Sec. 321a.

(1) A person who fails to answer a citation, or a notice to appear in court for a violation reportable to the secretary of state under section 732 or a local ordinance substantially corresponding to a violation of a law of this state reportable to the secretary of state under section 732, or for any matter pending, or who fails to comply with an order or judgment of the court, including, but not limited to, paying all fines, costs, fees, and assessments, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both. A violation of this subsection or failure to answer a citation or notice to appear for a violation of section 33b(1) of former 1933 (Ex Sess) PA 8, section 703(1) of the Michigan liquor control code of 1998, 1998 PA 58, MCL 436.1703, or a local ordinance substantially corresponding to either of those sections must not be considered a violation for any purpose under section 320a.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), 28 days or more after a person fails to answer a citation, or a notice to appear in court for a violation reportable to the secretary of state under section 732 or a local ordinance substantially corresponding to a violation of a law of this state reportable to the secretary of state under section 732, including for a violation of section 703(1)(a) of the Michigan liquor control code of 1998, 1998 PA 58, MCL 436.1703, or for any matter pending, or fails to comply with an order or judgment of the court, including, but not limited to, paying all fines, costs, fees, and assessments, the court shall give notice by mail at the last known address of the person that if the person fails to appear or fails to comply with the order or judgment within 14 days after the notice is issued, the secretary of state shall suspend the person's operator's or chauffeur's license. If the person fails to appear or fails to comply with the order or judgment within the 14-day period, the court shall, within 14 days, inform the secretary of state, who shall immediately suspend the license of the person. The secretary of state shall immediately notify the person of the suspension by regular mail at the person's last known address.

(3) If the person is charged with, or convicted of, a violation of section 625 or a local ordinance substantially corresponding to section 625(1), (2), (3), (6), or (8) and the person fails to answer a citation or a notice to appear in court, or for any matter pending, or fails to comply with an order or judgment of the court, including, but not limited to, paying all fines, costs, and crime victim rights assessments, the court shall immediately give notice by first-class mail sent to the person's last known address that if the person fails to appear within 7 days after the notice is issued, or fails to comply with the order or judgment of the court, including, but not limited to, paying all fines, costs, and crime victim rights assessments, within 14 days after the notice is issued, the secretary of state shall suspend the person's operator's or chauffeur's license. If the person fails to appear within the 7-day period, or fails to comply with the order or judgment of the court, including, but not limited to, paying all fines, costs, and crime victim rights assessments, within the 14-day period, the court shall immediately inform the secretary of state who shall immediately suspend the person's operator's or chauffeur's license and notify the person of the suspension by first-class mail sent to the person's last known address.

(4) If the person is charged with, or convicted of, a violation of section 33b(1) of former 1933 (Ex Sess) PA 8, section 703(1)(b) or (c) of the Michigan liquor control code of 1998, 1998 PA 58, MCL 436.1703, section 624a, section 624b, or a local ordinance substantially corresponding to those sections and the person fails to answer a citation or a notice to appear in court issued under section 33b of former 1933 (Ex Sess) PA 8, section 703 of the Michigan liquor control code of 1998, 1998 PA 58, MCL 436.1703, section 624a, section 624b, or a local ordinance substantially corresponding to those sections or fails to comply with an order or judgment of the court issued under section 33b of former 1933 (Ex Sess) PA 8, section 703 of the Michigan liquor control code of 1998, 1998 PA 58, MCL 436.1703, section 624a, section 624b, or a local ordinance substantially corresponding to those sections including, but not limited to, paying all fines and costs, the court shall immediately give notice by first-class mail sent to the person's last known address that if the person fails to appear within 7 days after the notice is issued, or fails to comply with the order or judgment of the court, including, but not limited to, paying all fines and costs, within 14 days after the notice is issued, the secretary of state shall suspend the person's operator's or chauffeur's license. If the person fails to appear within the 7-day period, or fails to comply with the order or judgment of the court, including, but not limited to, paying all fines and costs, within the 14-day period, the court shall immediately inform the secretary of state who shall immediately suspend the person's operator's or chauffeur's license and notify the person of the suspension by first-class mail sent to the person's last known address.

