Driving Without a Valid Driver’s License Defense Attorneys in West Palm Beach, FL Capably and Aggressively Defend the Rights of Drivers Facing Charges in Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Throughout South Florida
If you drive in Florida without a valid Florida driver’s license and are caught, you can face a no valid driver’s license charge. These charges apply to drivers who never obtained a driver’s license or whose license is not valid in Florida. These charges do not apply to drivers who drive with a suspended or revoked license. However, like suspended and revoked license driving charges, driving without a license carries substantial fines and even jail time. Additionally, if you are convicted of driving without a valid license, you will have a permanent criminal record. At Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A., our Florida driving without a license lawyers are here to help, so contact us today for help with fighting the driving charges you face.
The Severity of Driving Without a License Charges
Many people who are caught driving without a license are young, but anyone convicted can suffer serious long-term consequences, from issues securing employment, enrolling in educational programs, obtaining credit, and more. It is a second-degree misdemeanor to drive without a license, and this crime is punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. In most cases, no valid license charges do not result in jail time, but a conviction will lead to a permanent criminal record that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Too many people miscalculate the severity of these charges and do not take appropriate steps to fight them, which is a mistake that can prove costly in the long run.
If you relocate to Florida from somewhere else, you should apply for a Florida driver’s license within 30 days of becoming a state resident. You will be considered a state resident if you, for example, enroll your children in public school, live in the state for six months, register to vote, or accept an offer of employment in the state. If you fail to do this and drive without a license, you can be charged with a crime.
In some cases, certain US military personnel are exempt from this rule, but their family members and dependents may not be, based on the case specifics.
When a Driver’s License Is Not Needed
Under certain circumstances, you can operate a motor vehicle on Florida’s roadways without a valid Florida license. Examples include the following:
- Golf cart operators
- Operators of farming machinery such as tractors, harvesters, and other road machines
- Non-Florida residents who are at least 16 years old and have a valid non-commercial driver’s license on hand with them from another state or their home country
- Operators of vehicles such as passenger cars, small mopeds, or scooters that require a class E license (which is the standard license for non-commercial vehicles weighing under 26,001 pounds and includes passenger vehicles, 15-passenger vans, trucks, and small scooters and mopeds with engines of up to 50 cc)
How Our Florida Driving Without a License Lawyers Will Help
Our driving without a valid driver’s license defense attorneys in West Palm Beach, FL can help you by disputing the charges you face. Strong and skilled legal representation will give you the best chance of having your charges dropped, avoiding a conviction, and preventing you from having a criminal record.
There are many strategies that we can employ to do this, such as:
- Proving that you have a valid driver’s license
- Calling into question the legality of your traffic stop
- Showing that your detention after your traffic stop was unlawful
- Showing that you were not driving on a public road or highway and therefore may not have required a license
- Submitting evidence of having a valid driver’s license from another state or country
- Arguing that the prosecution does not have sufficient evidence to prove that you did not possess a valid driver’s license when arrested
Our experienced Florida driving without license lawyers will assess your case and gather the evidence needed to have your charges lowered or dismissed.
Contact Our Florida Driving Without a License Lawyers Today
Do not leave anything to chance, and do not dismiss the severity of charges for driving without a valid driver’s license. You can face significant fines, time behind bars, and end up with a permanent criminal record if you are arrested and found guilty of driving without a valid driver’s license. For more information on how our Florida driving without a license lawyers can help you and for reliable legal guidance regarding the important steps you must take to avoid fines and other penalties, contact our driving without a valid driver’s license defense attorneys in West Palm Beach, FL today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Driving Without a License in West Palm Beach, FL
In the past, the State of Florida frequently charged many drivers with foreign driver’s licenses with driving with no valid driver’s license. Before 2013, state visitors and immigrants had to have either a Florida-issued or international driver’s license to legally drive in Florida. However, recent laws have replaced these requirements and foreign nationals can legally drive in Florida if they have a valid license that was issued by their home country when driving on Florida roadways.
Doing this constitutes a more serious crime than simply driving without a license, and you can spend years in jail and face thousands of dollars of fines if arrested and convicted. Your license may be suspended if you accumulate too many points, fail to pay various fines, or were found guilty of various driving or drug crimes. Even here, our Florida driving without a license lawyers can help by disputing the case facts or showing that you were unaware that you did not have a valid license. Contact our driving without a valid driver’s license defense attorneys in West Palm Beach, FL today for more information on how we can help you.