CDL tickets: your license is your livelihood.
Higher point scales, doubled fines, 30-day employer notification, and disqualification rules. A routine ticket is never routine when you hold a CDL. Free consultation before you decide anything.
Does a traffic ticket threaten my CDL? Yes, more than it would a regular license. My office knows that your livelihood rests on keeping your Commercial Driver’s License. If you have a CDL and are convicted of a traffic offense, you will be assessed driver license points on a higher scale than drivers without a CDL, and the court may also double the fine. It may be possible to have your charged offense negotiated down to an Improper Equipment, resulting in no driver license or insurance points. Call before you pay anything.
How CDL holders lose their license.
You will lose your CDL for at least one year for a first offense if you drive a commercial motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, leave the scene of an accident involving a CMV you were driving, or use a CMV to commit a felony. If the offense occurs in a CMV placarded for hazardous materials, the loss is at least three years. A second offense (or using a CMV in a felony involving controlled substances) means losing your CDL for life.
- Serious traffic violations Two within three years in a CMV: at least a 60-day loss. Three within three years: at least 120 days. “Serious” includes excessive speeding (15+ mph over), reckless driving, improper or erratic lane changes, and following too closely.
- The .04 BAC rule Operating a CMV at .04% BAC or more costs your CDL for one year (life on a second offense); any detectable amount puts you out of service for 24 hours.
- Employer notification You must notify your employer within 30 days of conviction for any traffic violation except parking, no matter what vehicle you were driving.
- Interstate reporting All states share CDL conviction data through one computerized system. An out-of-state conviction follows you home.
We will help you in trying to keep “serious traffic offenses” off your driving record. Additional detail on CMV suspensions and revocations is in Chapter 1 of the NC Commercial Driver’s Handbook.
Fight for the reduction that saves the job.
The goal in a CDL case is keeping serious violations and points off your record entirely, usually through a negotiated reduction such as Improper Equipment (no driver license or insurance points), a dismissal where the facts support it, or the least damaging alternative available. Note that a plea reduction to Improper Equipment in Gaston County is limited to once every three years, and speeds more than 25 mph over the limit are not eligible. Timing and strategy matter. I’ll go over your driving record, the facts of the stop, and every available option before you decide anything.
“I highly recommend Martin Taylor for your next traffic ticket. He returns calls quickly and handled my case expeditiously! Even moreso, he went above and beyond what other traffic lawyers said they could do.”Ben S., Google review
CDL ticket FAQs.
Do I have to tell my employer about a ticket?
If you are convicted, yes. You must notify your employer within 30 days of conviction for any moving traffic violation, no matter what type of vehicle you were driving. That is one more reason to fight for a dismissal or a non-moving resolution before conviction ever happens.
I got the ticket in my personal car. Does it still count against my CDL?
Yes. You must report convictions for moving violations received while driving commercial vehicles and private vehicles alike, and all states share CDL conviction information through a single computerized system.
Is DWLR treated differently for CDL holders?
Yes. Driving While License Revoked is normally a non-moving violation in its Class 3 form, but it counts as a moving violation if the driver holds a CDL or was driving a commercial vehicle at the time. More on DWLR →
Can I handle a Gaston County CDL ticket without coming to court?
In most cases, yes. With a signed Waiver of Personal Appearance I can appear on your behalf, which matters when you’re on the road for a living. Severe charges (like 90+ speeding) may require appearance.
One conviction can cost the job. Call before it becomes one.
704-675-9939Free consultation · flat-rate quote up front · calls returned the same business day.