What happens if I fail to appear in traffic court?Assuming an Order for Arrest is not issued a “failure to appear” will be reported to the DMV, which will eventually suspend your license. What happens when the DMV is notified of a FTA?The DMV will mail a letter to the address on your license informing you of your missed Court date, which should give you about 60 days advance warning of the date your license will be suspended. What if my license has been suspended for many years in NC?If you have multiple outstanding tickets the worst thing you can do is start paying them off if you are currently suspended. Each time you plead guilty to a moving violation during a period of suspension your license is suspended for another year. After the third such conviction you are permanently suspended. How do I get my license back due to a failure to appear in NC? The key is to simultaneously re-open all your old cases at the same time and to have the FTA stricken. Hopefully this will get you eligible for reinstatement and then you can start handling your cases one at a time. Do I need an attorney to strike an FTA? Technically no, but hiring an attorney is a good investment to make sure you don’t cause more harm than good in trying to fix your license. The District Attorney can strike a FTA and waive the $200 FTA fee, but only a Judge can sign an Order striking the “FTA in error, nunc pro tunc”, which is what is often required by the DMV to become eligible for reinstatement. The DMV will not remove the FTA without the "error" language and the "nunc pro-tunc" language removes the FTA retroactively, which often is the only way to get a license back with other outstanding tickets. Do I really need to have the FTA stricken in error? If you have multiple tickets and don’t get the “FTA’s stricken in error, nunc pro-tunc" you could perhaps get a license back only to lose it again by pleading to something during a period of suspension. Sometime an improper equipment or PJC is you only way around this if a local Judge refuses to strike a FTA in error. Remember only a Judge can strike an FTA in error, which is often required to fix and keep a license when there are multiple FTA’s. Do I have to go to Court to handle an old ticket in NC? An attorney can often appear on your behalf to resolve tickets in various counties or States. This is especially helpful if you don’t have a license as each ticket likely will generally take two (2) Court appearances to strike an FTA in error and then return at a later date with a license. How do I find out if I have outstanding tickets? The best way to find out what tickets need to be handled is to call the NC DMV at (919) 715-7000 and speak with a customer service agent. Make sure you also have the agent check the National Register to see if there are any holds from another State. How long can my license be suspended for a failure to appear in NC?Your license will be suspended indefinitely until you resolve all outstanding tickets. Is there a statute of limitations on unpaid traffic tickets in NC? No- Statute of limitations applies to how long the government has to charge you. Once you have been charged there is no time limit on how long the government has to prosecute you. Bottom line is you must resolve all unpaid traffic tickets before your license will be reinstated in NC. How long does it take to clear a FTA in NC? It varies by county, but it generally takes 5-10 business days to have the local clerk update the computer, send the update to the NC DMV, and then have a hearing officer in Raleigh update the system. Once cleared in Raleigh any update should be live on the National Driver Register within 24-48 hours.
148 Comments
Dee
4/17/2017 05:16:42 pm
Can another county handle another's county FTA
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Jason Witt
4/17/2017 05:52:47 pm
An FTA can only be cleared by the county that issued the failure to appear..
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Skylar Mortensen
2/21/2022 06:57:33 am
I got a dwi 12 years ago and found out they have a FTA it’s in union county what should I do? I’m tired of not having a driver’s license I got the fta for not showing up on a review
Jason Witt
2/21/2022 01:37:39 pm
You need to strike the FTA and OFA and deal with the underlying case.
Lisa
8/5/2017 11:53:30 am
Can you set up a payment plan for a fta speeding ticket that is subject to suspension of license soon?
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Jason Witt
8/5/2017 12:31:19 pm
Are you talking about a payment plan with the Court or an attorney to strike the FTA?
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Amanda m smith
3/12/2023 09:25:20 pm
I have a Show Cause court date .. the clerk of court says as long as the ticket court fine is paid I will not be required to be at that court date.. is this correct? I would assume she knows by working in the court but I want to be sure Thanks Amanda
Jason Witt
3/12/2023 09:41:03 pm
I cannot speak for how things work in that county, but I would attend any court date just to make sure no order for arrest is issued.
Chardonnay
11/3/2017 07:02:30 pm
So my husband had a failure to appear in another county over 10 years, would he need to get a lawyer from where we live now or from that county??
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Jason Witt
11/3/2017 07:05:49 pm
He would need an attorney in the county with the FTA.
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Charles
2/16/2018 01:44:34 am
I need to handle my ticket for driving while suspended and failure to appear in NC for the driving while suspended ticket. It has been 4 years. How do I go about this. Every person I have spoken with can't give me a clear answer or even a solution. Well besides, come down and see what needs to be done. I live 19 hours away and have no license . Have 3 kids and a wife. Coming down really isn't ideal or possible, really. Who do I need to contact?
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Jason Witt
2/16/2018 12:05:11 pm
What county is this ticket from?
