Every driver that owns a vehicle needs to have the vehicle properly registered at the DMV in order for them to safely drive their vehicle on the road. Every year a driver must renew their registration of their vehicle by their expiration date (Which is the birthday of the person that the vehicle’s name is under).
It is a criminal offense for a person to drive an automobile if the automobile does not have a valid registration. Florida Statute 320.02 states that,
“Every owner or person in charge of a motor vehicle that is operated or driven on the roads of the State of Florida must register the vehicle in Florida. At the time of registration the owner must provide proof of financial responsibility and insurance.”
The penalties for driving a motor vehicle without a valid registration will vary, but the common penalties are as follows:
Not having proof of registration is a completely different charge than not having a valid registration. Not having proof of registration means that the driver has registration but does not have the ability to prove it to the officer at the time of the citation.
Not having a valid registration means that the owner of the vehicle did not register their car therefore has no registration tag, or that their registration has expired.
An expired registration of less than 6 months will be deemed as a non-criminal offense, but if the registration has been expired for more than 6 months, the accused individual will receive a criminal offense on their record.
A criminal offense will impact their driving record and cause insurance rates to go up as well as impact their personal criminal record. A misdemeanor charge on a person’s record could cause a person to have problems finding a job or keeping a current job.
A person should contact their lawyer immediately once charged with no valid registration. The sooner a good lawyer is contacted the more likely they are to handle this matter quickly and get the charges reduced or dismissed.
Call The Law Place today!
If you have been charged with a no valid registration violation, call us today and tell us about your case. We, here at The Law Place, have handled and won thousands of cases regarding invalid registration charges and we have the knowledge and experience to guarantee you the best service to meet the needs of your case. We are available all day every day to answer your questions. Set up a free consultation today by calling 1-800-344-4848.
Attorney David A. Haenel, renowned in Florida for his excellent record in criminal defense, DUI, and traffic ticket cases, and has been delivering favorable outcomes for his clients since 2000. With a law degree and a Master of Law in criminal law, his background includes a notable tenure as the State of Florida DUI Prosecutor of the Year
