aviatorhi

I just received a letter notifying my that my drivers license will be suspended for 3 months. I must turn it in by January 7th, because I do not have motor vehicle insurance... the catch is... that I DO have insurance and I'm challenging this because it's totally absurd in my mind and I'm going to fight it. My question is do I have to notify the FAA within 90 days of receiving said letter, or 90 days of the suspension... and since I'm confident I will win, because I have insurance, and they do not suspend my DL so I have to notify anyone at all?

rickair7777

First off, you cannot apply common sense when deciding to obey laws or regs...you must follow them regardless. The common sense will hopefully get applied by the FAA when they review the situation...


For reporting to the FAA aviation security division:

Read 61.15. It looks to me like you only have to report DL suspension/revocation resulting from impaired driving. It seems to exclude administrative issues like yours.


For reporting to FAA aeromedical:

Read the medical form. That one does seem to include admin actions, so you probably do have to report it at your next medical. There is no reason that lack of auto insurance would be grounds for denial of a medical, so you should be fine.

NoyGonnaDoIt

Rickair is correct.

In terms of what the FAA will do with the information, I wouldn't worry about it. Even a first DUI usually gets a pass and something like this - a suspension for lack of insurance - probably wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.

WEACLRS

If it does get suspended, you'll have to report it. If it doesn't, you won't. Rick is correct with respect to 61.15. This reg deals with convictions related to activities that would impair you while flying, the real FAA concern. I think the reason you'll have to report it though is contained in part 67.7, Access to the National Driver Register. When you fill out your FAA medical form there is a section (18.v) called Conviction and/or Administrative Action History where you'll have to disclose an administrative action which resulted in the revocation of driving privileges. In section 20 of the form you give the FAA permission to pull your driver's record. For obvious reasons you don't want to lie on this form.

That said I think NoyGonnaDoIt is right. The FAA will read it and not care, as long as it was disclosed. To be sure, if you are an AOPA member, you might want to call AOPA member services and ask them.

aviatorhi

Got it all cleared out today, luckily enough, didn't want to have to check the YES box on any applications for that column.

RAHPilot5

glad everything worked out! I'm with you too, I do not want to check that box ever.

NoyGonnaDoIt

aviatorhi, in terms of whether you will need to check that box on the next medical, you may want to review the paperwork with a lawyer who understands both the FAA requirements and state law.

The question in my mind is whether what you have is a situation in which your drivers license =was= suspended and then unsuspended or whether the legal effect is that it was never suspended at all.

aviatorhi

The suspension was supposed to take effect on January 7th, so it never took effect. Also, I spoke with the central DMV officer here, they said my state abstract is cleared and the NDR is also cleared.