If you were arrested for a DUI an officer may have hole-punched your driver's license. If your license has been punched this means the officer has reported your DUI arrest to the Department of Licensing (DOL). The hole in your license represents that the license will expire within the next 60 days. The punching of the license does not by itself invalidate your license as you can still drive until DOL takes action. While you can still drive, most bars will not take your license with a hole in it. When DOL issues you a new license they punch a hole in the old one to indicate that it is no longer valid.
Notice to flight attendants, bank clerks and bartenders: That 21-year-old who just handed you an Oregon driver's license with a big hole punched into the face?
As long as it hasn't expired, it's still a valid form of identification.
Applicants for new Oregon driver's licenses, permits and ID cards will get to keep using their old IDs -- with an invalidating hole -- until their new ones arrive in the mail, the Oregon Department of Transportation announced today.
Since 2007, Driver and Motor Vehicle Services has required that old IDs be turned over to DMV staff when new applications are filed, said David House, a department spokesman.
In principle, the temporary paper IDs issued in exchange grant drivers the same privileges that laminated cards do. But some complained that the flimsy paper was not honored as identification for banking, shopping, traveling or proving age.
'Some people told us that they had no problem getting on a plane in Oregon,' DMV Administrator Tom McClellan said in a release, 'but when they tried to come back to Oregon, the airport in the other state would not accept their interim card.'
Starting April 1, DMV staff will punch a hole in the old IDs, then hand them back.
They won't be valid for driving -- you'll still need the paper driver's license for that. But you can use them to prove age and identity at Portland International Airport, your neighborhood bank branch or your favorite pub.
-- Michael Russell;
[email protected]
[email protected]
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The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) uses a point system to monitor the traffic tickets you receive, even after you've paid the required fines.
Below, you'll find information on how the WV DMV point system works and how points can affect your license.
Points & Your WV Driver's License
With a large enough accumulation of points, you could lose your driving privileges—making getting to work, school, and even just the supermarket a full-on mission.
The West Virginia DMV will suspend your license if you have at least 12 points on your recordat any given time.
The length of your suspension will depend on how many points you've accrued:
- 12 to 13 points: 30 days.
- 14 to 15 points: 45 days.
- 16 to 17 points: 60 days.
- 18 to 19 points: 90 days.
If you have 20 points or more on your WV driving record, your license will be suspended until you can reduce the total to 11 points or fewer.
If you're convicted of DUI, your driver's license will be automatically suspended (among other possible penalties) until you complete the necessary steps for reinstatement. Check out our guide to suspended WV licenses for more.
Check Your Record—Be Prepared! Knowing what's on your driver record is very important. If you aren't sure how many points you've accrued, especially after receiving a traffic citation, check your WV driving record!
West Virginia Point Schedule
The amount of points added to your WV record depends on the seriousness of the traffic ticket you receive.
In West Virginia you'll also receive points on your driving record for offenses you commit out-of-state. So, when you cross state lines make sure to bring your good driving habits with you!
Below, you'll find some common traffic offenses and their corresponding point values. If you'd like to see the full point schedule, check out the WV DMV's brochure on the point system.
NOTE:Commercial drivers in West Virginia may face higher point assessments AND license suspension for certain traffic violations. Take a look at our guide to CDL suspension for more information.
Violations with Fewer Points
Below are some traffic violations that could relatively fewer points to your driving record:
- Failing to use turn signals: 2 points.
- Following too closely behind another vehicle: 2 points.
- Driving on the wrong side of the road on one-way street: 3 points.
- Littering: 3 points.
- Failing to obey a stop sign: 3 points.
- Failing to obey a traffic light: 3 points.
- 3rd offense for using your cell phone (calling or texting) while driving: 3 points.
- Speeding 11 to 14 MPH over the speed limit: 3 points.
Violations with Higher Point Values
Here are a few examples of traffic offenses that add the most points to your driving record:
- Going 15 to 19 MPH over the limit: 5 points.
- Driving 20 MPH or more over the limit: 6 points.
- Leaving the scene of an accident: 6 points.
- Reckless or Careless driving: 6 points.
- Fleeing from law enforcement: 8 points.
For committing offenses that carry higher point values, you might have to go to traffic court to plead your case. For advice on how to prepare for court, take a look at our page on fighting WV traffic tickets.
Violations Point = Higher Insurance RatesDID YOU KNOW: If you've accrued a lot of points on your record, you could end up paying more for auto insurance. If you just received a citation, make sure you know exactly how traffic violations can affect your car insurance rates.
Clearing Your WV Driving Record
Reducing the amount of points on your West Virginia driving record is crucial to maintaining your driving privileges.
Fortunately, the WV Division of Motor Vehicles will removepoints for a traffic violation 2 years after the conviction date.
You also have the option of taking a defensive driving course, which:
- Removes3 points from your record.
- Keeps your license from being suspendedONLY if you:
- Are facing 30 days of license suspension.
- Can submit proof that you completed the defensive driving course PRIOR to your suspension start date.
The West Virginia DMV allows you to take a defensive driving course for point reduction once every 12 months.