at that time) $1,050.
4. The DPS allowed you a payment plan, and you paid off a total of $150.
5. You stopped making payments after paying that $150 because you can't afford them, and now DPS wants the remaining $900 in full.
6. You want DPS to let you go back to making the payments you couldn't afford before, but DPS won't let you make payments because you defaulted on the previous payment arrangement.
7. Since they won't budge, you can't afford to pay the $900 because you have to eat.
8. You can come up with $140 application fee, plus the $100 or so average class fee, plus the cost of ammo (and a gun if you don't already have one), food, and public transportation to the class (since you won't be driving with no insurance on a suspended license, right?).
9. You don't want to pay your debt off before paying for getting a CHL because getting the CHL now is more important to you than paying off your other, older obligations.

Is that an accurate assessment? Just seeking clarity......

Pretty Close....



I was in college when let my insurance expire.. Needed the cash (bad Idea)

Got pulled over and got hammered with the no insurance, ate Romain noddles paid the fine $300 fine. Received the the Surcharge notice and made the first few payments.

Money was tight, so I stopped paying the surcharge.

Out of school and have a decent job as a tree cutter/inventory specialist ( keep tack of all tool, catchy title)for a local crew, Get picked up, don't have to drive to work.

I've been on for a year, got a raise and decided to pay my surcharges. Called DPS and was told it will be $900 and no payment plan. Cant do that.


I have a car and insurance but I rarely drive. I can walk if in need something or I just drive like the thousand of Texans driving on a suspended DL because of surcharges but, although you might thinks its bull, I hate driving and my buddies are always picking me up.

Two guys from the work are taking the class and I will be riding with them.

The gun was a present (No cost) and a hundred rounds of ammo for 9mm is not that expensive. As for the fees... My buddy' that is going to take the class, has offered to pay for the class in exchange for cutting a tree in his yard. He is getting the better end of the deal.

"You don't want to pay your debt off before paying for getting a CHL because getting the CHL now is more important to you than paying off your other, older obligations."

Yes its more important... I walk everywhere and have you looked around lately? Things are going to sh## and I would like to be able to defend myself.

I don't consider the surcharge a debt, I think of it more as extortion.

[Originalist]

I have a car and insurance but I rarely drive.

Why don't you just carry rarely then? I mean if you don't care about having a DL to drive, why should you care about needing a CHL and plan on rarely caring.... One thing to remember about a CHL is it puts you into one of the most scrutinized subsect of population ever and, I think where TAM is coming from (correct me if I am wrong), is your inability/unwillingness to take care of previous responsibilities prior to obtaining a CHL which requires the utmost responsibility.

Furthermore, if your DL is suspended then you shouldn't "rarely drive" you should NEVER drive!

[jmra]

Why not sell the car? If you rarely drive it why have the expense of the car and insurance. Use that money to pay the $900.00. One more question, how does someone with a suspended DL get auto insurance?

[GeekDad]

I don't consider the surcharge a debt, I think of it more as extortion.

Its not extortion is double jeopardy and its illegal, again... thanks for Gov. Perry.

[carlson1]

The $250 insurance surcharge is for three consecutive years, as my son found out. So it adds up if not paid every year. Than possibly penalties for non payment.

Ahh, that may 'splain it.

$250 every year for three years with penalties. This is after the $300 ticket for no insurance... Fair?

The punishment must equal the wrong to be just. I do not believe this was justice. It appears to me that you received a heavy punishment for the crime.

[Bart]

I don't consider the surcharge a debt, I think of it more as extortion.

Its not extortion is double jeopardy and its illegal, again... thanks for Gov. Perry.

Getting convicted and having to pay for your mistakes is not double jeapordy.

[Charles L. Cotton]

The surcharge system is nothing but a way to generate revenue. It has nothing to do with traffic safety or crime prevention. It never should have passed and it should be repealed.

Chas.

[JeepGuy79]

I mean this with all due respect and not to insult you or bash you or anything. I think if you have a license suspended and you continue to drive illegally I am concerned that you lack the maturity to take on a chl at this point in your life. I am not trying to hurt your feelings or anything. Some of these guys have some really good ideas. Why not sell your car for now and pay your obligations and get another car later if the chl is so important to you? You said that your job pays well... can you not save up this small amount of money rather quickly? What about a personal signature loan for that amount at your local credit union? Just make your payments. I think that you should really look hard at what you are doing. I mean what if you get caught driving without a license with all that money owed? You are gonna be deeper in debt to DPS than you are at this point. If you are willing to ignore those laws then you are prolly going to ignore 30.06 signs and you may lose your right to carry if you do this type of thing. May even end up losing your right to even own a firearm if you continue to intentionally break laws. I don't get it.

[Bart]

I have a car and insurance but I rarely drive.

Why don't you just carry rarely then? I mean if you don't care about having a DL to drive, why should you care about needing a CHL and plan on rarely caring.... One thing to remember about a CHL is it puts you into one of the most scrutinized subsect of population ever and, I think where TAM is coming from (correct me if I am wrong), is your inability/unwillingness to take care of previous responsibilities prior to obtaining a CHL which requires the utmost responsibility.

Furthermore, if your DL is suspended then you shouldn't "rarely drive" you should NEVER drive!

If someone drives without a license, why not carry without a license too?

[gigag04]

The surcharge system is nothing but a way to generate revenue. It has nothing to do with traffic safety or crime prevention. It never should have passed and it should be repealed.

Chas.

I couldn't agree more actually. To the OP - once you start racking up DWLI convictions as a class C violations, you become eligible for DWLI - Enhanced (TC 521.457). This is a class B Misdemeanor, which will screw up your CHL-ness.

Also DWLI + No Ins at time of step = DWLI Enhanced (MB) too.


So...while it's a garbage system, try to get it squared away. Once DWLI tickets, and more surcharges start up, and the 3 page DL record begins to snow ball.

DL > CHL when it comes to practicality. I fear that if you don't fix the DL it will cost you your CHL sooner than later.