New York State DMV Driver Responsibility Assessment Fee

What Is the DMV Driver Responsibility Assessment?

It is a fee assessed by the New York State DMV that is paid over a three-year period. This fee is most commonly triggered by an accrual of 6 or more within 18 months to a person’s driving record. The fee is meant to punish or penalize “bad drivers” so that their bad driving behavior does not become a habit.

The driver assessment fee should not be confused with fines and penalties associated with a ticket itself. The assessment fee must be paid in addition to traffic ticket fines and penalties.

Who Must Pay the Fee?

As of November 18, 2004, accrual of points is not the only way to earn this penalty. The DMV assessment fee can be awarded to drivers who

• are convicted of a traffic-related alcohol or drug offense;
• refuse to take a chemical blood test for alcohol; or
• accrue 6 or more points within 18 months.

New York State does not discriminate. This fee is assessed to NYS and out of state drivers.

Assessment Fee Details

The Driver Responsibility Assessment fee is charged over a three-year period and the cost of the fee depends on the reason why you have to pay it.

• The annual assessment fee for traffic-related alcohol or drug offenses and refusals is $250, for a total of $750.
• The annual assessment fee for 6 points is $100, for a total of $300.
• The annual assessment fee for more than 6 points is $100 plus an extra $25 for each additional point over six, for a total of an annual cost of $75 for each additional point above 6. (e.g. 7 points is ($100 + $25) x 3 years = $375; 8 points is ($100 + $50) x 3 years = $450, 8 points is ($100 + $75) x 3 years = $525, etc)

The DMV can and will suspend your driving privileges if you do not pay the fee. Also keep in mind that amount you owe will increase if you accrue more points after the DMV mails you an assessment fee statement. The math speaks for itself how points or violations can quickly cost a pretty penny.

Assessment Fee Statement Definitions

• annual statement date: date your fee statement was issued
• assessment date: date the violation is entered on your record (the date of the original assessment)
• conviction date: date a court or DMV TVB hearing court found you guilty of the violation
• payment date: final date that you can pay the assessment fee to avoid a suspension of your driving privilege
• violation date: date that you received the ticket

NYS DMV Driver Assessment Fee Myth

True or False:

The DMV Assessment fee will go away if you take a NYS Point and Insurance Reduction Program (safe driving course) that credits 4 points to your driving record.

FALSE! The NYS safe driving course is useful to mitigate points for suspension purposes, but it will NOT avoid a DMV assessment fee.

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