West Virginia Unpaid Ticket License Suspension Payment Plan

You Don't Have to Pay Everything Upfront

For a West Virginia license suspension entered on or after July 1, 2016, but before July 1, 2020, solely for nonpayment of court costs, fines, forfeitures, restitution, or penalties, an otherwise eligible driver can establish a Payment Plan Agreement (PPA) to reinstate without paying the full balance upfront. The PPA system, established under House Bill 4958 and codified in West Virginia Code §62-4-17 (circuit courts), §50-3-2a (magistrate courts), and §8-10-2b (municipal courts), lets drivers pay down qualifying court debt in monthly installments.

Even better: after you establish the PPA and pay the $25 administrative fee, the clerk notifies the DMV that the plan is in effect; when the DMV receives that notice, it waives the $25 reinstatement fee.

Which Suspensions Qualify for a Payment Plan

The PPA-based license reinstatement route applies only to suspensions entered on or after July 1, 2016, but before July 1, 2020, solely for nonpayment of court costs, fines, forfeitures, restitution, or penalties. It does not resolve suspensions for:

• DUI convictions or test refusals
• Insurance lapses
• Child support arrears
• Point accumulation
• Failure to appear (FTA) — though the underlying fine from an FTA might qualify once you've appeared in court and resolved the citation

What About Older Suspensions?

Under the same legislation, any license suspension entered by the DMV before July 1, 2016 for failure to pay court debt or failure to appear is legally null and void. If you have holds from before that date, you don't need to go to court at all. Call the DMV directly at 304-926-2505 and ask them to remove the pre-2016 holds. This is a quick, no-cost fix that many drivers don't know about.

How to Set Up a Payment Plan

Step 1: Get your suspension identification numbers. Email [email protected] with your full name, date of birth, and license number. Request the specific suspension numbers and court names for every active hold. Court clerks need these numbers to find your case.

Step 2: Complete the Financial Affidavit. Download the Uniform Payment Plan Application from the West Virginia Judiciary website. You'll need to document all household income, assets, and expenses. If you have no income, you must provide a sworn statement or a letter from the person supporting you.

Step 3: Visit each court in person. You need to file a separate Financial Affidavit at every municipal, magistrate, or circuit court where you owe money. Bring proof of income — pay stubs, tax documents, or benefit statements.

Step 4: Pay the $25 setup fee. Each court charges a $25 non-refundable administrative fee. If you can't pay it upfront, you can split it into five monthly installments of $5.

Step 5: Confirm the clerk has notified the DMV. For an eligible suspension entered on or after July 1, 2016, but before July 1, 2020, solely for nonpayment, the clerk must notify the DMV when the payment plan is in effect. The DMV waives the $25 reinstatement fee after receiving that notice.

How Monthly Payments Are Calculated

Your monthly payment uses a statutory formula that depends on the court: for municipal court, 2% of annual net income divided by 12; for magistrate and circuit courts, 2% of annual income divided by 12. The minimum is $10 per month. If that formula would make the plan last more than three years in municipal or magistrate court or five years in circuit court, the payment is set by dividing the balance by 36 or 60, respectively. For example, in a municipal court plan, $24,000 in annual net income gives a $40 formula amount before any maximum-term adjustment. For someone with no income or very low income, the $10 minimum applies unless the maximum-term adjustment sets a higher amount.

Deadlines and Consequences

Enrollment deadlines: If you're not incarcerated, you must pay in full or enroll in a PPA upon entry of the order assessing the debt. If you're incarcerated, the deadline is 30 calendar days after release for a municipal or magistrate court plan, or 90 calendar days after release for a circuit court plan.

Late payments: If your PPA payment is overdue by 30 days, the court adds a $10 monthly late fee. At 90 days overdue, the court can register a civil judgment lien against your personal property or refer the debt to a collection agency.

Acceptable payment methods vary by county. Some courts accept only cash or local checks. Call the county clerk's office before traveling to confirm they'll accept your form of payment.

What Happens After You Enroll

For an otherwise eligible suspension entered on or after July 1, 2016, but before July 1, 2020, solely for nonpayment, the court clerk must notify the DMV that the PPA is in effect. Once the DMV receives the notice, it waives the $25 reinstatement fee. You must still clear any other holds before your license can be restored.

Enrollment alone isn't enough: the $25 administrative fee must be paid, and the clerk must notify the DMV; clear any other holds before driving.

For drivers with holds across multiple courts, the West Virginia Driver's License Reinstatement Guide includes a court-by-court tracking worksheet and a step-by-step walkthrough of the Financial Affidavit.

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