North Carolina speeding laws/license suspension question

[FMR6092USMC]

Hi, as some of you may already know, I have stated that I was formerly stationed in NC while I was on active duty and thus know some of the laws regarding license suspensions for certain speeding violations in N.C. I do know for a fact that the N.C. dmv will suspend a license if you are convicted for 71 in a 55 or 81 in a 65 etc (a.k.a. greater than 15 mph OVER the speed limit). However, if you visit the N.C. dmv's website it states that they can or may also suspend a license for any conviction in excess of 75 MPH and I was wondering if this is really enforced by the N.C. dmv as I sometimes drive in N.C. while I am visiting family out there and wouldn't want them to suspend my privilege to drive in N.C. because they will report the suspension to my home state. The way I am interpreting this is this way: For example, one gets tagged during Operation Slow Down and receives a ticket for 80 in a 70 mph zone and simply pays off the ticket then the DMV will suspend the license because the conviction was in excess of 75 MPH. Can anyone provide any clarification on this?

[SupraSkylineSTI]

Hi, as some of you may already know, I have stated that I was formerly stationed in NC while I was on active duty and thus know some of the laws regarding license suspensions for certain speeding violations in N.C. I do know for a fact that the N.C. dmv will suspend a license if you are convicted for 71 in a 55 or 81 in a 65 etc (a.k.a. greater than 15 mph OVER the speed limit). However, if you visit the N.C. dmv's website it states that they can or may also suspend a license for any conviction in excess of 75 MPH and I was wondering if this is really enforced by the N.C. dmv as I sometimes drive in N.C. while I am visiting family out there and wouldn't want them to suspend my privilege to drive in N.C. because they will report the suspension to my home state. The way I am interpreting this is this way: For example, one gets tagged during Operation Slow Down and receives a ticket for 80 in a 70 mph zone and simply pays off the ticket then the DMV will suspend the license because the conviction was in excess of 75 MPH. Can anyone provide any clarification on this?

Damn, North Carolina is harsh if they do that.

[SpeedUp]

Hi, as some of you may already know, I have stated that I was formerly stationed in NC while I was on active duty and thus know some of the laws regarding license suspensions for certain speeding violations in N.C. I do know for a fact that the N.C. dmv will suspend a license if you are convicted for 71 in a 55 or 81 in a 65 etc (a.k.a. greater than 15 mph OVER the speed limit). However, if you visit the N.C. dmv's website it states that they can or may also suspend a license for any conviction in excess of 75 MPH and I was wondering if this is really enforced by the N.C. dmv as I sometimes drive in N.C. while I am visiting family out there and wouldn't want them to suspend my privilege to drive in N.C. because they will report the suspension to my home state. The way I am interpreting this is this way: For example, one gets tagged during Operation Slow Down and receives a ticket for 80 in a 70 mph zone and simply pays off the ticket then the DMV will suspend the license because the conviction was in excess of 75 MPH. Can anyone provide any clarification on this?

1. North Carolina driving laws are the 2nd worst in the nation (Virginia #1 in my opinion) 2. Yes they will suspend your license they are very serious about this in NC...example when I went to school in NC last year a girl I knew got her license suspended for going 85 in a 70 after never having a ticket before and had a license from Maryland. My friend had to get a lawyer in NC when he got a ticket for going 81 in a 65 from NCSHP and they reduced the ticket to 74 in a 65 in court, thus he didn't have his license suspended. Not sure about the 70mph speed limit and getting a ticket for going 10 over results in a suspension but I would imagine so. 3. Tickets in NC are also very expensive so if you're going to speed come well equipped. 4. Hopefully you don't have an NC license because that would also suck. But past all that, driving in NC isn't too bad

[FMR6092USMC]

Hi, as some of you may already know, I have stated that I was formerly stationed in NC while I was on active duty and thus know some of the laws regarding license suspensions for certain speeding violations in N.C. I do know for a fact that the N.C. dmv will suspend a license if you are convicted for 71 in a 55 or 81 in a 65 etc (a.k.a. greater than 15 mph OVER the speed limit). However, if you visit the N.C. dmv's website it states that they can or may also suspend a license for any conviction in excess of 75 MPH and I was wondering if this is really enforced by the N.C. dmv as I sometimes drive in N.C. while I am visiting family out there and wouldn't want them to suspend my privilege to drive in N.C. because they will report the suspension to my home state. The way I am interpreting this is this way: For example, one gets tagged during Operation Slow Down and receives a ticket for 80 in a 70 mph zone and simply pays off the ticket then the DMV will suspend the license because the conviction was in excess of 75 MPH. Can anyone provide any clarification on this?

