Last Updated on June 19, 2025 by Beltz Law Group
Removing OMNI Hold On Driver License
Get an OMNI Hold Removed From a Texas Driver’s License: Your Dallas Traffic Ticket Attorneys
An OMNIBASE hold is one of the leading causes of an invalid driver’s license in Texas. This hold, placed on your driving privileges due to outstanding traffic tickets or failure to appear in court, can severely restrict your mobility and lead to significant legal and financial consequences. If you’re facing an OMNI hold, understanding the necessary steps to remove it – and protect your permanent driving record, insurance rates, and future driving privileges – is crucial.
This article aims to guide those with a driver’s license hold in Texas. For personalized assistance with your driver’s license hold and any pending traffic ticket cases in the North Texas area, contact our experienced Dallas traffic ticket attorneys at 214-321-4105.
What is the OMNIBASE System?
The OMNIBASE system, formally known as the Failure to Appear/Failure to Pay (FTAP) Program, is a statewide initiative designed to encourage individuals to resolve outstanding traffic citations. It allows participating municipal and justice courts across Texas to block the renewal of a person’s driver’s license until unresolved cases are settled.
As of current data, over 1,000 Texas jurisdictions, including more than 800 cities and 240 counties, participate in the OMNIBASE system. Millions of offenses have been entered into the system, and a significant percentage of these violations remain unresolved, affecting countless Texans’ ability to renew their licenses.
How To Remove An Omni Hold In Texas
How Does the OMNIBASE System Operate?
When a traffic violation goes past its initial appearance date without being resolved, a participating court has the authority to input that person’s information into the OMNIBASE system. OMNIBASE then electronically notifies the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) of the hold.
To determine if you currently have a hold on your license that has been reported to DPS, you can visit the official Texas Failure to Appear website: www.texasfailuretoappear.com.
Once a hold is reported, OMNIBASE is also responsible for notifying the driver of the restriction placed on the renewal of their driving privileges. It’s important to remember that while the hold prevents renewal, your current license remains valid until its expiration date. However, driving on an expired license with an OMNI hold can lead to serious charges like Driving While License Invalid (DWLI).
How to Properly Remove an OMNIBASE Hold
Simply paying off the old tickets directly at the courthouse is a common mistake that can have long-term negative consequences. While it might clear the immediate hold, it often results in convictions being reported on your permanent driving record. These convictions can lead to:
- Further DPS License Suspensions: The DPS can impose separate suspensions if you accumulate too many convictions within certain timeframes.
- Increased Insurance Rates: Convictions on your record signal higher risk to insurance companies, leading to significantly higher premiums for years.
Driver License Suspension Lawyer
The correct and most protective way to remove an OMNI hold involves a structured process, ideally managed by an experienced traffic ticket attorney:
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File an Appearance Bond (Remove the Warrant): The first crucial step is to address any outstanding warrants associated with your traffic tickets. An attorney can file an appearance bond with the court where the ticket was issued. This action effectively lifts the warrant, removes the threat of immediate arrest, and gets your case back on the court’s active docket. This approach is generally more cost-effective than paying a cash bond and allows your attorney to represent you in court to protect your driving record.
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Pay the OMNI Administrative Fee: After the warrant is lifted and your case is properly on the court’s docket, an administrative OMNI fee must be paid. This fee is distinct from the fine for the original traffic ticket and goes to the State of Texas for the administrative cost of managing the OMNIBASE system.
- For offenses entered prior to January 1, 2020, the administrative fee is $30 per offense reported.
- For offenses entered on or after January 1, 2020, the administrative fee is $10 per offense reported.
- It’s important to note that this fee may be waived for indigent individuals under specific circumstances, as per Transportation Code Section 706.006(d).
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Court Notification to DPS: Once the warrant is lifted (via bond) and the OMNI fee is paid, the court is legally obligated to notify DPS that there is “no cause to continue to deny renewal” of your license. This notification, governed by Texas Transportation Code Section 706.005, then allows DPS to update your driver’s license status.
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License Renewal: After DPS updates their system (which typically occurs quickly after court notification), you can proceed to renew your driver’s license online, by mail, or in person.
An experienced traffic ticket attorney in Texas is invaluable throughout this process. They can assist you with these critical steps, ensuring that the hold is removed efficiently and the underlying tickets are resolved in a way that provides you with the best opportunity to protect your permanent driving record, insurance rates, and overall driving privileges. These steps must be taken in this precise order to mitigate potential issues that could arise from outstanding traffic tickets.
If you need assistance in getting an OMNI hold removed from your Texas driver’s license, do not hesitate to contact our office by calling 214-321-4105. Our experienced legal professionals can guide you through the process and work to ensure a positive outcome for your driving future.
