Doesn’t it seem like every time you pay a bill another more expensive one comes in the mail? Such is life. One bill you get in the mail every year as a Sarasota driver is the renewal fees associated with your vehicle registration. And that is one bill you do not want to ignore!
Expired vehicle registration and no vehicle registration at all are the two big issues that we see individuals in Sarasota dealing with on a regular basis. Although this may seem more like an administrative chore than anything else, if you drive with expired vehicle registration in Sarasota or did not bother to register your car at all, you could be facing potential jail time for this offense.
Here’s a quick look at some of the penalties associated with driving with expired vehicle registration in Sarasota:
- If it has been less than six months since your registration expired and this has not happened to you before, you will receive a moving violation (noncriminal in nature). This is the state’s way of being nice to you and giving you a chance to make this obligation up. Of course you are still responsible for any tickets you received for an having expired registration and it is likely that the fees to renew your registration went up as well.
- If this is not your first expired registration issue with the state of Florida, and it has been more than six months since your registration expired, then this offense will be classified as a second degree misdemeanor and you could potentially spend up to sixty days in jail.
The purpose behind requiring Sarasota drivers to register their car every year is pretty straightforward: help establish clear ownership of the vehicle and to provide an additional source of revenue for the state. At the time of registering your vehicle for the first time, be sure to bring proof of current insurance and financial responsibility with you.
In Sarasota, the state alerts you to your annual obligation to pay up in the mail. The letter will not only notify you of your annual fees but will also provide the deadline for receiving the fees. If you cannot afford to pay this obligation then you need to reconsider driving until you can. The fines and penalties associated with driving in Sarasota with an expired license are simply not worth it. We know that registering your vehicle is annoying and costly, but you need to do. In addition to the annoying fines and other punishments, you do not want the points from any traffic ticket on your driving record.
The attorneys at Finebloom & Haenel see Sarasota clients with expired registration tickets all the time. Whether you forgot or ignored this obligation, we will work hard to get you the best results possible. If you have recently been cited for driving with an expired vehicle registration in Sarasota, give us a call today for a free consultation.
I would like to recognize Shawn Sukumar for their assistance with this post.
