Can you go to jail for an expired Texas driver’s license? What to know as offices reopen
If you have an expired driver’s license in Texas, now is the time to renew it.
Texas Department of Public Safety reopened its driver license offices Monday following closures caused by a system upgrade at the beginning of September.
The Driver License Division upgraded its system as part of its State-to-State implementation plan, but a capacity issue caused by the upgrade overloaded the system and services were unavailable.
Our customer service team is contacting impacted Texans to rebook as quickly as possible.
Anyone who had an appointment cancelled Sept. 5-8 and has not yet been rebooked is asked to email CUSTOMERSERVICEDL@dps.texas.gov & include your name & preferred DL office for assistance. https://t.co/hzmYPbWaHd— Texas DPS (@TxDPS) September 8, 2023
Now that driver license offices are reopened, some offices in high-volume areas will have extended hours to accommodate rebooked appointments, Texas DPS announced Friday.
Renewing your driver’s license can be done online if you last renewed your license in person. If you drive with an expired license, you could risk hefty fines or worse.
What if my driver’s license expired more than two years ago?
If your driver license expired more than two years ago, you’ll need to apply for a new one which involves taking the knowledge and driving tests again.
Can you go to jail for an expired driver’s license?
While it may be a hassle to reapply for a new driver’s license, it will save you time and money in the long run.
If you’re caught driving with an expired license, you could face a fine of up to $200 for a first time offense, according to Texas-based Patterson Law Group.
If you’re caught a second time in the same year, it counts as a misdemeanor with an additional fine ranging from $25 to $200. A third time in the same year could land you an additional fine and jail time ranging from 72 hours to six months.
