A surcharge is a fine that drivers in New Jersey have to pay for having excessive points for traffic violations or cases of conviction for driving intoxicated or something else.
The Department of Motor Vehicles, New Jersey has introduced a traffic fine payment system so that drivers with excessive points of a traffic violation can easily pay their fines. New Jersey Surcharge Violation (NJSVS) System assesses traffic violation charges surcharge from drivers on an annual basis. NJSVS notifies drivers about all details regarding their errors so that they pay their extra charges on time. The article is going to focus on the online procedure of surcharge payment for your convenience.
Why are drivers in New Jersey surcharged
NJSVS reviews driving records of drivers whenever any point or other serious detail is added to their records of driving. If anybody collects six or more points within three years from his last violation, he/she receives a surcharge. He/she has to pay a $150 surcharge along with an additional $25 per additional point over six. A surcharge based on your gathered points may lead you to surcharge annually for three years. Additional violations that lead to an annual surcharge for three years include the following:
- $100 for unlicensed drivers per year ($300 in total for three years)
- $100 for drivers with expired licenses per year ($300 in total for three years)
- $100 in case of failure in insuring a moped per year ($300 in total for three years)
- If anyone drives with a suspended license, he/she has to pay $250 for every year per year ($750 in total for three years)
- For driving an uninsured vehicle, one has to pay $250 for each year per year ($750 in total for three years)
- $1000 for first and second DWI per year ($3000 in total for three years)
- $1,500 for the third DWI if it takes place within three years of your last offense per year ($4500 in total for three years)
- If one refuses to test blood alcohol concentration, he needs to pay $1000 per year ($3000 in total for three years)
How to pay the surcharge
After receiving the billing notice with the payment envelope, you have to make the payment. NJSVS accepts money orders and checks. Send money orders or checks to the following address.
NJSVS
P.O. Box 1502
Moorestown, NJ 08057-9704
You can pay your surcharged amount online following the steps given below:
- Visit the official website for New Jersey Surcharge Payment.
- You have to choose an option to proceed further with the payment. Choose on from the following options:
- Driver’s License Number
- Surcharge Number
- Judgment Number
- Installment Payment Plan Number
- Notice Number
- Then you have to enter your date of birth.
- Finally, click on the “Submit” button to make payment.
You can utilize any option for paying your surcharge:
- Payment with credit/debit card or e-check online
- Payment with credit/debit card via phone: (844) 424-6829
- You can pay with cash visiting a Western Union location in New Jersey or nationwide
You can get to know all details about surcharge payment plans from your bill. If you have further queries, you can call (844) 424-6829 to know more.
Penalties for not paying the surcharge
Be very careful while driving to avoid surcharge payment. If you have to pay surcharge, make the payment on time. Otherwise, you have to face grave consequences.
- Your driver’s license is suspended for avoiding surcharge payment.
- After receiving a suspension order, you should stop driving. Operating a vehicle after being suspended is a severe motor vehicle violation. It requires an additional surcharge and fine. Be aware of it.
- If you delay in surcharge payment after receiving the suspension order, a Certificate of Debt is filed in the Superior Court mentioning the amount.
- The state will collect an unpaid surcharge amount without your consent using the “judgment” certificate.
- Judgments restrict you from transferring or selling your property.
- Surcharge debtors are also reported to the leading credit bureaus.
If anyone’s driving privileges are suspended, he/she gets a Suspension Order notice. It remains active until and unless he/she makes surcharge payment. In such a case, people have to pay $100 as MVC license restoration fee. If you do not get notified about the restoration of your license, do not drive. Otherwise, you may have to face more serious charges like additional surcharges, fines, and suspension terms.
You do not have any chance to avoid a surcharge if you violate traffic rules excessively in New Jersey. Even a two-point reduction for taking a defensive driving class or three-point credit for safe driving cannot reduce your surcharge point. Therefore, you have to be careful while driving so that you can maintain all the traffic rules properly. If you drive, maintain all rules and gain fewer points, you can avoid paying surcharges.
