Georgia law is serious about driving with a valid license. Failure to follow the law could result in a misdemeanor record with a host of other unpleasant consequences.
While the specific outcomes may vary, the court will expect you or an attorney to appear in court for a no license citation in Fulton County State Court. This court presides handles all misdemeanor offenses – including traffic citations – committed within the county.
In addition to a court date, the government may also ask you to pay a minimum fine of $500 and spend up to two days in county jail. Any guilty plea can lead to additional suspensions as well.
The penalties are more significant for a second offense within five years. In these situations, you will could be looking at $1,000 fines with ten days in jail. You will also face an even longer additional suspension time.
Why Did I Get Charged for Driving Without a License?
An officer might issue a citation for driving without a license for one of three reasons:
- A driver has a valid license but failed to have it with them or refused to comply.
- The driver’s license was suspended, canceled, or revoked. Sometimes this occurs without a driver’s knowledge. (You can check the status of your Georgia license here).
- A driver never applied for a driver’s license or is driving with an expired license.
Next Steps for Handling a No License Traffic Offense
Usually, citations are processed and made available online within 2-3 weeks of scheduled court dates.
But, if your ticket was transferred to Fulton County State Court by a municipal court, you won’t receive a court date until the Solicitor General formally accuses your citation and the clerk calendars i.
If you do not want to plead guilty to your traffic citation, you should appear at your court date and advise the judge that you are pleading not guilty.
Alternatively, if you fail to pay your ticket and skip your court date, the State Court will place you in a Failure to Appear (FTA) status and will reach out to Georgia Driver Services or your home state DMV to suspend your license. They will also issue a bench warrant for your arrest.
If you have questions about your court date, you can contact Fulton County State Court at 404.613.5040.
Hiring an Experienced Traffic Lawyer
You don’t want to risk unnecessary penalties. While you can opt to handle a no license traffic violation without an experienced Fulton County traffic lawyer, the consequences may be harsher than you hope. You may end up losing your license for six months (in addition to your current suspension), paying more fees, and serving time on probation.
Schedule a free consult to find out how attorney Erin Gerstenzang can help you fight a no license charge at Fulton County State Court.