The Scofflaw Program can prevent you from renewing vehicle registration for not paying fines or failing to appear in court. In order to renew your registration, you will have to resolve the fines that are leading to the Scofflaw hold.
- Contact the Texas DMV explaining:
- (1) that there is a hold on your registration,
- (2) that you believe the hold is under the Scofflaw Program,
- (3) that you need contact information for the county with jurisdiction that placed the hold on your registration.
- If you can pay the fine, visit that county’s Scofflaw webpage to pay the corresponding fine.
- The fine must be paid to the court who issued the hold; only resolving the underlying offense will clear the hold.
- If you are unable to pay your fine, you will need to contact the court that placed the hold on your registration and ask for a time to speak to the judge about alternative sentences.
- There are usually several courts within each county that may have placed the hold. If you are unsure which court to contact, contact the county that placed the hold with the information provided by the Texas DMV (see above).
- The rest of this toolkit provides information about alternatives that are available to you if you are unable to pay.
- After you have resolved the fines and costs owed, the judge will lift the hold.
- There is a $20 Scofflaw fee charged when the judge lifts the hold. Ask the judge to waive the $20 Scofflaw fee given your inability to pay the fines and costs in your case.