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Candace Youngblood
5/18/2018 01:08:11 pm
Similar issue as the person above. My FTA's are in Pendor County. I am willing to have an attorney handle this matter for me at a reasonable rate. Do you have any contact information?
Jason Witt
5/18/2018 03:02:58 pm
I limit my practice to Union and Mecklenburg County only. I do not have any contacts in that county. Most attorneys limit their practice to one or two counties so my advice would be locate an attorney with an office in that county. That way the DA will know them and they will know the DA.
Amanda Boswell
3/21/2018 08:02:00 am
My 24 year old daughter just admitted to me she has four FTA. The first two caused a suspension, the second two caused her license to be revoked. I'm trying to help her out. She's called and gotten all the citations. This has been going on since 2015. I found on the DMV website that she can get a provisional license to get back and forth to work. It's a mess. What's the likelihood that if I helped her out with money for a lawyer that she could get out of this or at least a provisional license?
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Jason Witt
3/21/2018 08:48:37 am
Best thing is to hire a lawyer to strike all the FTA's nunc pro tunc, which hopefully can retroactively fix the issue. This requires the signature of a judge and likely an attorney to assist. If these charges are in Union or Mecklenburg feel free to give me a call, otherwise locate an attorney where the charges originated.
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Mckinnis Lendal
5/27/2019 07:47:09 pm
Are you still working in mecklenburg country if so I needs help lifting 14 FTA for driving without license
Jason Witt
5/27/2019 08:32:29 pm
Yes- I handle both Mecklenburg and Union county.
Susana C
5/9/2018 06:22:04 am
I have some tickets driving with no license I never went to the court dates , my question is how do i simultaneously re-open all my old cases at the same time , if I was not to hire a lawyer ?
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Jason Witt
5/9/2018 11:31:03 am
Getting them back on the court calendar is the easy part. The hard part is having the Failure to Appear marked as "sent in error" so that the DMV removes it from the system- that usually requires a lawyer since it requires a Judge to sign an order.
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Samm Mauldin
11/8/2022 11:58:03 pm
Ive got fta in Stanley who should I contact for any help with mine it was miss court due to surgery on district first time on now Ive got fta how do I fix it or who do I talk to becuz I've had my paper work fax to clark of court but it's not fixed yet and it was dwlr plus I don't even kniw how I've even got that becuz I've never had license I thought
Jason Witt
11/11/2022 08:50:57 am
For Stanly County see if you can find an attorney with an office in Albemarle.
Jerry Dunbar
7/20/2018 02:48:24 am
I got two mistermeners 21 years ago . I'm from Wv and I am disabled . I can't even get a part the job because of no license . I'm 55 and only making $ 750.00 a mouth . And I can't make it on it . What can I do ?
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Jason Witt
7/20/2018 12:33:58 pm
Are you asking about expunction? Check out my blog article on the topic.
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Sarah
8/1/2018 05:44:32 pm
I have a FTA on a no operators license. I was not driving on a revoked license, it was expired a couple days after my birthday. What happens if I just pay the fines? Will my license still be suspended or will they revoke it for a period of time?
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Jason Witt
8/1/2018 07:00:30 pm
If you pay off a ticket while you are revoked that will tack on another year of revocation. What you need to do is hire an attorney to have the case reopened and the FTA stricken so you can get a license and get the charge dismissed.
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Nicole
5/24/2023 02:55:21 am
I have the same fta. I got a ticket for operating a vehicle with my license expired 10days after my birthday. I missed court & now my license are suspended. If I pay the $454 in fines & fees my licenses will be suspended for another year?
Jason Witt
5/24/2023 08:58:32 am
What county is this charge from? What is the exact charge you are facing?
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Sarah Souza
8/15/2018 05:25:24 pm
My husband went to the local dmv were we live in California. We were told that burke county north carolina has had a suspension since 2002 on a violation we knew nothing about. We have never recieved anything. He was driving through the state. What should we do.
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Jason Witt
8/15/2018 10:36:54 pm
Does he remember getting a ticket? Best thing to do would be to contact an attorney in Burke county to reopen the case by striking the Failure to Appear and get it resolved.
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Andrew
8/21/2018 03:46:41 am
I have an FTA on a speeding ticket in union county how much would it cost to get it stricken so i can get my license back the ticket was back in 2016
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Jason Witt
8/21/2018 03:04:05 pm
My usual fee to strike a FTA nunc-pro-tunc and represent on the underlying case is $350.
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Jessie G Powell
8/1/2020 05:06:20 am
Do u handle Columbus co nc. I cnt get the citation number from 2013 I missed and I have completed my 1st DWI assessment and working on my other 2 I was issued tickets in june of 2013 and never showed up for court I think it was August because I had so many pending tickets and different dates and I really need this citation number can u please help me with this
Jason D Witt
8/1/2020 09:34:52 am
Sorry- I only handle cases in Union and Mecklenburg county.
