Last Updated on June 19, 2025 by Beltz Law Group
Removing OMNI Hold On Driver License
Lawyers That Remove Driver’s License Holds: Understanding the OMNI Program in Texas
If you’re facing issues with renewing your Texas driver’s license due to old traffic tickets, you’re likely dealing with what’s known as an OMNI hold. Understanding how these holds work and, more importantly, the right way to remove them is crucial to avoiding further complications like license suspensions, increased insurance rates, and additional court fees.
This article will explain the OMNI program and the proper steps to clear a driver’s license hold. If you’d like to discuss your specific case with an experienced lawyer who can assist with driver’s license suspension issues, feel free to contact The Beltz Law Group at 214-321-4105.
What is an OMNI Hold and How Does It Happen?
In Texas, an OMNI hold (officially part of the Failure to Appear/Failure to Pay Program, or FTAP) is a block placed on your ability to renew your driver’s license. This system was designed to encourage individuals to resolve outstanding traffic tickets or judgments.
A hold is typically placed when:
- You fail to appear in court: If you receive a traffic ticket and do not show up for your scheduled court date or make arrangements to resolve the citation.
- You fail to pay fines or satisfy a judgment: If you agree to a payment plan or other court-ordered resolution for a traffic ticket and fail to fulfill those terms.
How To Remove An Omni Hold In Texas
Once a court reports your failure to appear or pay to the OMNI system, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is notified, and a hold is placed on your driver’s license. This means you will be unable to renew your license until the underlying tickets are fully resolved and the hold is lifted by the reporting court.
The Dangers of Ignoring an OMNI Hold
Ignoring an OMNI hold can lead to serious legal and financial consequences:
- Driving While License Invalid (DWLI): If your license expires due to an OMNI hold and you continue to drive, you can be charged with Driving While License Invalid (DWLI), a Class C misdemeanor. Subsequent offenses can escalate to a Class B misdemeanor, potentially carrying jail time, significant fines, and further license suspensions.
- Warrants for Arrest: The underlying traffic tickets that led to the OMNI hold often also result in active warrants for your arrest. If you’re pulled over, you could be detained and taken to jail on these warrants.
- Increased Fines and Fees: Unresolved tickets accumulate court costs, collection fees, and OMNI fees ($10 per reported violation). The longer you wait, the more you may owe.
- Insurance Ramifications: Driving with an invalid license or having a history of traffic convictions can significantly impact your car insurance premiums, potentially leading to higher rates or even policy cancellation.
How to Identify Which Tickets Are Causing the Hold
Remove An Omni Hold On Driver License
To determine which specific tickets are causing a hold on your license, you can utilize the official Texas Failure to Appear Website (www.texasfailuretoappear.com). You will need to enter your driver’s license number and date of birth. This site will list the courts and specific citations that have reported a failure to appear, resulting in your OMNI hold.
The RIGHT Way to Remove a Driver’s License Hold
It’s tempting to simply go to the courthouse and pay off the tickets causing the hold. However, this is often the wrong approach and can lead to unintended negative consequences for your driving record.
When you simply pay a ticket that has an OMNI hold, it is usually recorded as a conviction on your permanent driving record. Accumulating multiple convictions, even for minor traffic violations, can:
- Trigger License Suspension by DPS: DPS monitors your driving record. If you have too many convictions within a short period (e.g., 4 or more moving violations in 12 months, or 7 or more in 24 months), DPS can initiate a separate license suspension action, even after you’ve paid off the OMNI hold tickets. This means you could get your license back, only to have it suspended again shortly after.
- Increase Insurance Premiums: Insurance companies check your driving record. Convictions, even old ones, signal a higher risk, potentially leading to significantly increased premiums for years to come.
The Proper Two-Step Process with an Attorney:
The most effective and protective way to remove a driver’s license hold and safeguard your driving record involves a two-step process, best handled with the assistance of an experienced attorney:
Step 1: Clear Warrants and Get the Case Back on the Docket
- Attorney Files an Appearance Bond: Your lawyer will file an appearance bond with the court(s) that issued the warrants for your arrest. This legal document effectively lifts the warrant, removes the immediate threat of arrest, and gets your case back on the court’s active docket. This crucial step is often done without you having to appear in court initially or pleading guilty.
Step 2: Pay the OMNI Fee and Renew Your License
- OMNI Fee Payment: Once the warrants are lifted, an administrative OMNI fee of $10 per reported violation must be paid to the court that placed the hold. This fee is separate from any fines for the original tickets and goes to the State of Texas for processing the hold.
- Notification to DPS: After both the warrants are cleared and the OMNI fees are paid, the courts will notify DPS that there is “no cause to continue to deny renewal” of your license.
- License Renewal: Once DPS updates their records (which typically happens quickly after the court notification), you can proceed to renew your driver’s license, either online, by mail, or in person at a DPS office.
Beyond the Hold: Strategically Resolving the Underlying Tickets
Once your license is clear for renewal, your attorney can then focus on strategically resolving the original traffic tickets. Our goal at The Beltz Law Group is always to:
- Seek Dismissals: Explore opportunities for dismissal where legally possible (e.g., due to procedural errors, insufficient evidence, or successful completion of conditions).
- Negotiate for Non-Conviction Outcomes: Work to achieve outcomes that do not result in convictions on your driving record, such as deferred disposition (where the case is dismissed after a probationary period) or defensive driving courses.
- Arrange Payment Plans: Negotiate manageable payment plans for any fines and court costs, after a record-protective agreement has been reached.
Driver License Suspension Lawyer
Contact a Lawyer for a Hold on Your License
Driving in Texas is a privilege, not a right, and it can be revoked for various reasons. If you have an OMNI hold on your driver’s license, seeking legal protection is paramount to ensuring your continued ability to drive legally.
Our lawyers can assist you with removing driver’s license holds properly, minimizing the financial impact, and safeguarding your permanent driving record from detrimental convictions. Don’t risk further complications – call our driver’s license suspension lawyers today at 214-321-4105.
