The MVA assists the Child Support Enforcement Administration (CSEA) within the Maryland Department of Human Resources in collecting child support payments by suspending the driving privileges of customers who have not complied with a child support order. The customer whose privileges have been suspended must first comply with the child support obligation, either fully or partially, before the suspension can be lifted.

Under what conditions will the MVA suspend my driver's license if I do not keep up with child support payments?

The Child Support Enforcement Administration (CSEA) makes the decision whether or not to suspend your driver’s license. The CSEA can authorize the MVA to suspend your driving privileges after you have failed to comply with your child support agreement for 60 days or longer. The CSEA also decides when your suspension can be lifted. The MVA is obligated to follow the instructions of the CSEA.

What should I do if I receive a suspension notice from the MVA?

You should immediately contact your child support agency, not the MVA, and arrange to pay your child support. If you do not take any action by the suspension date printed on your notice, your driving privileges will be suspended.

What happens if I am not able to pay the full amount of the child support that I owe?

Even if you can’t pay the full amount, the CSEA may still permit you to retain some driving privileges.

Before we describe how your response affects your driving privileges, however, you should note that we will be using two, possibly unfamiliar terms to help explain the MVA’s actions.

• Full compliance – This term means that the CSEA has electronically notified the MVA that your driver’s license suspension should be lifted, or not suspended if it is still pending. Typically the CSEA sends this notification after it has determined that you have complied with your child support obligation to-date, including the payment of any arrearages. The notification is usually received by the MVA the day after you comply.
• Partial compliance – This term means that the CSEA has given you a Work-Restricted Driver’s License authorization letter, which you can take to any full service MVA branch office and obtain a new, restricted driver’s license. The letter is usually issued when you have agreed to a payment plan that will lead you to full compliance; typically, the full arrearage amount owed has not yet been paid. The work-restricted driver’s license issued to you will only permit you to drive for work purposes, during work hours, and to get to and from work. Note that the CSEA does not notify the MVA when it issues the letter.

If you come into “full compliance” (meaning that you fulfilled your child support obligation to-date and that the CSEA notified the MVA) before your suspension date, you will not be suspended. The MVA also will take actions to delete any record that shows that you received a notice of suspension.

If you come into “partial compliance” and also obtain a new work-restricted driver’s license before your suspension date, again you will not be suspended. However, a record showing that you received the suspension notice will be retained on your driver record. When you receive the work-restricted license, it should have an H in the “Restriction” field and the words “Employment Purposes Only-CSE” printed at the bottom, in red.

What should I do once I am suspended?

If your driver’s license is suspended, you must immediately return your most recently issued license to the MVA. You may return it by mail or in person either to any MVA branch office. If you deliver your license in person, you should receive a signed Receipt for License/Identification form. If you are no longer in possession of the driver’s license, you must submit a written explanation or visit any MVA full-service branch office and complete a Certified Statement form indicating why you no longer have the license.

If you want to have your suspension lifted, you must contact your child support agency, not the MVA, and arrange to pay your child support.

• When you come into full compliance, the CSEA will notify the MVA to lift your suspension. This usually takes a few days, after which you may apply for a new, unrestricted driver’s license.
• When you come into partial compliance, your driver’s license suspension will be lifted when you take your Work-Restricted Driver’s License Authorization letter to the MVA and obtain a work-restricted driver’s license. Be sure that your new license has an H in the Restriction field and the words “Employment Purposes Only-CSE” printed at the bottom, in red. 
  

What if I have been mistakenly identified as owing child support? Can I appeal the suspension?

You may request a hearing before the Maryland State Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), through the MVA’s Administrative Adjudication Division (AAD), but only if you have been mistakenly identified as owing child support. A hearing will not be granted simply because you disagree with the terms of the court order. Information about how to request a hearing is written on the back of your suspension notice.

If you wish to request a hearing, based on mistaken identity ONLY, be sure that you submit the request to the Administrative Adjudication Division (AAD) before the suspension date. Otherwise, your driving privileges will be suspended. If you request a hearing, you do not need to turn in your driver’s license, pending the outcome of the hearing.

Fees:

• There is no fee involved in the hearing process.
• There is a fee for obtaining either a corrected driver's license for work-restriction or an unrestricted license.

MVA
Administrative Adjudication Division
6601 Ritchie Highway,NE
Glen Burnie, MD 21062

For telephone questions:

Child Support Enforcement Administration
Phone- 1-800-332-6347

MVA Customer Service Center:	1-800-950-1MVA(1682)
TTY/Hearing Impaired:	1-800-492-4575
Out-of-State:	1-301-729-4550