Polk County attorney reopens suspended program to reinstate drivers' licenses

Polk county residents who lost their licenses due to unpaid traffic tickets will now have the opportunity to reapply for them through the Polk County Attorney's Office.

The License Reinstatement Program provides a pathway for residents to get their licenses reinstated by making monthly payments. The payments, including one made up front and others on a monthly basis, will be calculated based on the applicant's income levels, according to the Polk County Attorney's Office.

“A suspended license prevents people from legally driving to work, driving their kids to school or daycare, driving to medical appointments and more,” Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham said in a news release. “Dangerous drivers should lose their licenses, but not people who simply cannot afford to pay a traffic ticket. These changes will allow people with low incomes to get their licenses reinstated and prevent them from receiving future citations for driving with a suspended license.”

The office temporarily suspended the program due to staffing shortages. Previously, the program required applicants to pay at least a $100 initial fee and a monthly payment of at least $50 to reinstate their licenses.

In reinstating the program, the office chose to institute an "ability-to-pay" model based on an applicant's income level. The new version of the program also cuts down wait times for status updates on applications. It now will take no more than 10 days to get an update, down from as long as six weeks, according to the release.

Due to the temporary suspension of the program, the Polk County Attorney's Office recommends residents reapply if they originally applied to the program between Dec. 15 and Jan. 19.

Residents whose licenses have been suspended for other offenses, including OWIs, should contact the Iowa Department of Transportation to see if they are eligible. Those who owe child support payments, victim restitution or civil fines are not, according to the release.

Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at @francescablock3.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Polk County Attorney's Office reopens license reinstatement program