(5) A suspension imposed under subsection (2) or (3) remains in effect until both of the following occur:

(a) The secretary of state is notified by each court in which the person failed to answer a citation or notice to appear or failed to pay a fine or cost that the person has answered that citation or notice to appear or paid that fine or cost.

(b) The person has paid to the court a $45.00 driver license clearance fee for each failure to answer a citation or failure to pay a fine or cost.

(6) The court shall not notify the secretary of state, and the secretary of state shall not suspend the person's license, if the person fails to appear in response to a citation issued for, or fails to comply with an order or judgment involving 1 or more of the following infractions:

(a) The parking or standing of a vehicle.

(b) A pedestrian, passenger, or bicycle violation, other than a violation of section 33b(1) or (2) of former 1933 (Ex Sess) PA 8, section 703(1) or (2) of the Michigan liquor control code of 1998, 1998 PA 58, MCL 436.1703, section 624a or 624b, or a local ordinance substantially corresponding to section 33b(1) or (2) of former 1933 (Ex Sess) PA 8, section 703(1) or (2) of the Michigan liquor control code of 1998, 1998 PA 58, MCL 436.1703, or section 624a or 624b.

(7) The court may notify a person who has done either of the following, that if the person does not appear within 10 days after the notice is issued, the court will inform the secretary of state of the person's failure to appear:

(a) Failed to answer 2 or more parking violation notices or citations for violating a provision of this act or an ordinance substantially corresponding to a provision of this act pertaining to parking for persons with disabilities.

(b) Failed to answer 3 or more parking violation notices or citations regarding illegal parking.

(8) The secretary of state, upon being informed of the failure of a person to appear or comply as provided in subsection (7), shall not issue a license to the person or renew a license for the person until both of the following occur:

(a) The court informs the secretary of state that the person has resolved all outstanding matters regarding the notices or citations.

(b) The person has paid to the court a $45.00 driver license clearance fee. If the court determines that the person is responsible for only 1 parking violation under subsection (7)(a) or fewer than 3 parking violations under subsection (7)(b), for which the person's license was not issued or renewed under this subsection, the court may waive payment of the fee.

(9) Not less than 28 days after a person fails to appear in response to a citation issued for, or fails to comply with an order or judgment involving, a state civil infraction described in chapter 88 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.8801 to 600.8835, the court shall give notice by ordinary mail, addressed to the person's last known address, that if the person fails to appear or fails to comply with the order or judgment described in this subsection within 14 days after the notice is issued, the court will give to the secretary of state notice of that failure. Upon receiving notice of that failure, the secretary of state shall not issue or renew an operator's or chauffeur's license for the person until both of the following occur:

(a) The court informs the secretary of state that the person has resolved all outstanding matters regarding each notice or citation.

(b) The person has paid to the court a $45.00 driver license clearance fee. If the court determines that the person is not responsible for any violation for which the person's license was not issued or renewed under this subsection, the court shall waive the fee.

(10) For the purposes of subsections (5)(a), (8)(a), and (9)(a), the court shall give to the person a copy of the information being transmitted to the secretary of state. Upon showing that copy, the person must not be arrested or issued a citation for driving on a suspended license, on an expired license, or without a license on the basis of any matter resolved under subsection (5)(a), (8)(a), or (9)(a), even if the information being sent to the secretary of state has not yet been received or recorded by the department.

(11) For each fee received under subsection (5)(b), (8)(b), or (9)(b), the court shall transmit the following amounts on a monthly basis:

(a) Fifteen dollars to the secretary of state. The funds received by the secretary of state under this subdivision must be deposited in the state general fund and shall be used to defray the expenses of the secretary of state in processing the suspension and reinstatement of driver licenses under this section.

(b) Fifteen dollars to 1 of the following, as applicable:

(i) If the matter is before the circuit court, to the treasurer of the county for deposit in the general fund.

(ii) If the matter is before the district court, to the treasurer of the district funding unit for that court, for deposit in the general fund. As used in this section, "district funding unit" means that term as defined in section 8104 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.8104.

(iii) If the matter is before a municipal court, to the treasurer of the city in which the municipal court is located, for deposit in the general fund.

(c) Fifteen dollars to the juror compensation reimbursement fund created in section 151d of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.151d.

(12) Section 819 does not apply to a reinstatement fee collected for an operator's or chauffeur's license that is not issued or renewed under section 8827 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.8827.

