The Secretary of State is implementing a major change regarding Driver Responsibility Fees. These are the fees that are charged at the Secretary of State and are separate from suspension fees that could be incurred for failure to pay traffic fines.
Effective immediately, the Michigan Department of State will implement Public Acts 43, 44, 45, 46, 48 and 50 of 2018, amending 257.732a, 257.732b, and 257.304 of the Motor Vehicle Code; also added 257.732d of the Motor Vehicle Code. The Driver Responsibility Fee (DRF) program changes are as follows:
• Beginning Oct. 1, 2018, Michigan’s Driver Responsibility Fee Law will no longer be in effect, meaning no new DRF assessments and outstanding DRF fees will not be collected.
• Beginning March 30, 2018 the Department of Treasury will implement a workforce training program and offer it as an alternative to payment of certain assessed DRF.
• Any outstanding DRF shall not be collected from individuals who have entered into a payment plan and were in good standing on or before February 1, 2018. Those individuals will have no liability for outstanding fees or the standard reinstatement fee.
• Payment of a reinstatement fee is waived through December 31, 2018.
• Effective September 30, 2018, any outstanding DRF will not be collected. An individual whose driving privileges were suspended for non-payment of DRF will be eligible to reinstate their driver license if there is no other licensing sanction.
• Beginning January 1, 2019 individuals with a DRF suspension must pay the reinstatement fee.
• DRF fees will be waived for an individual who successfully participated in a DWI or sobriety court program that ends on or after October 1, 2018.