Por Magalí Schefer
En esta noticia
Pennsylvania authorities can suspend a vehicle’s registration when its owner accumulates four or more unpaid toll bills, owes at least $250 in tolls and administrative fees, or defaults on a payment agreement. Pennsylvania
The provision is laid out in the state’s Vehicle Code, Section 1380, and authorizes the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to impose the penalty after receiving the proper notice from a toll agency.
When a car registration can be suspended
The law sets out two separate thresholds under which a vehicle can be subject to a registration suspension:
- Four or more unpaid toll bills: the debt does not have to reach $250.
- A debt of $250 or more: outstanding tolls, administrative fees and other costs are added together, regardless of how many bills are past due.
The rule also applies to drivers who break a payment plan agreed to with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC). In that case, the default can trigger the start of the suspension process.
How drivers are notified before a registration is suspended
The suspension is not imposed without a prior process. The rules say the toll agency must send the vehicle owner written notice by first-class mail to inform them that it intends to request a registration suspension.
The driver has the right to respond and request an administrative hearing to contest the measure.
Under Section 1380(c), the toll agency cannot notify PennDOT until 30 days have passed since that notice was sent. If the owner does not respond or does not settle the debt, the commission can move ahead with the process.
How to get the registration back
To get the registration back, the owner must clear the outstanding bills and meet the administrative requirements set by PennDOT. The suspension will remain in place until the Turnpike Commission confirms that the issue has been resolved.
Section 1380(d) provides two options for lifting the penalty:
- Pay the outstanding bills, as long as there is no other obligation that would prevent the registration from being restored.
- Enter into an agreement with the toll agency to pay off the debt in installments and make the required payments.
In both cases, the applicable reinstatement fee must also be paid. If the driver defaults on a payment agreement again, the suspension can be imposed once more.