Inquiry: I got a speeding ticket in 2006 and I was moving out of province the very next morning. The office told me not to bother paying it, as it wouldn’t affect my applying for an Ontario drivers’ licence. I am now moving back to Newfoundland and would like to know if that ticket will still be on record when I apply for a Newfoundland licence. Thank you.
Response: When seeking legal advice, it is important to seek out a licenced lawyer or paralegal. Virtually every week in our offices we see defendants who have been given incorrect or incomplete legal advice at roadside by a police officer. Generally, when a ticket has been left unpaid, the court will eventually convict the defendant for non-response. The court will then set a period of time for the fine to be paid. When that deadline has elapsed, the court will then have the driver’s licence of the defendant suspended for non-payment. The conviction and licence suspension, will generally be listed on licencing in other provinces and can have long-lasting insurance repercussions. If you are stopped and charged for driving on a suspended licence, you will face a very large fine, mandatory further suspension of licence, and possible jail time.