Driving without a license, registration and insurance are all considered serious offenses in New York State so jail time is a possibility for these offenses which are misdemeanors and traffic infractions.
In New York State driving with suspended registration is an unclassified misdemeanor of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic (VAT) Law which means you can be arrested for it to the best of our knowledge so between this and the other offenses you were cited for it is lucky on your part that you were not arrested by police.
VAT Section 512 is titled operation while registration or privilege is suspended or
revoked. Here it states that without valid registration on your vehicle you are guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be subject to a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not exceeding thirty days or by both such fine and imprisonment for conviction of a first offense.
[Let CarInsurance.com help you find affordable auto insurance now.] For a second offense committed within a period of eighteen months the fine goes up to not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not exceeding ninety days or by both. For a third or subsequent offense committed within a period of eighteen months the penalty is a fine of not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not exceeding one hundred eighty days or by both.
According to the NY DMV site driving while your license is suspended is referred to in NYS as an aggravated unlicensed operation or AUO. There are different degrees of AUO. Third degree is a misdemeanor punishable by a mandatory fine of $200 - $500, a surcharge and possible imprisonment up to 30 days or probation.
Second degree AUO is also a misdemeanor that is for repeat offenders and has stiffer penalties including higher fines and mandatory imprisonment or probation. First degree AUO is a felony with even bigger fines, more imprisonment or probation time and possible seizure and forfeiture of the vehicle driven.
So in New York if you are found driving with a suspended driver's license it is a criminal violation and there are mandatory fines ranging from $200 up to $5000. You may also face mandatory imprisonment or probation, and seizure and possible forfeiture of the vehicle being driving at the time of the citation.
NYS VAT 315 discusses financial responsibility. Here it states that when insurance with respect to any motor vehicle is terminated by cancellation or failure to renew the owner shall surrender forthwith his registration certificate and number plates of the vehicle to the commissioner unless proof of financial security otherwise is maintained.
NYS law requires you to surrender your vehicle plates to the NYS DMV before there is a lapse in your liability insurance. If you do not surrender your vehicle plates, the DMV will suspend your registration and driver's license.
If you are convicted of operating an uninsured motor vehicle or permitting another person to be operate your uninsured vehicle, your license will be revoked for at least one year. The same penalty applies if the Department of Motor Vehicles receives evidence that you were involved in an accident without being insured.
Some revocations require you to pay a civil penalty before your application can be accepted for a new license. This includes revocations for No Insurance or Uninsured Accident. These violations come with a $750 civil penalty.
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The civil penalty is an additional monetary payment over the normal fine amount. NYS Vehicle and Traffic law 319 notes that being caught without insurance is a traffic infraction and upon conviction you may be fined not less than $150 or more than $1500 or may be imprisoned for not more than 15 days or both the fine and jail time.
The NYS DMV will be able to give you more information on the penalties for being uninsured and unregistered. Or since you were already cited for these offenses try contacting the court listed on the ticket for information on the penalties you may be handed in court if convicted of these violations of NYS law.
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