1. North Carolina driving laws are the 2nd worst in the nation (Virginia #1 in my opinion) 2. Yes they will suspend your license they are very serious about this in NC...example when I went to school in NC last year a girl I knew got her license suspended for going 85 in a 70 after never having a ticket before and had a license from Maryland. My friend had to get a lawyer in NC when he got a ticket for going 81 in a 65 from NCSHP and they reduced the ticket to 74 in a 65 in court, thus he didn't have his license suspended. Not sure about the 70mph speed limit and getting a ticket for going 10 over results in a suspension but I would imagine so. 3. Tickets in NC are also very expensive so if you're going to speed come well equipped. 4. Hopefully you don't have an NC license because that would also suck. But past all that, driving in NC isn't too bad

Nope, I don't have a N.C. DL, but I do have a Colorado driver's license. One positive aspect of having a CO driver's license is the fact that if you receive a speeding ticket that is an infraction (meaning not criminal speeding) in another state the other state will report the violation back to Colorado, but there is a catch. That "catch" is the fact that the CO DMV WILL NOT enter an out of state speeding ticket/demerit points onto the driving record of a CO licensed driver for an out of state ticket. Oh, and regarding your friend with the MD DL. I bet if she had only gone to court they would have reduced her 85/70 violaton to 79 in a 70 and she would have only had to pay a fine and could have kept her DL. And no, I don't use CO's DL stipulation to drive recklessly out of state. My only beef is with the traffic laws here in the U.S. are THE ARTIFICIALLY LOW RURAL INTERSTATE SPEED LIMITS! The entire length of I-70 thru the state of KS is one prime example of this. This state has a ridiculously low posted limit of 70 mph when one could easily travel at 85 MPH with no problem. Seriously, I don't think that there's gonna be much of a difference if one crashes at 70 or 75 vs 80 or 85 MPH. Either way you're dead!

[stealthJamal]

NC is the worst. If you are convicted of speeding more than 15 over on the highway it is automatic 30 day suspension by the DMV even if it is your first ticket ever and you have been driving for 20 years. This also applies for tickets outside of NC if you have a NC drivers license. Not even Virginia is that bad. Without question, a NC drivers license is the worst to have in the entire USA.

"Suspensions & Revocations

In addition to criminal penalties that the court might mandate, conviction of certain traffic offenses will result in the loss of your driving privilege.
Your driving privilege will be revoked for at least 30 days if you are convicted of:

driving any vehicle more than 15 mph over the speed limit, if you are driving at a speed higher than 55 mph.
Your driving privilege will be taken for 60 days if you are convicted of:

a second charge of speeding over 55 mph and more than 15 mph above the speed limit within one year; or
speeding plus reckless driving on the same occasion.
The DMV can also suspend your license for the following:

Two convictions of speeding over 55 mph within a 12 month period;
One conviction of speeding over 55 mph and one conviction of reckless driving within a 12 month period;
A conviction of willful racing with another motor vehicle, whether it is pre-arranged or spontaneous.
A suspended court sentence or part of a sentence mandating that you must not operate a motor vehicle for a specified period of time; and/or
A conviction for speeding over 75 mph."

Quoted source: NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles: Suspensions & Revocations

[Akosikojak]

Hi, as some of you may already know, I have stated that I was formerly stationed in NC while I was on active duty and thus know some of the laws regarding license suspensions for certain speeding violations in N.C. I do know for a fact that the N.C. dmv will suspend a license if you are convicted for 71 in a 55 or 81 in a 65 etc (a.k.a. greater than 15 mph OVER the speed limit). However, if you visit the N.C. dmv's website it states that they can or may also suspend a license for any conviction in excess of 75 MPH and I was wondering if this is really enforced by the N.C. dmv as I sometimes drive in N.C. while I am visiting family out there and wouldn't want them to suspend my privilege to drive in N.C. because they will report the suspension to my home state. The way I am interpreting this is this way: For example, one gets tagged during Operation Slow Down and receives a ticket for 80 in a 70 mph zone and simply pays off the ticket then the DMV will suspend the license because the conviction was in excess of 75 MPH. Can anyone provide any clarification on this?

NC is the worst. If you are convicted of speeding more than 15 over on the highway it is automatic 30 day suspension by the DMV even if it is your first ticket ever and you have been driving for 20 years. This also applies for tickets outside of NC if you have a NC drivers license. Not even Virginia is that bad. Without question, a NC drivers license is the worst to have in the entire USA.

