There are many traffic infractions and other violations that may lead to the North Carolina DMV suspending or revoking your license. During the duration of your suspension or revocation, it may be tempting to continue driving rather than choosing less-convenient transportation methods such as walking or riding a bus. However, if you get convicted of driving with a revoked license, you could face severe penalties.
The North Carolina DMV states that you may get an additional suspension of your license after a conviction for driving with a revoked license. For example, a first offense may lead to an additional year of revocation, and you could lose your license for another 2 years if you get convicted a second time. Any subsequent convictions may lead to a permanent revocation of your license.
If a license suspension presents a significant hardship in your life, you may be able to apply for limited driving privileges during your license suspension. You may get limited driving privileges at the court’s discretion, and generally, you must show good cause to apply for this type of permission. There are several circumstances that the court may authorize driving privileges for, including religious worship, employment, education, community service and emergency medical care. A court may also allow you to drive if you need to attend a court-ordered treatment program or if driving is essential to maintaining your household.
The process to get authorization for limited driving privileges during a license suspension or revocation may seem complicated, but it may allow you to legally drive to your job, school or religious services. Going through the process to get this type of authorization is generally a better option than risking additional penalties for driving with a revoked license.