Even not keeping an address current with the Department of Motor Vehicles can get a person s license suspended, County Judge Jimmy Hunt said. If the driver is unaware of the suspension, the fine is usually a civil infraction, Hunt said. Hunt said when people who have been charged with driving with a suspended or revoked license come before him, he looks at the reason why the license was suspended and the person s past driving history. The bulk of the cases Hunt sees involve drivers having their licenses suspended for not paying traffic fines, and Hunt often allows them to get their licenses back if they qualify. That means paying the tickets and other fines associated with the charges, possibly being put on probation and in some cases jail time.
Money is the main problem.
Many of the people are poor. Each violation means more fines. The first two convictions for driving with a suspended or revoked license are misdemeanors. The third can be a felony. Jail time for a first offense can be up to 60 days, while a conviction on the second offense can get up to one year, according to Florida statutes.