Last Updated on June 18, 2025 by Beltz Law Group
Driver License Suspension Lawyers
How to Properly Remove an OMNI Hold on Your Texas Driver’s License Renewal
Discovering a hold on your driver’s license renewal in Texas can be frustrating, especially if you’re unsure why it’s there or how to remove it. Many individuals inadvertently cause more harm to their driving record and finances by attempting to clear these holds incorrectly. Our North Texas traffic ticket lawyers have witnessed countless instances where people have faced severe financial repercussions and even further license issues due to improper handling of these “OMNI holds.”
This article is designed to explain what an OMNI hold is, how it’s placed on your license, and the proper steps to remove it without jeopardizing your driving record. If you would like to discuss your driver’s license status with our experienced team of paralegals and attorneys after reading this article, feel free to contact our office at 214-321-4105.
What is an OMNI Hold (Texas Failure to Appear Program)?
An OMNI hold, officially part of the Texas Failure to Appear/Failure to Pay (FTAP) Program (often managed by OmniBase Services of Texas), is a block placed on your ability to renew your Texas driver’s license.
This hold is triggered when you receive a traffic ticket or other fine-only misdemeanor citation in Texas and then fail to comply with the court’s requirements. This typically means:
- Failing to appear by your designated appearance date (the date you were required to contact the court).
- Failing to satisfy a judgment (e.g., not paying a fine or completing community service as ordered by the court).
Essentially, if you ignore a citation for a substantial amount of time, the court that issued the ticket can report your non-compliance to the FTAP. The hold is placed not because you are guilty or innocent of the original offense, but simply because you failed to address the citation as required by law.
Important Note: An OMNI hold does not mean your license is currently suspended. You can legally drive with a valid license that has an OMNI hold until its renewal date. However, once that renewal date arrives, you will be unable to renew your license until all OMNI holds are cleared.
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How to Check for an OMNI Hold on Your License
If you suspect you have an OMNI hold but aren’t sure which tickets are causing it, you can check the official Texas Failure to Appear Website by entering your driver’s license number and date of birth: www.texasfailuretoappear.com.
This site will list all the courts that have reported a failure to appear/pay that is preventing your license renewal. You may have holds from multiple courts, or a single court might have placed multiple holds (one for each ticket).
The ONLY Way to Properly Remove an OMNI Hold Without Harming Your Record
Many Texans, feeling pressured to renew their license, make a critical mistake: they simply go to the court and “pay off” their old tickets. While this will indeed lift the OMNI hold, it has a significant negative consequence: paying the fine results in a conviction on your permanent driving record for each ticket.
These convictions can lead to:
- Increased Auto Insurance Rates: Even a single conviction can cause your insurance premiums to skyrocket for years.
- Driver License Suspension: Accumulating too many traffic ticket convictions (e.g., four or more moving violations in 12 months, or seven or more in 24 months) can trigger a separate driver’s license suspension by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
- Additional Costs: The financial impact of increased insurance rates and potential future suspensions far outweighs the cost of handling the hold properly from the start.
The only way to remove an OMNI hold on your driver’s license without causing a conviction that can lead to increased insurance rates or a license suspension is to follow a two-step process, ideally with the assistance of an experienced attorney:
- Lift the Warrant(s) with an Appearance Bond:
- For each outstanding traffic ticket that led to the OMNI hold, there is likely an active warrant for your arrest.
- An attorney can file an appearance bond with the court. This legally lifts the warrant, removes the immediate threat of arrest, and gets your case back on the court’s active docket.
- Crucially, filing an appearance bond through an attorney allows the case to be reset as if it were never past due, meaning you haven’t admitted guilt. It often allows the attorney to appear on your behalf without you having to go to court initially.
- Pay the OMNI Fee:
- Once the warrant(s) are lifted for each case, an administrative fee, commonly referred to as the “OMNI fee,” must be paid to the state.
- This fee is currently $10 per case/citation reported to the FTAP (Note: Prior to January 1, 2020, this fee was $30). This fee is distinct from the fine for the original offense and is required by law (Texas Transportation Code Section 706.006) to clear the hold.
- Once the OMNI fee is paid, the court will notify OmniBase Services to remove your case from the FTAP and lift the hold with the DPS. It can take a few business days for the DPS system to update.
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Why Taking These Steps Is Important
Following this two-step method, especially with the guidance of a lawyer, is crucial because it allows you to:
- Avoid Convictions: Your attorney can then work to resolve the underlying traffic tickets in a way that aims for dismissal or an outcome that keeps them off your permanent driving record (e.g., deferred disposition or defensive driving course).
- Protect Your Driving Record: A clean record means no increased insurance rates and no risk of future license suspensions due to accumulating convictions.
- Prevent Arrest: Lifting warrants removes the threat of being arrested at an inconvenient time.
- Save Money in the Long Run: While there are legal fees involved, these are typically far less than the long-term financial penalties of increased insurance and potential future suspensions resulting from convictions.
Before you decide what route to take to clear your OMNI hold, take the time to talk with a lawyer familiar with the OMNI and Texas Failure to Appear program. It could save you thousands of dollars and significant headaches down the road. Contact us today to discuss your case and ensure your driving privileges are protected.
