Revoked Vs. Suspended License: What's The Difference?

A traffic violation is a serious stuff. One moment you’re singing country road take me home while driving, and the next thing you know, you’re over-speeding and get pulled over for it.

The cop isn’t very nice, and instead of giving you a ticket, he suspends your license. But don’t worry, you’re not in that big of an issue as you think. He could’ve even revoked the license.

So, what is the difference between revoked and suspended licenses? It is actually a pretty major one. If you would like to know how big of trouble you’re in if your license gets suspended or revoked, stick around till the end of this article.

Suspended License

We suppose you did something not so nice while driving, and you got multiple tickets in the past. The sheriff would consider suspending your driver’s license. So, what does that exactly mean for you?

Well, a suspended license is temporary blocking of your permission to drive on the road. These suspensions are typically not too long unless you get an indefinite suspension, that is. The definite ones usually range from 30 days to a couple of months to even a year to some extent.

However, a suspension is an indefinite one, you would have to pay the necessary fees for the termination of the suspension. These fees vary from state to state and can sometimes be hard on your pocket. Better not get it suspended then!

Why Does a License Get Suspended?

There are actually a few reasons a license might get suspended. Usually, the reasons are similar to the reasons you would get a ticket. Some of the reason a person’s driver’s license might be suspended are:

Getting Excessive Amounts of Traffic Tickets

Hey, if you are someone who violates traffic laws pretty often, we are not surprised you have a large number of tickets.

When this happens, after a certain number of tickets, your license would get suspended.

Driving with No Liability Insurance

A liability is something that all drivers are supposed to have, and it is wise to keep it with you in the car. If you are on the road without one, it is pretty obvious your license would be suspended.

Drunk or High Driving

You mustn’t drive while being intoxicated by any kind of substance or alcohol. Drunk or intoxicated driving has its consequences; getting your license suspended is one of them.

Health Condition

Sometimes you get an indefinite suspension when you are severely ill or injured. This makes you unfit to be on the road and would only be permitted to drive again once you fully recover.

Revoked License

Alright, so you know what a suspended license is, but what the heck is a revoked license? Well, we’ve got bad news for you if your license got revoked.

A revoked license is one that has been permanently canceled. And this means that you cannot legally drive at all. When we say permanently, we don’t mean that you will be forbidden from driving forever.

Why Does a License Get Revoked?

There is a way out of a revoked license problem, but it ain’t for free. But we’ll talk about that later. Let’s take a look at some reasons a license might be revoked in the first place:

Driving with a Suspended License

If you already have a suspension on your driving license and still choose to hit the road, your license will be revoked.

Failing the DMV Driving Test

The test concerning your driving skills which provides you the license in the first place, can determine if you’ll get it or if it’ll be revoked.

When people fail the DMV test, their license isn’t issued, instead, it gets revoked.

Driving Without Any Insurance

As we mentioned above, you just have to drive with insurance. Or else, your license will either get suspended or worse, revoked.

Being a Traffic Convict

If you’ve got some previous record of breaking major traffic laws and still drive carelessly, your license is likely to get revoked.

Making False Statements on the Paperwork

Honestly, any kind of forgery or fraud is bound to get you in trouble when got caught. If you make false claims and statements in your license or registration application for your care, your license is definitely going to get revoked.

Difference Between Revoked and Suspended License

If the difference between revoked and suspended license isn’t clear yet — the more major your crime, the worse the punishment you get. This means, if you commit a worse crime, your license gets revoked.

A suspension can lead to a revocation, but not the opposite, so you may consider that a difference. Plus, revocations are usually permanent, and a revoked license can rarely be reissued or reinstated.

When you have a suspended license, it is more of a temporary thing. Typically suspensions are given for a number of days and are lifted soon as the tenure is over.

For revocations, it is not the case. There are certain procedures you must go through before you can get a new license after it gets revoked once.

While you might have to go through some paperwork and fees payment for suspensions as well, it is usually not that big of a hassle. At least not as severe as revocations.

What Can You Do If Your License Gets Suspended?

If you get a suspension for a specific number of days, don’t do anything. Seriously. Don’t drive for a few days at all, and let the suspension period pass before you get behind the wheels again.

Sometimes you have to pay a termination fee, as well as do some paperwork. So do that if the situation requires.

Just don’t fret over it too much, as suspended licenses can be reinstated and gotten back. I can’t say the same for revocations, though.

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Is There Something You Can Do If It Gets Revoked?

Okay, here’s the thing: you can’t actually get a revoked license reinstated. Once revoked, there’s no way of having it reissued.

However, you can do something to get back on the road after getting a revocation on your license. But we must warn you; it’s going to be a costly as well as a frustrating process.

Yes, we know we said one major revoked vs suspended license difference is that one is permanent and the other is temporary. But, hear us out, please!

It is true you cannot get a revoked license reinstated, but you can get a new license after clearing any charges and sitting for the DMV test all over again.

This means that you can get a completely new license made for you and drive your car again. But like we said, this is a very lengthy process and one that will require you some cash and a lot of patience.

Final Words

We do not promote any kind of traffic law violation, which is why we want our readers to be well-aware of the consequences of doing so. Trust us, you do not want to get in trouble for breaking the traffic rules.

We hope knowing the difference between revoked and suspended license will help you abide by the rules better and also get out of trouble if you ever happen to fall into it in the first place. Good luck, and stay safe while driving!