When you apply for or renew a Texas driver license, the Department conducts a query of all other states to determine if your driver license or driving privilege is withdrawn. If you are ineligible to operate a motor vehicle in another state, you will not be issued a Texas driver license until your driving privilege is reinstated.
As a holder of a Texas driver license, your driver license can be suspended, cancelled, or revoked if:
- You commit an out-of-state offense and do not comply with the terms of the citation;
- You are convicted for an offense that if otherwise occurred in Texas, would have resulted in the suspension, revocation, or denial of your Texas driver license; or
- Your driving privilege in another state is suspended, revoked, denied or cancelled.
Unpaid Out-of-State Traffic Citations / Non-Resident Violator Compact (NRVC)
If the Department is notified by another state that you have not complied with the terms of a traffic citation, you will be provided notification that your Texas driver license will be revoked until evidence is received that the citation has been satisfied. In some situations, you may be eligible to request a hearing to contest the revocation. If your driver license has been revoked, you will be required to submit the following to the Department for reinstatement:
- Proof of payment for the out-of-state citation (this includes a receipt from the court, a copy of the money order or cashier's check, or a copy of the front and back of a cancelled check); and
- Payment of the Reinstatement fee prior to the renewal or issuance of a driver license.
Out-of-State Convictions
The Department may suspend or disqualify an individual's Texas driver license upon notice of conviction for an offense committed in another state that, if the offense was committed in Texas, would be grounds for a suspension or disqualification. In some situations you may be eligible to request a hearing to contest the suspension or disqualification.
If your Texas driver license is suspended, you will not be eligible for reinstatement until the suspension period has ended. You will be required to submit payment of the Reinstatement fee prior to the renewal of your driver license.
Suspension in a Different State or Jurisdiction
If your driver license status is suspended, revoked, denied, or cancelled in another state, you are not eligible to apply for Texas driver license. If you already hold a Texas driver license, your driver license will cancelled until you obtain a "clear" or "eligible" status from that state's driver licensing agency to prevent and/or lift the cancellation of the Texas driver license (documents submitted by an out-of-state court will not be accepted).
Hearings
When the Department initiates suspension or revocation action against your driver license, you will be notified by mail to the address on record for your driver license. This notification will provide you with the reason for the withdrawal and if available, an option for a hearing. You may request a hearing up to 20 days after the date of the notice of suspension or revocation. Please allow up to 120 days for the hearing to be scheduled, in which you will be notified by mail of the date, time, and location of the hearing.
If your request is made outside the allowable 20 days, your request will be denied and you will be notified by mail. If you have already been through the administrative hearing process and the decision resulted in the suspension of your driver license, you may be eligible to appeal that decision.
For information on submitting compliance and fees to the Department, visit Reinstating your Driver License or Driving Privilege.
Occupational License
You may be eligible to apply for an occupational license while your driver license is suspended or revoked. To learn more about occupational licenses or to determine if you may be eligible to apply, please visit our Occupational License webpage.
Driver Eligibility Status
To check the status of your driver license or to determine if you are eligible for reinstatement, visit the License Eligibility webpage. This page will provide you with information on what you will need to reinstate your driver license or driving privilege, including any fees you may owe. Once all compliance items have been processed and your mandatory suspension period has ended, your driver eligibility status will be updated to reflect "eligible".
For more information on out-of-state offenses, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions webpage or download the Driver License Enforcement Actions chart for a complete list of driver license suspensions and revocations.