West Virginia DMV Reinstatement Fees

What the DMV Actually Charges

The standard West Virginia driver's license reinstatement fee is $50 under West Virginia Code §17B-3-9. That's the baseline — the amount the DMV charges to lift a hold and restore your driving privileges once the underlying cause has been resolved.

But reinstatement rarely costs just $50. Multiple holds mean multiple fees, and insurance-related suspensions carry additional charges on top of the driver's license fee. Here's a breakdown by suspension type.

Fee Schedule by Suspension Type

Unpaid court fines and citations: $50 per hold. A payment plan can waive this fee only for otherwise eligible drivers whose license was suspended solely for nonpayment on or after July 1, 2016, but before July 1, 2020. More on that below.

Failure to appear (FTA): $50. FTA holds do not qualify for the PPA fee waiver.

Insurance lapse (first offense): After suspension, $50 for the driver's license reinstatement, plus $100 if the vehicle registration was also suspended. If you failed to surrender the registration and the orders went to the State Police, add another $50. Before the suspension takes effect, current proof of insurance on all currently registered vehicles and a $200 penalty can prevent the license and registration suspensions, with no reinstatement fees due.

Insurance lapse (second or subsequent offense within five years): Same fee structure — $50 driver's license, $100 registration plate, plus any secure-order penalties.

Child support arrears: $50.

Point accumulation (12+ points): $50 standard.

DUI revocation: $50 for reinstatement, plus a $100 application fee for the Alcohol Test and Lock Program if you're entering restricted driving through an ignition interlock.

Medical/capacity suspension: $50, plus possible retesting fees.

Out-of-state holds: The fee is determined by the reporting state. You'll pay whatever that jurisdiction requires before West Virginia will remove the block.

How the Payment Plan Fee Waiver Works

This is the single most valuable piece of information for drivers with qualifying court-debt suspensions. A narrow waiver remains available if your license was suspended solely for nonpayment on or after July 1, 2016, but before July 1, 2020, and you are otherwise eligible. Under West Virginia Code §62-4-17 (circuit courts), §50-3-2a (magistrate courts), and §8-10-2b (municipal courts), establishing a court payment plan and paying the $25 administrative fee allows the clerk to notify the DMV, which must waive the reinstatement fee.

The process works like this:

1. File a Financial Affidavit with the court where you owe money — this documents your income
2. Pay the $25 court administrative fee (or split it into five monthly payments of $5)
3. Begin making monthly payments as low as $10 per month
4. The court clerk notifies the DMV that the payment plan is in effect
5. The DMV waives the applicable reinstatement fee upon receiving the clerk's notification

If you have holds from three different courts, that's potentially $150 in DMV fees waived in exchange for three $25 court setup fees. Over time, you'll also pay down the underlying fines, but the PPA can support reinstatement without paying everything upfront.

Paying Your Fees

The DMV processes reinstatement fees through two channels:

• Online at the DMV Self-Service Reinstatement Portal — pay by credit card for faster processing
• By mail — send a check or money order payable to "WV DMV" to Division of Motor Vehicles, PO Box 17030, Charleston, WV 25317

Regional DMV offices do not handle reinstatement transactions. Everything is processed centrally through the Charleston headquarters.

When Fees Stack Up

Drivers with multiple overlapping holds often face a cumulative bill that feels impossible. Between court fines, DMV fees, insurance costs, and program fees for DUI-related revocations, reinstatement can run into the hundreds or even thousands.

For an otherwise eligible suspension solely for nonpayment from July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2020, establish a payment plan and pay the $25 administrative fee; the clerk must notify the DMV, which must waive the reinstatement fee upon receipt of the notice.

The West Virginia Driver's License Reinstatement Guide includes a fee tracker worksheet that maps out every payment in the correct sequence, so you don't waste money on fees that could have been waived.

See more West Virginia guides →