What To Know About Driving While License Invalid Suspensions In Texas

Last Updated on June 19, 2025 by Beltz Law Group

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Driver License Suspension Lawyer in Fate, Texas: Understanding and Defending Driving While License Invalid Charges

In Texas, the ability to drive is a privilege, not a fundamental right. This privilege is granted by the State and can be revoked or suspended under various circumstances by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). One of the most common and often misunderstood situations leading to an additional driver’s license suspension is being cited for Driving While License Invalid (DWLI).

At The Beltz Law Group, we understand how devastating a license suspension can be for your daily life, work, and family. This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of DWLI offenses and how a conviction for this charge can trigger a further suspension. If you would like to discuss your driver’s license suspension or a DWLI charge with an experienced lawyer, feel free to contact our office at 214-321-4105.

What is Driving While License Invalid (DWLI)?

Driving While License Invalid (DWLI), codified under Texas Transportation Code § 521.457, occurs when a person operates a motor vehicle on a public highway when their driver’s license or driving privilege is suspended, revoked, canceled, denied renewal, or expired during a period of suspension. It also applies if a court order or law prohibits the person from obtaining a license.

Common Reasons Your License Might Be Invalid (Prior to a DWLI Charge):

Before you can be charged with DWLI, your license must already be in an invalid state. Common reasons for this include:

• Prior DWI/ALR Suspensions: Your license may be suspended due to an Administrative License Revocation (ALR) for refusing or failing a breath/blood test, or as a result of a DWI criminal conviction.
• Failure to Appear / Failure to Pay (OMNIBASE Holds): If you received a traffic ticket and failed to appear in court or pay the fine, an OMNIBASE hold can be placed on your license, making it invalid for renewal.
• Accumulation of Moving Violations: While the “points” system is gone, accumulating 4 or more moving violations in 12 months, or 7 or more in 24 months, can lead to a suspension.
• No Financial Responsibility (No Insurance) Convictions: Convictions for driving without insurance can lead to a suspension.
• Child Support Delinquency: Non-payment of child support can result in a license suspension.
• Drug-Related Convictions: Certain drug offense convictions (even those not related to driving) can trigger a license suspension.
• Medical/Physical Conditions: If DPS determines you have a condition that impairs your driving ability, your license may be suspended.
• Out-of-State Suspensions: Suspensions incurred in other states can transfer to your Texas driving record.

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The Trigger: A New Traffic Ticket While Your License is Invalid

Many people facing a DWLI charge are confused because they weren’t initially pulled over for DWLI. Instead, they were often stopped for a minor traffic offense – something as simple as a broken taillight, an expired registration sticker, or speeding. The DWLI charge only arises when law enforcement discovers, during the traffic stop, that the driver’s license is in an invalid status.

The critical “trigger” for the additional suspension isn’t merely being pulled over while invalid. It’s allowing the new traffic ticket (for the broken taillight, speeding, etc.) to become a conviction. As soon as that new conviction is reported to DPS, it confirms you were driving when you shouldn’t have been. This then triggers an additional automatic suspension for Driving While License Invalid, typically for one year.

Essentially, a minor traffic ticket can snowball into a criminal charge (DWLI) and a significant new license suspension if not handled properly.

Consequences of a DWLI Conviction

A conviction for Driving While License Invalid carries severe penalties, both criminal and administrative:

Criminal Penalties (Fines & Jail Time):

• Class C Misdemeanor: Most first-time DWLI offenses are Class C misdemeanors, punishable by a fine of up to $500. While there’s no jail time for a Class C, a conviction will appear on your criminal record.
• Class B Misdemeanor: The offense can be elevated to a Class B misdemeanor (punishable by up to 180 days in county jail and/or a fine up to $2,000) if:
  • You have a previous DWLI conviction.
  • You were driving without valid liability insurance.
  • Your license was previously suspended due to a DWI-related offense.
• Class A Misdemeanor: The offense becomes a Class A misdemeanor (punishable by up to one year in county jail and/or a fine up to $4,000) if you were driving without insurance and caused or were at fault in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in serious bodily injury or death.

• Additional Driver’s License Suspension: A criminal conviction for DWLI results in an automatic additional suspension of your driving privilege, usually for one year, beginning from the date of the DWLI conviction. This compounds any existing suspension.

• Increased Insurance Rates: A DWLI conviction on your driving record will almost certainly lead to substantially increased auto insurance premiums for years, costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars.

• OMNIBASE & Reinstatement Fees: You will likely still need to resolve any underlying issues that caused your initial license invalidity (e.g., clearing OMNIBASE holds from unpaid tickets) and pay all associated reinstatement fees to DPS.

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How to Check Your License Status (And Why You Should Regularly)

The best defense against a DWLI charge and subsequent suspension is to know your license status and keep it valid. You can check the eligibility of your Texas driver’s license online via the official Texas DPS Driver License Eligibility System.

You will need the following information:

• Driver License Number
• Date of Birth
• Last 4 Digits of Social Security Number

This online portal will tell you if your license is eligible or ineligible. If ineligible, it will explain the reasons for the invalidity and outline the specific steps you need to take to get your license back in good standing. It is crucial to regularly check this site and ensure your address on file with DPS is always current.

Hire A Lawyer For A Driver License Suspension or DWLI Charge

If you are facing a DWLI charge or a driver’s license suspension in Texas, obtaining legal representation is not just advisable—it’s essential. An experienced attorney can help you navigate this complex situation in multiple ways:

1. Defending the DWLI Criminal Charge:

   • Your attorney can challenge the DWLI charge itself, potentially arguing lack of proper notice of suspension, or disputing the underlying invalidity.
   • The goal is to prevent a DWLI conviction from appearing on your criminal record and triggering the automatic additional one-year suspension. Options like deferred disposition may be available to avoid a conviction.

2. Preventing the “Trigger” Conviction:

   • For the initial minor traffic ticket that led to the DWLI stop (e.g., broken taillight, speeding), your lawyer can fight that ticket to prevent it from ever becoming a conviction. If that underlying ticket doesn’t become a conviction, it weakens the state’s ability to prove you were driving while invalid and can often prevent the automatic additional suspension.

3. Navigating DPS Requirements for Reinstatement:

   • Your attorney can help you understand all the specific compliance requirements and reinstatement fees owed to DPS to get your license valid again.
   • This includes clearing any OMNIBASE holds, paying outstanding fines, and completing any required classes.

4. Obtaining an Occupational Driver’s License (ODL):

   • If your license is suspended, your attorney can petition the court for an Occupational Driver’s License (ODL). An ODL allows you to drive legally for essential purposes (work, school, essential household duties) during the suspension period.

Your driving privileges are too important to risk. While hiring an attorney involves a cost, it is almost always more cost-effective in the long run than facing the fines, jail time, increased insurance rates, and prolonged loss of driving privileges that come with a DWLI conviction and subsequent suspensions.

To discuss your driver’s license suspension or a Driving While License Invalid charge with our legal team, call 214-321-4105 today.

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