In Ohio, driving is a privilege. Under state law, that privilege can be revoked or suspended for a wide variety of different reasons—from DUI to accumulating too many moving violations. As losing driving privileges can be a real burden for individuals and families, most motorists want to get their license reinstated as quickly and painlessly as possible. Here, you will find an overview of the process for reinstating a suspended driver’s license in Ohio.

Driver’s License Reinstatement in Ohio: An Overview of the Process

There is a basic process to get your Ohio driver’s license reinstated. As explained by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the reinstatement requirements for getting your driver’s license back are as follows:

1. You must wait for the suspension period to pass by;
2. You must successfully complete all required alcohol and driver safety courses; and
3. You must pay all citations, tickets, and fees that you owe to the state of Ohio.

In certain circumstances, you can get your license back even if you are not currently in a financial position to pay all of your tickets and fees. The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has created a payment plan arrangement system that allows for driver’s license reinstatement if a person agrees to make minimum monthly payments. If you can meet all other requirements for getting your license back, you may be eligible to get on a plan that requires you to pay as little as $50 month towards your fees. Of course, if you miss payments, it could result in your license getting suspended again.

You May Be Eligible for a Limited Purpose License

One of the most common questions that people have about license suspensions asks: Is there any way to get my driver’s license back early? In Ohio, the answer is ‘yes’—but with certain conditions. Under Ohio state law, drivers may be eligible to get a limited purpose license that they can use before the suspension period has passed. When you have limited driving privileges, you can generally operate a vehicle for work, medical, and educational purposes only.

The bottom line: Do not drive on a suspended license in Ohio. If you need to drive yourself for basic day-to-day activities, you should apply for a limited purpose license.

A License Suspension Can Be Appealed

If your driver’s license has been suspended or is at risk of being suspended in the near future, you are not necessarily out of luck. All driver’s license suspensions―whether an administrative license suspension or a court-ordered suspension—are subject to appeal. If you are considering appealing a license suspension, you should consult with an experienced Ohio traffic violations defense lawyer as soon as possible. Your lawyer will be able to take action to protect your rights.

For more information on this area of law, see our overviews of traffic violations.