Jacqueline Loring
10/12/2021 04:46:03 pm
I was just renewing my FL drivers license and received a letter stating I have sanctions against me in NC (Cumberland County) and have until Nov 27th to resolve or will lose my FL license indefinitely. I called and got the case numbers and told I needed to email as they don't give case information over the phone. One is a seatbelt violation and two cases are from the same stop, speeding with revoked license and driving on a foreign license. I had no idea I had a revoked license over a seatbelt ticket - I don't even remember this.
Jason Witt
10/12/2021 04:51:28 pm
I always recommend striking the FTA when possible. Whether that can be done without an attorney in Cumberland county I do not know since I do not practice in that county. My advice would be to hire an attorney who states they can strike the FTA and get everything wrapped up in a non-moving violation. Striking the FTA's may make it possible to obtain a license and then handle the cases much easier once you have a valid license.
Steve
8/21/2018 10:57:58 pm
Hey Jason Witt i need to ask you something...
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Jason Witt
8/22/2018 08:50:10 am
What are these tickets for? Minor traffic violations usually don;t result in an Order for Arrest. Failure to Appear and Order for Arrest are not the same. Even if there is an Order for Arrest an attorney may be able to have that stricken to avoid arrest.
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Darian
8/23/2018 03:06:27 pm
If my license is suspended due to a FTA for an unpaid speeding ticket and now I have a court date coming up for driving while license are revoked, will I go to jail for a FTA if I don't show?
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Jason Witt
8/23/2018 07:13:30 pm
It depends on the county and judge..
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4/5/2023 01:58:03 pm
Need to no if I will be locked up over a failure to appeared on a traffic ticket for no tag
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Jason Witt
4/5/2023 02:49:52 pm
What county is this case from? Why not just hire a lawyer to handle the ticket or strike the FTA to prevent your license from being suspended?
Jessica
10/11/2018 04:34:31 pm
Hello, I recently spoke with my attorney about my FTA/OFA being stricken and said it should be updated the same day or next day so that I am able to get my license. After calling the NC DMV, I was told that the COURT FTA May have been stricken but not the DMV FTA. Is there a specific process to go about getting this done or is there a wait time that it goes through with the DMV?
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Jason Witt
10/11/2018 07:48:04 pm
To have the DMV strike an FTA is has to contain the following magic language. "FTA sent in error" and "strike FTA nunc-pro-tunc" which makes it retroactive as if it never existed.
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Kimmie
3/6/2019 05:43:27 pm
I had a speeding ticket back in 2008 and tried to pay it but was told I just hire an attorney which I did which was a waste of money because he basically got an extension. Then after I called repeatedly about the fine and what to do next the attorney nor the dmv could find my ticket. But last month I got another ticket in Alabama where I live and paid all fines but was told my license was suspended in NC. After three weeks of trying to contact dmv about it I finally got u must come in The office because we can not find any citation and u can not pay over phone, which is not possible since I have no license and I live hours away. Someone please tell me if there is any way to take care of this without having to go to NC or pay another attorney which I can not afford to do!??
Jason Witt
3/6/2019 05:52:37 pm
It would be impossible to answer your question without contacting the DMV. I do charge $100 if you want me to contact the DMV on your behalf to figure out your options. That being said, you may just want to call the DMV back yourself at 919-715-7000 and ask to speak with a hearing officer as often they are more knowledgeable than the customer representatives who answer the phones.
Jason Witt
10/11/2018 07:49:14 pm
You should contact your attorney to make sure the court order contained the magic language.
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Mary
10/20/2018 01:09:05 am
My boyfriend received a ticket back in April, he missed a court date and never got around to getting a new one. He never got any mail because he moved from the address provided on his drivers license . He just recently got his license revoked I’m assuming for failing to appear at the court. He was thinking he should pay off his ticket before going to court for driving with a revoked license. Is that a good idea?
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Jason Witt
10/20/2018 10:41:56 am
No. Depending on the speed that could further revoke him. He needs to hire a lawyer to strike the FTA. Once that is done he should be able to order a duplicate license with his correct address.
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Mary
10/21/2018 06:58:45 pm
The speed limit was 65 and the police clocked him going 90 in a 65.
Jason Witt
10/21/2018 09:11:04 pm
He definitely needs a reduction to avoid an automatic suspension due to the high rate of speed He was likely charged with reckless driving as well at that speed.
Ceara Waters
10/23/2018 02:35:25 pm
I just found out that my license was suspended for FTA that most likely would have occurred in 2012 that i was unaware of. How do i go about getting my license unsuspended?
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Jason Witt
10/23/2018 03:16:39 pm
Best thing would be to hire a lawyer to retroactively strike the FTA.
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Kristen Davis
11/1/2018 05:47:07 pm
I have outstanding tickets for running a red light, no seatbelt, speeding 70 in 55, and driving with suspended licence. The first 3 were 17 years ago and the most recent almost 12 years ago after suspension for first 3. Being young and stupid, I didn't go to city or pay the fines. Seatbelt and driving with suspended licence are in the same county, the others are in different counties. What would my best option be??
