Permanent license suspension: NC is one of the harshest states for unlicensed drivers

Been putting off renewing your license? Need a replacement mailed? North Carolina drivers should be careful : A study shows that the state is one of the harshest in the country for unlicensed drivers.

Atlanta law firm John Foy & Associates used data from the National Conference of State Legislatures to rank the 10 states in the country with the harshest punishments for unlicensed drivers. Factors considered included:

• Min Fine Amount
• Max Fine Amount
• Min Jail Time (Days)
• Max Jail Time (Days)
• Number of Other Consequences
• Min License Suspension (Days)
• Max License Suspension (Days)
• Permanent License Revocation
• Vehicle Impoundment (Days)

Associates from the law firm commented on the study in a news release.

“This study shows a wide spectrum of approaches that states take towards unlicensed driving," the release said. "At one end, some prioritize swift and significant penalties to discourage the practice, while others emphasize education and providing pathways to licensure. The relative effectiveness of these approaches is a topic of ongoing debate - while there is a clear desire to deter unlicensed driving, it is still unclear whether harsher punishments or education and rehabilitation is more effective."

Here's where N.C. ranked - and why - plus the rest of the states on the list.

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What is the punishment for driving without a license in NC?

N.C. ranked sixth out of the top 10 harshest states for unlicensed drivers. According to the NCSL website, N.C. punishments for driving unlicensed can include:

• First offense - Class 3 Misdemeanor: Imprisonment for one to 10 days; fine of no more than $200; license suspension increased by one year.
• Second offense - License suspension increased by two years.
• Third offense - Permanent license suspension.

The study noted that N.C. was the only state in the country other than Hawaii where repeat offenders could receive permanent license revocations.

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Harshest states for unlicensed drivers

The top 10, with the harshest at the top:

1. Hawaii
2. Kentucky
3. Delaware
4. Georgia
5. Florida
6. North Carolina
7. Idaho
8. Mississippi
9. Pennsylvania
10. Indiana

What is the most lenient state for unlicensed drivers?

The study also noted that Minnesota was the most lenient state for unlicensed drivers based on their metrics, ranking bottom out of all 50 states. The only potential legal penalties for unlicensed drivers in Minnesota listed on the NCSL website was misdemeanor charges with potential imprisonment for no more than 90 days, a fine of no more than $1,000 or both. No extra charges were added for subsequent offenses.

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Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Permanent license suspension: NC is one of the harshest states for unlicensed drivers