Protecting You Against A License Hold

Not only is being able to drive a vehicle likely important to your sense of liberty, but it can also be critical to your ability to earn a living and care for yourself and others. Taxing authorities know this, and they understand the vulnerability you have related to your driver’s licenses and vehicle registration. That’s why the State of Maryland and other states can use your driver’s license or vehicle registration against you to make you pay taxes that the state believes you owe. And states don’t stop there. They may place holds on other critical state licenses.

Those tax-recovery laws may not be fair or seem fair, especially if you’re the one who faces a driver’s license or vehicle registration hold. However, the license-hold laws do have certain opportunities for skilled tax attorneys from the Law Offices of Beverly Winstead in both Baltimore and Laurel, Maryland, to advocate for your license or vehicle registration reinstatement.

What Is A License Hold?

When the state of Maryland believes that you owe taxes that you are not responsibly addressing with the state through its tax-resolution procedures, its taxing authority may notify the state’s Department of Transportation of your alleged delinquency.

In that case, the Department states that it must refuse all of the following:

• A noncommercial or commercial driver’s license;
• Vehicle registration, necessary for license plates;
• Replacement tags proving your current vehicle registration, including substitute tags, substitute sticker and tag transfer.

While lacking a current driver’s license or vehicle registration won’t mechanically disable your vehicle, you will not be able to drive lawfully without a current driver’s license. You will also not be able to operate your motor vehicle lawfully or lawfully allow your motor vehicle to be operated by another on the public highways without current registration. Police may observe the expired tag and stop your vehicle, penalizing you for its unlawful operation and for driving on an expired license, which are significant risks to avoid.

Other License Holds

The state of Maryland and other states don’t stop at placing tax holds on driver’s licenses and vehicle registration renewals. Maryland also places tax holds on various business, professional, environmental, natural resource and other state licenses. Doctors, lawyers, nurses, engineers, appraisers, architects, social workers, cosmetologists, tradespersons, accountants and interior designers, among others, may face a professional-license tax hold. Even liquor licensees can face a tax hold on annual renewal.

License-Hold Relief

So, what can you do if you receive notice that you are subject to a license or vehicle-registration hold, or some other type of license hold? Your first option is to simply pay the tax. Payment in full should relieve the license and registration hold. Many people facing a hold, however, do not have the money to pay the tax. Some people facing a hold shouldn’t have to pay the state’s claimed tax because they do not legitimately owe it.

If you are unable to pay a due state tax and face a license hold, you may have the option of negotiating an installment agreement. State tax officials have the authority to approve an installment agreement when you can demonstrate an inability to pay in a lump sum but can show that you do have the ability to pay over time. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Beverly Winstead have the knowledge and skill to negotiate installment agreements.

If you believe that you do not owe what the state claims you owe and you face a license or registration hold, you may be able to remove the hold by initiating the state’s tax dispute resolution procedure. Once again, the attorneys at the Law Offices of Beverly Winstead have the knowledge and skill to initiate dispute resolution procedures where they determine the taxpayer has the grounds to do so.

Retain Skilled And Committed Representation

If you face a driver’s license or vehicle-registration hold, or any other type of tax hold, then promptly consult the attorneys at the Law Offices of Beverly Winstead as soon as you receive notice of a license hold. Don’t wait for the time to renew your license or registration, only to find out that you will not be allowed to renew.

While you still have the time, call the Law Offices of Beverly Winstead now at 301-760-2003 or contact the firm online to pursue relief from your license or vehicle-registration hold.