West Virginia Suspended Driving License Laws

Driving Suspended

A person may have a driver's license suspended for a number of reasons in West Virginia, including accumulating too many traffic citations. Suspensions occur after a person has accumulated 12 points for traffic citations.

For first and second offenses of driving on a suspended license, the penalty is a fine of $100 to $500. A third offense carries a penalty of $150 to $500 and a mandatory jail sentence of at least 30 days and as many as 90 days.

A person who drives after a license was suspended for driving under the influence (DUI) is committing a serious offense in West Virginia.

For a first offense, a jail sentence of at least 30 days to six months is mandatory. A mandatory fine of $100 to $500 will be imposed. A second offense carries a mandatory jail sentence of at least six months and up to one year as well as a mandatory fine of $1,000 to $3,000.

Third offenses are felonies punished by one to three years in prison and a fine of $3,000 to $5,000. One year of the prison sentence and a minimum $3,000 fine are mandatory.

A person convicted of driving on a license that was suspended for a DUI conviction that occurred while the person was under 21 faces a penalty of 24 hours in jail or a fine of $50 to $500, or both, according to the West Virginia Code.

To convict a person of driving on a suspended license, the state must prove two facts: A suspension or revocation must be recorded by the Division of Motor Vehicles, and the accused must be caught operating a motor vehicle.

Operating a motor vehicle does not require a person to be traveling in a car on a road. A person may operate a motor vehicle by sitting in a running car in a parking lot with keys in the ignition.