No Operator's License

Caring and personalized no operator's license help.

Do You Have A No Operator’s License Violation? We Can Help!

An operator’s license in North Carolina is the same thing as your motor vehicle operator’s license, or your driver’s license; the terms are used interchangeably. If you’re charged with a No Operator’s License in North Carolina, reach out to The Law Offices of J.M Kotzker, Raleigh traffic attorney, to schedule a free consultation.

What is a No Operator’s License (NOL) Ticket

First, let’s start with answering “What is an Operators License?” An operator’s license is technically a driver’s license. Essentially, driving without a driver’s license in North Carolina is considered a “No Operator’s License” offense.

There are generally three ways to be charged with an NOL

You do not have an operator’s license on your person or otherwise in your possession when driving.
You are driving with a revoked or suspended driver’s license.
You never had a driver’s license that would allow you to drive in the State of North Carolina.

Reasons you may be charged with a No Operator’s License Violation

Your license can be suspended or revoked if you accumulate too many points on your driving record, you are arrested for driving while impaired (DWI or DUI), or it can even be suspended for owing back child support.

These are all common reasons for license suspension. Your operator’s license can also be suspended or revoked for reckless driving, failing to appear for a court appearance or failure to pay traffic tickets or fines.

You can also be charged with a No Operators License (NOL) if you are a new resident of North Carolina and fail to get your North Carolina driver’s license within 60 days of moving here. Another common way to be charged with NOL is if you are driving on an expired driver’s license, or if you are driving a vehicle such as a commercial vehicle or a motorcycle for which you have not obtained the appropriate license.

You can also be charged with NOL if you are from a foreign country and you fail to obtain the appropriate paperwork to drive in North Carolina.

Regardless of the reason for your driver’s license suspension or revocation, we can help.

We have been helping North Carolina residents retain their driver’s licenses or get their driving privileges reinstated for more than 19 years. Dealing with a license suspension or revocation, basic traffic violations, and fines can be very confusing. Regardless of the circumstances that led to your situation, we can advise you of your options and how best to proceed forward.

Even if you have been caught driving without a valid operator’s license, there is still hope for getting your driving privileges back.

In order to lawfully drive in North Carolina, you must have a valid operator’s license and insurance coverage. Unfortunately, in these troubled economic times, many people cannot afford to pay their child support, traffic tickets, or other fines, and their license is subsequently suspended or revoked.

If you are found driving on a revoked or suspended license, or even if you never had a valid license before, you still face additional suspension, fines, and penalties if you are caught.

Penalties for NOLs

Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-7(a), a No Operator’s License Infraction (NOL) occurs when you are pulled over and found to not be licensed to drive in North Carolina.

This is the least serious of the potential penalties that can be issued for not having a valid license at the time of a stop and penalties are similar to the penalty for letting an unlicensed driver drive your car in NC.

Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-35, an NOL is a traffic infraction, not a criminal offense. Generally, penalties include a fine of up to $100, plus court costs, 3 points on your driving record, and 1 point on your insurance record.

Misdemeanor No Operator’s License Charges

North Carolina Class 3 Misdemeanor License Charges

Misdemeanor charges can be issued to an unlicensed person in some circumstances. The penalties for a Class 3 misdemeanor include a fine of up to $200 and/or imprisonment of up to 20 days.

These penalties are generally issued in the following circumstances:

Driving without ever obtaining a valid license
Not complying with license restrictions
Letting an unlicensed driver operate your motor vehicle

North Carolina Class 2 Misdemeanor License Changes

The penalties for a Class 2 misdemeanor in North Carolina include a fine of up to $500 and/or imprisonment of up to 60 days.

Class 2 Misdemeanors are generally issued when:

You have been previously convicted of driving without a license within the past 3 years
You are caught driving with an invalid license because it has been suspended, revoked, or canceled.
You are caught driving with a fictitious license

How do you protect yourself from a NOL charge?

The Law Offices of J.M. Kotzker realzie that most infractions occur do to economic or social hardships. Often, these charges places drivers in an even worse situation than before. Not only would you face additional suspension and fines, but it also becomes exceedingly difficult to pay your fines if you have no way to get to work or school.

By consulting with a member of our legal team, we can get you on the right track to getting your driving privileges restored.

Your first response may be to pay off your old tickets; however, they must be paid off in a certain order if you want to avoid additional lengthy suspensions. We can maximize your success rate by ensuring that you use the legal system to your greatest advantage. Please, contact our office today so we can begin working to restore your driving privileges as efficiently as possible.