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Jason Witt
11/1/2018 07:40:58 pm
Hire a lawyer to re-open the cases via striking the FTA. Once that is done you likely can get a license even with the cases still in pending status..
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Chris
11/16/2018 02:17:28 am
I received a speeding ticket in may in South Carolina, im from NC. I lost the ticked and received a fta. I got pulled and found out that i was suspend and the officer took my license. I then found the ticket and paid it. what should be my next step?
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Jason Witt
11/16/2018 02:00:58 pm
Call the DMV in Raleigh at 919-715-7000 and verify if you owe any reinstatement fees to restore your license to active status.
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Caleb
12/1/2018 08:52:49 pm
I was going through some things and was unable to pay 2 speeding tickets, 1 in meck and 1 in union county. I was just recently pulled over on my way to work and found out my license was revoked. I’m trying to figure out the quickest way to have everything rectified so I can legally drive again.
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Jason Witt
12/2/2018 10:16:03 am
Is it simply failure to pay (meaning you appeared and the case was reduced or resolved) or did you not appear on your court date?
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Caleb
12/2/2018 10:17:45 am
I never appeared. I pulled my driving record and it’s listed as an indefinite suspension
Jason Witt
12/2/2018 11:12:39 am
I recommend hiring a lawyer to strike the FTA's nunc pro tunc or retroactively, which requires the signature of a judge.. Doing so on your own will not be easy without a lawyer. The only two counties that I handle are Union and Mecklenburg. I generally charge $350 per FTA strike, but would be willing to handle both for $500 assuming the speeding tickets aren't too excessive. Of course there would be additional court fines to be determined later. If you want to proceed send me an email using the contact us page.
Robby
1/9/2019 06:50:54 am
I have a misdemeanor hit-and-run ticket driving under suspension 2nd offense ticket and improper turning violation ticket and failure to appear on all of them do I was out of town working in a different state how can I and how much will it cost me to get these took care of in Raleigh North Carolina
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Jason Witt
1/9/2019 08:47:57 am
I cannot provide a price quote as I do not practice in the Raleigh area. You likely have an order for arrest due to the hit and run charge so you should contact a lawyer in the area immediately to have that stricken.
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Michael Martinez
1/27/2019 05:11:39 pm
So I recently moved to Missouri from California with a valid CA drivers license. My CA license was to expire so I went to a Missouri license office to obtain a DL from them. The clerk informed me that j couldn't renew my license because of a hold in North Carolina which is somehow attached to my social security #. I've never lived or driven in NC. I called the DMV in NC & they said the hold was from someone driving with expired tags in 2009 and that they had no DL on them. So the NC DMV didn't have a license # or a photo of the individual on file to compare with me. I then called the WAKE county court ( since this incident happened in Durham) and the individuals told me that I needed to get a 'wrong person charged' or a dismissal letter but that they wouldn't write a dismissal for some reason, because there was no license or that I don't live there, I don't remember. I was given the number to the assistant district attorney and left a message there. Have yet to receive a call back. What should I do regarding this? I can't drive now and I can't go to NC to clear this up. Any advice?
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Jason Witt
1/28/2019 12:44:33 am
If nobody from the DA's office will return your call you are either going to have to hire an attorney in Wake county or drive to Wake county yourself.
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Mackeila
2/27/2019 05:59:52 pm
I have a citation for allowing someone unlicensed to drive my vehicle. I was in the car but not feeling well didn't know they didn't have a license . Anyways I was told if they went to court my case would be dropped. Me and that person fell out so I never knew they didn't go to court .all this in 2016 .I now know I have a FTA. Is there anyway to pay the fine and get the FTA fee removed. I'm all the way across country and can't go to NC to physically go to court to resolve this. Any advise?
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Jason Witt
2/27/2019 08:39:53 pm
What county is this charge from? Hire a lawyer in that county to strike the FTA and see if they can get the case dismissed. Would probably be cheaper than just paying it off with the FTA and reinstatement fees.
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Mackeila
3/1/2019 12:06:10 am
Well the total with everything is 450.00 its in the county right before Durham coming from. Charlotte and greensboro
Jason Witt
3/1/2019 08:51:06 am
Might be cheaper and easier to just hire a lawyer.
Jared Robinson
3/1/2019 01:26:50 am
I have 2 tickets 1 for revoked and driving while suspended and the other for speeding and while revoked, slipped my mind missed the court dates now i have 2 failure to appear and 2 warrants for my arrest in Caldwell county but live in Hickory now is there a way i can hire a lawyer in caldwell county and have the bench warrants lifted to continue my court dates which were a month ago?
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Jason Witt
3/1/2019 08:52:31 am
You should be able to hire a lawyer to handle things, but you would need someone in that county.
