Last Updated on June 19, 2025 by Beltz Law Group
Driver License Suspension Lawyer
The surcharge program and points system in Texas were repealed effective September 1, 2019. This means that drivers are no longer assessed surcharges based on points or certain convictions, and licenses are no longer suspended solely due to unpaid surcharges. However, it’s crucial to understand that convictions for traffic offenses still have significant consequences and the OMNIBASE system continues to operate.
Lawyers That Help Remove Driver’s License Holds in Texas
Driver’s license holds in Texas, primarily through the OMNIBASE system, remain one of the most common tools used by municipal and justice courts to ensure individuals address outstanding traffic tickets. Once an OMNI hold is placed, it indefinitely prevents the renewal of your driver’s license until the underlying traffic ticket is resolved.
The biggest challenge we encounter as Dallas traffic ticket attorneys is people’s lack of understanding about how to properly remove these holds without harming their permanent driving record, impacting their insurance rates, or jeopardizing their future driving privileges. An improperly removed hold can have devastating and near-impossible-to-correct consequences.
This article aims to help those currently facing a driver’s license hold in Texas. If you’d like to discuss your driver’s license status with our experienced Dallas traffic ticket lawyers for any case pending in the North Texas area, feel free to call us at 214-321-4105.
What is the OMNIBASE System?
The OMNIBASE system, officially part of the Failure to Appear/Failure to Pay (FTAP) Program, is a statewide electronic system that allows participating Texas courts (municipal and justice courts) to place a block on the renewal of an individual’s driver’s license. This block is triggered when a person fails to appear in court by their designated appearance date or fails to satisfy a court judgment (e.g., pay a fine).
The system serves as a powerful incentive for individuals to resolve their outstanding citations. OMNIBASE works by notifying the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) of the non-compliance, which then places the hold on the driver’s license record.
Removing OMNI Hold On Driver License
Why You Can’t Just “Pay Off” Tickets to Remove the Hold
This is arguably the most critical piece of advice: Do NOT simply run down to the courthouse and pay off old tickets to get your license quickly. While paying the fine will eventually remove the OMNI hold, this action is considered a conviction under Texas law.
Even though the surcharge program and the associated points system were repealed on September 1, 2019, traffic ticket convictions still carry significant negative repercussions:
- Impact on Driving Record: Once a conviction is reported to the DPS, it becomes part of your permanent driving record. These convictions are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to remove later.
- Potential for DPS Suspensions: The DPS still monitors driving records. If you accumulate too many moving violation convictions within specific periods (e.g., 4 or more moving violations in 12 months, or 7 or more in 24 months), the DPS can initiate a separate driver’s license suspension. This means you could pay off your tickets, get your OMNI hold removed, and then face a new, separate suspension from the state.
- Increased Insurance Rates: Insurance companies routinely check your driving record when setting premiums. Even without surcharges, a conviction for a moving violation signals a higher risk, almost certainly leading to increased insurance rates for several years.
Many people, with good intentions, try to resolve their cases independently, only to find themselves in a worse position due to the resulting convictions. The only way to properly resolve driver’s license holds in Texas after being reported to the OMNIBASE system, while protecting your record, involves a specific sequence of steps.
How To Remove An Omni Hold In Texas
The Proper Steps to Remove an OMNI Hold (and Protect Your Record)
When your license has an OMNIBASE hold, you will almost certainly need the assistance of an attorney to ensure the process is handled correctly and your record is protected.
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File an Appearance Bond (Clear the Warrant): The first and most crucial step is to address any active arrest warrants associated with your outstanding tickets. Your attorney will file an appearance bond with the court(s) where the tickets were issued. This bond effectively lifts the warrant, removes the threat of arrest, and gets your case formally back on the court’s docket. This is typically a more financially sound option than paying a cash bond yourself, and it allows your attorney to begin negotiating for a record-protective outcome.
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Pay the OMNI Administrative Fee: Once the warrant is lifted (or if there was no warrant, once the attorney enters an appearance), an administrative OMNI fee must be paid for each individual citation that has been reported to the system.
- For offenses reported to OMNIBASE on or after January 1, 2020, this fee is $10 per offense.
- For offenses reported prior to January 1, 2020, the fee was $30 per offense.
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Court Notifies DPS: After the bond is accepted and the OMNI fee(s) are paid, the court will notify the DPS that the case is in the process of being resolved, and the hold must be released.
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Attorney Negotiates Underlying Tickets: Once the OMNI hold is officially removed, your lawyer can then go into court for you and negotiate a deal to protect your record on the underlying traffic tickets. This often involves seeking deferred disposition, defensive driving, or other outcomes that prevent a conviction from being reported to the DPS.
These steps must be taken in this specific order to give you the opportunity to mitigate any other issues that could arise from the outstanding traffic tickets.
Beltz Law Group
Get a Lawyer’s Help for a Driver’s License Hold
Navigating the OMNIBASE system and the courts requires specific legal knowledge to avoid costly mistakes. Lawyers provide an invaluable service when your license has been reported to OMNIBASE. They help protect you from financial peril and potential long-term damage to your driving record that could arise from simply paying the court directly.
Understanding how the system works can save you thousands of dollars in increased insurance premiums and potential future suspensions. Take the time to talk with an attorney about your driver’s license hold in Texas. Become educated about the system and how to get out of it unharmed.
If you would like to talk with our Dallas traffic ticket lawyers about your driver’s license hold for old tickets, call us today at 214-321-4105. Our experienced legal professionals can walk you through the process and work to ensure the best possible outcome for your driving privileges.
