For years there has been growing support for reduction and or eventual elimination of Driver Responsibility Fees that drivers are assessed on certain offenses. These fees have always been paid to the Secretary of State and have been additional to those already paid on the criminal case.
Fortunately, 2014 PA 250 which has been added to MCL 257.732a(11) will begin to reduce these very fees beginning in October of 2015.
According to subsection (b): A fee assessed under subsection (2)(a) or (b) shall be reduced as follows:
(i) If a violation occurs after or on October 1, 2015, 100% of the fee shall be assessed for the first year and 50% for the second year.
(ii) For a violation that occurs after October 1, 2016, 100% of the fee will only be required the first year, with no additional balance.
(iii) For a violation that occurs on or after October 1, 2018, 50% of the fee will be assessed and then no additional balance.
(iv) For a violation that occurs on or after October 1, 2019, no fee will be assessed.
This new change will hopefully allow for some financial relief for those individuals that have previously struggled with these additional fees, it will hopefully also make it easier for individuals to get their driver’s licenses back if that was the only factor making them ineligible for reinstatement.