"Suspensions & Revocations

In addition to criminal penalties that the court might mandate, conviction of certain traffic offenses will result in the loss of your driving privilege.
Your driving privilege will be revoked for at least 30 days if you are convicted of:

driving any vehicle more than 15 mph over the speed limit, if you are driving at a speed higher than 55 mph.
Your driving privilege will be taken for 60 days if you are convicted of:

a second charge of speeding over 55 mph and more than 15 mph above the speed limit within one year; or
speeding plus reckless driving on the same occasion.
The DMV can also suspend your license for the following:

Two convictions of speeding over 55 mph within a 12 month period;
One conviction of speeding over 55 mph and one conviction of reckless driving within a 12 month period;
A conviction of willful racing with another motor vehicle, whether it is pre-arranged or spontaneous.
A suspended court sentence or part of a sentence mandating that you must not operate a motor vehicle for a specified period of time; and/or
A conviction for speeding over 75 mph."

Quoted source: NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles: Suspensions & Revocations

Holy Shi+ I didn't know about the part about speeding over 75MPH and losing your DL, and also not the part about being out of state and having these stipulations, and I'm from NC this makes zero sense to me. Did know about the part about being >15PSL, and potential DL loss, learned that one the hard way luckily had a understanding Dist Atty, and they say pain makes you learn the hard way and that was a painful lesson.


Thanks for the advice I plan on making a Coast to Coast trip this DEcember.

[stealthJamal]

Yep, NC is the worst. Hell, I would not live in NC just because of this. Or if I could live in a border town in another state close to NC I would do that if I really had to be in the area. Thankfully, I don't need to go to NC for anything.

Here is the info about out of state convictions with a NC drivers license. This is the NC drivers hand book: http://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/driver_serv...DL_English.pdf

"Out-of-State Conviction
Convictions occurring outside North
Carolina may result in your license
being suspended or revoked just as if
the violations occurred in this state."

It is on page 36 of the PDF document (labeled page 34 on handbook).

What really sucks is say you are driving out west in places where the speed limit is 75 or 80mph. That means if you get a ticket for going 1mph over the speed limit in those zones that NC will suspend your drivers license because of the over 75mph speeding rule. It's hard to believe there is a state worse than Virginia, but NC is the only one worse than VA. I wish you the best of luck on your cross country trip.

[partsfreak]

15+ and you are toast. Mandatory suspension/court appearance(unless you lawyer up)
Heres the deal. Its all about the money. If your license is relatively clean otherwise you pay a lawyer and he will "take care of it" They know its about revenue. You dont even have to go to court once you pay the atty fees in most instances. Be prepared to pay the atty $150 to $300 and any court costs etc. The worse your record the more you pay. When your ticket hits the books you will get a dozen letters from lawyers in the mail who specialize in traffic court. They will likely drag it out for a long time with continuances hoping the officer wont show up. (they are good about showing up)
Helps to make the traffic stop as uneventful for the officer as possible. Local cops are more likely to cut you slack than Troopers.
If you want to speed in NC keep enough money in your account to pay the man.
Sooner or later you will.
Been there done that made a truckload of the tee shirts in the traffic court sweat shop.

[SpeedUp]

Yep, NC is the worst. Hell, I would not live in NC just because of this. Or if I could live in a border town in another state close to NC I would do that if I really had to be in the area. Thankfully, I don't need to go to NC for anything.

Here is the info about out of state convictions with a NC drivers license. This is the NC drivers hand book: http://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/driver_serv...DL_English.pdf

"Out-of-State Conviction
Convictions occurring outside North
Carolina may result in your license
being suspended or revoked just as if
the violations occurred in this state."

It is on page 36 of the PDF document (labeled page 34 on handbook).

What really sucks is say you are driving out west in places where the speed limit is 75 or 80mph. That means if you get a ticket for going 1mph over the speed limit in those zones that NC will suspend your drivers license because of the over 75mph speeding rule. It's hard to believe there is a state worse than Virginia, but NC is the only one worse than VA. I wish you the best of luck on your cross country trip.

Wow. I thought this was a literal joke...a state with even harsher penalties then VA? NC is a straight nightmare. Thanks for in info StealthJamal...I guess I got real lucky that my trooper didn't show up for court in NC. I have no problem boycotting driving these outrageous states. I'll get myself a plane ticket before traveling in VA or NC anymore.

[R.J.]

How do the fools that legislate these ridculous laws get elected in the first place?