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Jared Robinson
3/1/2019 11:22:26 am
I understand that part which is my intial plan, but what im officially asking is can said lawyer once hired in said region of Caldwell County, NC lift both bench warrants based of failing to appear in court resulting in those double warrants?
Jason Witt
3/1/2019 11:43:57 am
I do not practice in that county, but the answer should be yes.
Shay Marshall
3/15/2019 04:28:10 pm
I recently forgot my court date for a speeding ticket and could not get into traffic school before an April date. Is there a failure to appear for me and will it be okay to visit the DA's office to get a new court date issued without being arrested? I am in Pitt County, NC.
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Jason Witt
3/15/2019 07:13:07 pm
Most of the time a simple speeding ticket will not result in an order for arrest. That being said, I would contact the clerk's office to ask and would encourage you to consider hiring a lawyer to strike the failure to appear.
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Michelle Grosso
3/29/2019 02:29:10 pm
I was issued a speeding ticket months ago and did not appear in court. I was told by the DA's office that I need to have an attorney in order to get another court date. I'm not in a position to hire an attorney is there any way I can handle this on my own?
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Jason Witt
3/29/2019 04:11:55 pm
Try speaking with the clerk's office instead of the DA's office- they are in charge of setting a new court date. That being said, there are advantages of using an attorney such as having the FTA removed without having to wait for a new court date.
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Zack Borom
4/2/2019 07:25:18 am
I applied last year the police academy for CMPD but it seems I have had some license issues that are now resolved. I am able to reapply on June 28th, 2019 but first the points and a suspension must fall off my license. On May 16th, 2016 I ran a yellow light and got a citation which gave me 3 points. Those 3 points will fall off my license on May 16th, 2019 and wont be a problem. The problem lays with the suspension. I FTA on July 13th and Sept 12. My license were suspended on one of these 3 dates (May 16, July 13, or Sept 12) but I am not sure which. Could you give me any type of help or guidance to see when the suspension initially start?
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Jason Witt
4/2/2019 08:22:42 am
The DMV should be able to look that up over the phone at 919-715-7000.
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Curtis bordeaux
4/10/2019 05:45:12 pm
I live in South Carolina and I just found out someone got a ticket in my name in Davidson County in 08 and NC suspended my license. I called the states attorney in Davidson County and got the ticket dismissed based upon it wasn't me . Do I still have to pay reinstatement fee in NC even though case was dismissed ? And if so can you pay it over the phone to DMV or online beings I live in another state
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Jason Witt
4/10/2019 06:16:50 pm
If the FTA or Failure To Appear is still present then you likely still have to pay reinstatement fees. Only way to find out what needs to be done to release any hold from NC is to contact the NC DMV at 919-715-7000.
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Anne
4/17/2019 04:30:20 am
I have 2 FTAs from 2013 in Cabarrus County from when someone used my information and gotten tickets. I am working to get it resolved but I now need an ID and want to know if I go to DMV will it show the FTA and I get arrested or should I handle the FTAs first.
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Jason Witt
4/17/2019 09:09:56 am
FTA is not the same as order for arrest. You should verify you do not have an order for arrest by calling the courthouse.
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Ashley
6/3/2019 03:40:47 pm
If you have a suspended license and unresolved tickets and FTA, can you get a NC ID without penalty?
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Jason Witt
6/3/2019 04:14:22 pm
I am not aware of any issues of being denied an ID card due to FTA’s.
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Caroline Smith
6/20/2019 06:52:25 pm
Got a fta for seatbelt expired tags. Did not realize I had a fta liscensed revoked and got a ticket for driving with revoked liscense which I was unaware of.Do I pay the county where the fta occured.
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Jason Witt
6/20/2019 07:57:04 pm
Best thing to do would be to hire a lawyer to strike the FTA and hopefully get everything dismissed. Whatever lawyer fees you pay will probably be cheaper than paying FTA fees, court fees, and DMV reinstatement fees.
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Chance
6/20/2019 10:39:04 pm
Ok so bout 8 years ago i got a ticket going 7 over the speed limit then bout 4 days later got another for going 20 over on the freeway both times. I couldn't pay the tickets so I missed my court dates and havent drove in 8 years but want tonget my license back so I can support my child amd get to work. What do I need to do exactly and will I be arrested cause thats what has kept me from fixing this is fear of being arrested and having an arrest on my record. Idk how all this works and need advice badly
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Jason Witt
6/21/2019 08:11:49 am
For minor speeding tickets you probably don't have an OFA or Order for Arrest, but you definitely have an FTA or Failure to Appear. You should be able to call the courthouse to confirm if you have just the FTA's or an OFA as well. Best approach at this point would be to hire a lawyer to strike the FTA's or OFA's and seek a reduction.
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Matt
6/26/2019 07:17:14 pm
I received a speeding ticket for doing 80 in a 55 in Gaston Co. I was living in SC at the time and missed my court date. I have since moved to another state and its been about 2 years and I forgot about it until I needed to renew my license. I have traveling down to speak to the DA's office about my options, I was told that I could request a reduction to pay the ticket or request a new court date. How long does it take to request a new court date and if I go that route will I be able to pay the ticket when it's all said and done?
