Revised August 18, 2008

General Information

Law enforcement officers who issue a citation for failure to comply with the provisions of the Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act, to a driver who is involved in an accident, shall at the same time:

• issue to the driver cited a temporary operation sticker, valid for 30 days after the date the sticker is issued, and forward by mail or delivery a duplicate of the issued sticker; and
• remove the license plate from the vehicle and send it with the duplicate of the sticker to the Motor Vehicle Division. If the license plate cannot be removed, the officer shall permanently deface the plate.
• The department shall return or replace, at its discretion, a license plate that has been removed or defaced when the person cited for failure to comply with the provisions of the Mandatory Financial Responsibility Act (MFRA) furnishes proof of compliance to the department and pays to the division the reinstatement fee.
• If a person to whom the temporary operation sticker is issued furnishes to the department, within 15 days after the issuance of the sticker, evidence of financial responsibility in compliance with the MFRA and in effect on the date and at the time of the issuance of the sticker, the department shall replace or return the license plate and waive the reinstatement fee.

Procedures

The Motor Vehicle Division upon receipt of “proof of insurance” shall reinstate the vehicle registration by issuing a replacement license plate and registration certificate, and charge the following fees:

• If the vehicle was insured at the time of an accident and reinstatement takes place within 15 days after the accident occurred, the department shall replace or return the license plate and waive the reinstatement fee. After reinstatement is completed, the original expiration date will be reflected.
• If the vehicle was insured at the time of an accident and reinstatement takes place more than 15 days AFTER the accident occurred, then the reinstatement fee and replacement plate fee will be assessed. The reinstatement fee is processed using the miscellaneous transaction screen.
• IF proof of insurance was acquired AFTER the accident occurred, then assess the reinstatement fee, replacement plate fee and registration fee to re-stagger the expiration to a 12-month cycle.  The reinstatement fee is processed using the miscellaneous transaction screen.