Thousands more Oregonians are now eligible to get back driver’s licenses suspended because of unpaid traffic violations.
Gov. Tina Kotek on Friday ordered mass clemency for the Oregon residents, building on an order from her predecessor, Gov. Kate Brown, forgave more than 8,000 Oregonians in the same situation a year earlier.
Kotek’s order forgives more than 10,000 more people whose driver’s licenses were suspended only because they didn’t pay fines related to traffic violations, such as speeding tickets. The remission order does not apply to people whose licenses were suspended because of traffic crimes, such as driving under the influence of intoxicants.
The order states that the 2022 order from Brown did not include everyone who met the criteria to be forgiven, and that the Oregon DMV has since updated the list.
Both governors’ executive orders directed county courts to update their records and “promptly” inform the DMV of the people who are eligible to get their licenses back. After that, those eligible for reinstatement can call the DMV and pay a $75 fee to get their license back.
Of the 8,300 people who Brown granted clemency to last year, though, only a relative handful had taken advantage as of November.
The Oregon Department of Transportation said that less than 1,200 had gotten their licenses reinstated. More than 4,500 others had been cleared by the courts to get their licenses back but hadn’t taken the steps to do so.
And the remaining 1,350 still had suspended or revoked licenses because the courts that issued the citations hadn’t confirmed their eligibility to the Oregon DMV .
Kotek’s executive order includes a list of Oregonians who are eligible for reinstatement, as does Brown’s order. People can also check if they qualify by calling the DMV at 503-945-5000 or visiting the agency’s online service center at dmv2u.oregon.gov, scrolling down to “Notify the DMV” and clicking the “Ask the DMV a question” box.
People can also check their status by logging into their profile on the DMV website using a driver’s license, permit, identification card, vehicle registration or title. Scroll to “Status check tools” and click on “Check my driving privilege.”
Debt-based license suspensions have a disproportionate impact on low-income Oregonians and can have a ripple effect, according to the Oregon Law Center — a legal aid service that has worked with some people who are trying to reinstate their licenses. It’s harder for those drivers to get or keep jobs, and their debt can get compounded if police fine them for driving with a suspended license.
—Jayati Ramakrishnan; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story included incorrect information about the types of driving infractions covered. Penalties from unpaid parking tickets, which are not considered traffic violations, are not addressed in the governor’s order.