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Jason Witt
6/27/2019 12:18:18 pm
You need a reduction because 80/55 will suspend your license. Best approach would be to hire a lawyer to strike the FTA and obtain a reduction for you. Might be cheaper to hire a lawyer than pay the FTA and reinstatement fees.
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Keith Haas
9/4/2019 07:25:17 pm
I have a traffic ticket from 2010 in Gaston county and I have a fta on it and I've had driving while license revoked but I haven't had a driving while license revoked in 7yrs and the clerk of court the guy from the dmv said that was what was keeping me from getting them back so if I pay the ticket will i be able to get them back
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Jason Witt
9/4/2019 08:10:46 pm
It would be advisable to hire a lawyer to strike that FTA as any conviction for a moving violation during a period of suspension adds another year of revocation. Removing the FTA might retroactively put you in a better position to obtain your license.
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Keith Haas
9/5/2019 08:57:21 pm
But my license got suspended because I didn't pay that ticket i got that ticket in March 2010 and they got suspended on July 2010 and how many driving while license suspended before u can't get them back in nc
Jason Witt
9/5/2019 11:08:25 pm
Still a good idea to have a lawyer strike the FTA nunc pro tunc- at the very least it saves the $250 FTA fee. It also might save reinstatement fees.
Kaylee
10/23/2019 09:39:01 am
How do i find out if the FTA has been lifted? When can one reinstate their license?
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Jason Witt
10/23/2019 09:58:12 am
Call the DMV at 919-715-7000.
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Courtney Maxwell
3/8/2020 08:57:10 pm
I got a 75mph in a 60 mph and driving with expired tags in Catawba county and the ink was faded so I read the court date wrong and missed it by one day will I have a warrant for my arrest?
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Jason Witt
3/10/2020 12:17:03 am
Hopefully not an Order for Arrest, but you will have a Failure to Appear which will eventually revoke your license. You should contact the courthouse to verify.
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James
6/4/2020 05:40:59 pm
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Jason Witt
6/4/2020 07:04:50 pm
I can't imagine all 3 tickets not being rolled into the plea. It is possible the clerk simply made an error and didn't dismiss the other charges. You should contact your original attorney who handled the DWI and see if they can fix the situation. You also should have received a letter from the DMV about the FTA's back in 2016.
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Nikki
9/6/2020 12:58:21 am
So I apparently have 2 FTA for wearing no seatbelt. I wasn’t aware of the court date or forgot an didn’t recieve anything by mail. I’m trying to get all taking care of this happened in 2017. Any advice? Do I need a lawyer an if so how much?
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Jason Witt
9/6/2020 12:35:25 pm
It would be best to hire a lawyer to strike the FTA's or else you are probably going to have to mail reinstatement fees to Raleigh to reactive your license.
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Joseph Shelnutt
10/29/2020 09:10:36 am
I have fta in Irredell county from 1999! I now live in Colorado. I'm hiring a lawyer there. I have all my information and payment laid out. Waiting on stimulus check to correct it. After I pay him, then go to dmv here, what guarantee do I have that DMV won't say, it's suspended there?
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Jason D Witt
10/29/2020 12:07:23 pm
No attorney in NC is allowed to make any guarantees per BAR rules. You may in fact still owe reinstatement fees or even require a DMV hearing before the hold on your license is released.
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Rose Marie
6/18/2021 10:09:07 am
So I got a ticket and I hired a lawyer and he got the tickets dismissed. So I was wondering since my case was dismissed would I have to pay court cost for the FTA?
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Jason Witt
6/18/2021 11:49:41 am
If the case was dismissed then you should not owe any FTA fees to the courthouse, but if your license was revoked you may owe reinstatement fees to the DMV to have your license restored to active status. That is why it is always best to go ahead and have the FTA stricken as well in addition to removing the FTA from your driving record.
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HH
11/20/2021 12:23:11 am
I got pulled over in arizona and had FTA and FTPS there.I set up a payment plan with the court there and my FTA and FTPs are clear on AZ data base , however it is showing I still have FTA and FTPs in NC. Im trying to reinstate. Will i have to pay in full to arizona before north carolina can reinstate me , because i was told i need a receipt , which AZ is unable to provide me
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Jason Witt
11/20/2021 09:32:56 am
I cannot speak as to the procedure in Arizona. See if you can get Arizona to clear your record on the National Registry.