(13) The secretary of state shall immediately suspend the operator's and chauffeur's license of a person licensed to operate a commercial motor vehicle, or a person who operates a commercial motor vehicle without a license to operate that vehicle, if the person fails to answer an out-state citation, or a notice to appear in a court or an authorized administrative tribunal for a violation reportable to the secretary of state under section 732, or fails to comply with an order or judgment of an out-state court or an authorized administrative tribunal reportable to the secretary of state under section 732, or fails to appear or fails to comply with the out-state court or an authorized administrative tribunal order or judgment reportable to the secretary of state under section 732, including, but not limited to, paying all fines, costs, fees, and assessments. For a suspension imposed under this subsection, the secretary of state shall immediately notify the person of the suspension by regular mail at the person's last known address.

(14) A suspension imposed under subsection (13) remains in effect until the secretary of state is notified by the court or authorized administrative tribunal of the other state in which the person failed to answer a citation, or notice to appear, or failed to pay a fine or cost, that the person has answered that citation or notice to appear or has paid the fine or cost.

(15) The secretary of state shall not suspend the person's license under subsection (13) if the person fails to appear in response to a citation issued for, or fails to comply with an order or judgment involving, the parking or standing of a vehicle.

(16) The secretary of state, upon being informed of the failure of a person to appear or comply as provided in subsection (13), shall not issue a license to the person or renew a license for the person until the court or authorized administrative tribunal of the other state informs the secretary of state that the person has resolved all outstanding matters regarding the notices, orders, or citations.

History: Add. 1968, Act 332, Eff. Jan. 1, 1969 ;-- Am. 1978, Act 391, Eff. Jan. 15, 1979 ;-- Am. 1978, Act 510, Eff. Aug. 1, 1979 ;-- Am. 1980, Act 518, Eff. Mar. 31, 1981 ;-- Am. 1987, Act 232, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 1987 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 205, Eff. July 1, 1988 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 346, Eff. Oct. 1, 1989 ;-- Am. 1989, Act 89, Eff. Sept. 19, 1989 ;-- Am. 1991, Act 95, Eff. Jan. 1, 1992 ;-- Am. 1994, Act 211, Eff. Nov. 1, 1994 ;-- Am. 1995, Act 55, Eff. Jan. 1, 1996 ;-- Am. 1996, Act 493, Eff. Apr. 1, 1997 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 68, Imd. Eff. May 4, 1998 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 343, Eff. Oct. 1, 1999 ;-- Am. 1999, Act 73, Eff. Oct. 1, 1999 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 741, Eff. Jan. 1, 2003 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 62, Eff. May 3, 2004 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 362, Imd. Eff. Oct. 4, 2004 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 13, Eff. May 16, 2012 ;-- Am. 2017, Act 235, Eff. Jan. 1, 2018 ;-- Am. 2017, Act 236, Eff. Jan. 1, 2018 Compiler's Notes: Section 2 of Act 205 of 1988 provides: “This amendatory act shall take effect July 1, 1988 and apply to violations which occur on or after that date.”Section 2 of Act 346 of 1988 provides:“(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, this amendatory act shall take effect October 1, 1989.“(2) Sections 634, 710g, 722, 723, 724, 802, and 907 of this amendatory act shall take effect January 1, 1989. “(3) Sections 4B and 801 of this amendatory act shall take effect upon the date of enactment of this amendatory act.”Section 2 of Act 173 of 1989 provides:“(1) The amendments made to sections 8b, 57, 67a, 301, 303, 305, 306, 307, 309, 310, 312d, 312e, 312f, 312g, 312h, 314, 314b, 319a, 321a, 323, 728, 732, 743, and 907 of Act No. 300 of the Public Acts of 1949, being sections 257.8b, 257.57, 257.67a, 257.301, 257.303, 257.305, 257.306, 257.307, 257.309, 257.310, 257.312d, 257.312e, 257.312f, 257.312g, 257.312h, 257.314, 257.314b, 257.319a, 257.321a, 257.323, 257.728, 257.732, 257.743, and 257.907 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, by Act No. 346 of the Public Acts of 1988 shall take effect January 1, 1990.“(2) Enacting section 2 of Act No. 346 of the Public Acts of 1988 is repealed.”