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Briana Koluch
1/20/2022 02:33:44 am
I currently am trying to reinstate my license commy license, I had them suspended into the I'm suspended in 2000 and 9 for AFT a on a speeding ticket while I was on vacation in North Carolina. I live in North Carolina but between between 2009-2017 I did receive a couple of driving without a license tickets and FTA's on those as well! I did Recently get the remaining of those dropped, my question is during the time My license was suspended i received a Driving while license was suspended and a 21 over Speeding ticket 2017, I was in a very controlling relationship and I thought that all of this was taking care of but My attorney At that time pleaded down to a speeding of 9 over Which left me with fines to pay, The DMV said that since my FT a's are dismissed dismissed that only thing holding me from receiving my license is the $283 fine for pleading guilty to the suspeeding,, I was told that if I have the driving while license suspended ticket dismissed or pleaded down that even though it was dismissed I still had a moving violation while my license was revoked which leads to the one year suspension, And I don't want to make me have to have a suspended license for another year, but if this happened in 2017 and the fine was ordered in 2017 would me paying this right now cause me to to become uneligible to Receive my license back? I did speak strictly to the DMV and on my record all they have For me to do to become eligible for my license is to pay the failure to comply To the clerk of court Are they giving me proper advice or is what they're doing going to keep me another year unable to work and provide? Any advice would be great! Thank you and I appreciate it greatly!
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Jason Witt
1/20/2022 08:57:19 am
I would recommend speaking with a DMV Hearing Officer. Sometimes the customer support agents who answer the phone give out incorrect information out of ignorance.
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Chris gonzalez
4/27/2022 01:20:38 pm
I got a speeding ticket and forgot about it now 5 yes later I need to hire a lawyer. Can you guide me
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Jason D Witt
4/27/2022 01:23:52 pm
What county is this ticket from?
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Christopher Wayne Kessinger
6/14/2022 06:42:44 pm
I got a seatbelt ticket they gave me two of them because my fiance at the time was sitting in the passenger seat and I said just give me hers not thinking anything of it. But I had a Florida driver's license I was in North Carolina Pembroke on the Indian reservation. I got pulled over again for a seatbelt and he said you have a failure to appear driving on suspended and then another driver don't spend it from him pulling me over so now I live in Maryland and they won't give me my license and I can't figure out how to do this without paying $5,000 for a lawyer. If anybody can help I definitely appreciate it.
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Jason Witt
6/14/2022 06:54:10 pm
No attorney should be quoting you $5,000 to reopen an old ticket. I generally charge $350 to strike an FTA and reopen an old ticket to give you an idea of what is a typical attorney fee.
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Neva Pruett Thornton
6/19/2022 06:51:55 pm
I had a speeding ticket in April 2021 and missed court in Sept of 2021 due to sickness I totaled my car Nov 2021 and missed court on that in I think Jan 2022 due to my dad passing and sickness(COVID) found out my license was suspended how do I know if I have a order for arrest or do I just speak to the da to pay
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Jason Witt
6/19/2022 07:29:58 pm
Most counties don't issue an Order for Arrest for a minor speeding ticket, but you can certainly call the clerk's office at the courthouse to find out. Best advice is just hire an attorney to strike the Failure to Appear and reduce the ticket. It may even be cheaper overall to pay a lawyer to avoid the $200 FTA fee to the court, reinstatement fees to the DMV, and likely insurance increase due to the moving violation..
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Thomas
7/8/2022 06:53:08 pm
I was wondering if you know anyone in Dare county that could help me out with my FTA?
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Jason Witt
7/8/2022 06:59:08 pm
Sorry- no referrals in that area. I would just Google attorneys with an office in that county.
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Jinnie Pratt
7/12/2022 02:13:47 pm
I was ticketed in 2016 in Mecklenburg County and had an FTA, never got notice. I tried to renew my license in my home state but was unable to do so. I was told to just pay the fees and it would be reinstated but that was back in February and the FTA is still on my record and I’m unable to renew. What should I do?
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Jason Witt
7/12/2022 03:18:10 pm
Best practice would be to hire a lawyer to strike the FTA and reduce the ticket. Was it for speeding or something else? Feel free to email me directly via the contact form on this website.
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Shanny
7/28/2022 04:58:55 am
i have a ticket i didn’t handle all the way, i had received a fta & a letter informing me i could get my license revoked, the da striked the fta, and gave me a impromper equipment & continued my case. do i still have to have it paid by then or my new court date ?
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Jason Witt
7/28/2022 09:18:57 am
If the case was continued then was not really resolved and nothing will be sent to the DMV alerting them about your case. You should pay everything ASAP before your license is revoked by the DMV.
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Julia
8/29/2022 09:45:52 am
I got a ticket in 2019 for driving while license were expired, and then got a fta for that ticket, then another fta at the deposition for the first fta. So ticket for expired license, 2 ftas and now my license are suspended. I'm in sampson county nc. Does anybody have any suggestions?
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Jason Witt
8/29/2022 09:59:01 am
If your tickets are from Sampson County you should hire an attorney in that county to strike the FTA and hopefully resolve your cases without resulting in a moving violation. Be aware that pleading to a moving violation during a period of revocation adds another year of revocation.
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I have 4 ftas due to driving with lisences revoked I had an affait of David come in the mail to clear my record and get my license back. So how do I go about this. Can I send the affit of David before handling them or should I do it after? I need them back as soon as possible. It's been a year
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Jason Witt
10/25/2022 04:01:59 pm
Not sure what affidavit you are speaking about. If you have FTA's you should contact an attorney in that county to strike the FTA's.
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Jason Witt
12/15/2022 08:09:52 am
Looking into hiring a lawyer in each county where you have an unresolved ticket with a FTA or Failure to appear.
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Ashunti Broughton
1/28/2023 04:02:58 pm
Does a FTA still apply if my case was thrown out? I have an indefinite suspension coming up? Is it because of the unpaid ticket? I'm genuinely confused because I thought that was cancelled when it was thrown out.
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Jason Witt
1/28/2023 04:25:47 pm
An FTA still remains after a case is handled unless the FTA is stricken.
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Ashunti Broughton
1/30/2023 01:10:25 pm
Hi Jason,
Jason Witt
1/30/2023 01:14:31 pm
What county is this FTA from? I only handle Union County and Mecklenburg County. If not one of those two counties then I would locate an attorney in whatever county this FTA is from to explore your best options as this point including perhaps striking that FTA.
Ashunti Broughton
1/30/2023 01:21:13 pm
I'm in Mecklenburg. I'm trying to schedule a consult on your website.
Susan
6/15/2023 01:08:06 pm
If someone is caught driving with a suspended license and they do not appear to the court date for the driving with a suspended license what happens?
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Jason Witt
6/15/2023 02:10:57 pm
A "FTA" or Failure to Appear will be entered. Whether an "OFA "or Order for Arrest is issued depends on the county, courtroom, and/or judge.
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Rhianon I Tonkonog
6/16/2023 03:34:04 pm
I just found out I wasn't passing my BCI, when I thought I called the sheriff office and I have two FTA in Mecklenburg and Cleavland counties for dui. I've never been to court for the Mecklenburg one nor do I recall being given any documents in the hospital.
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Jason Witt
6/16/2023 03:52:22 pm
Do you have an "OFA" Order for Arrest in each county? If so, you should consider hiring a local attorney in each county to strike the OFA and FTA.
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Kassie Massenburg
7/8/2023 01:07:59 am
My court date was on the day I was induced into child labor,4/20/23 I let my attorney know, he said he would take care of it, however I still ended up getting a FTA charge, I let my attorney know and they needed proof I was giving birth and I did give proof and I still have a FTA charge ...I don't know what to do, my attorney won't reach out to me ..... need help ,also I got another Court date for my original charge but still seeing FtA even though I have another court date , North Carolina
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Jason Witt
7/8/2023 08:53:58 am
1. What was the exact charge?
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Keasha
8/7/2023 06:47:10 pm
I received a ticket for operating a vehicle with an expired tag/registration. I have an upcoming court date. I’m trying desperately to get my vehicle to pass inspection, hence why the tag/registration was expired. If I can get the vehicle to pass inspection and renew the registration/tag can I pay the fines online and avoid going to court? I’m located in Iredell Co. I’ve had full coverage insurance continuously on the vehicle. Thank you in advance.
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Jason Witt
8/7/2023 07:35:31 pm
Not sure why you want to pay the fine. Most counties will dismiss the ticket outright if you can show proof of updated registration.
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M jones
9/28/2023 09:09:41 pm
I had a ticket for dead tags 10 plus years ago. The motor blew up in the vehicle I was driving and I never went. Now I have a fta
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Jason Witt
9/28/2023 10:24:02 pm
You should try and locate an attorney using Google in Greensboro who can strike the FTA and get the case dismissed.
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Crystal
4/22/2024 11:42:02 am
I had gotten pulled over during an emergency situation (and no legal license) back in March 2020 right as things were shutting down. I apparently had a court date schedule but had not received any communication (I am assuming due to moving in June 2020) and I went to renew my ID and found out I owed. Found the citation online and it shows an FTA with a $200 fee plus the costs of the charges.
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Jason Witt
4/30/2024 02:34:23 pm
What county is this charge from? You should try and hire a local attorney to strike the FTA and get you ticket reduced to a non-moving violation. Any moving violation conviction during a period of suspension will suspend your license for an additional year- you need to avoid that at all costs!
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Crystal
4/30/2024 03:54:05 pm
It is in randolph County. I tried to find one but I am not able to pay much upfront. I barely pay my bills as it is. I had found iticket but they wanted almost $500 up front or to apply for a loan which I was denied, so not sure what to do. If I pay the ticket, will that suffice or will I face more consequences? If you can answer with it being a different county.
Jason Witt
4/30/2024 04:33:25 pm
If you pay the ticket that is same as pleading guilty and will likely revoke you for an additional year from the date you plead guilty. your best bet is probably to save up money to hire a lawyer and make sure you do not drive until you have a license as any new tickets will only compound the problem. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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