It may be that you forgot your license at home, had an emergency and had to get somewhere despite not having a license or that you simply wanted to travel even though your license had been taken away, but if you’ve been accused of driving without a license, your reputation is already on the line.
Driving without a license is a bad idea not only for those who never took driver’s education courses but also for those who have lost their licenses for reckless or dangerous behavior. It’s illegal to drive without a license in every state, and driving while it’s suspended or invalid can get you in serious trouble with the law.
Driving without a valid license can lead to various penalties from tickets that are issued with fines because you didn’t update a license on time to having your vehicle impounded for driving after you lost your license for driving drunk. In some cases, you can even be put in jail for violating the law.
There are a few kinds of driver licensing violations to be aware of. The first is failing to apply for a license within an allotted time. The second is driving with a license that’s suspended temporarily. Driving with an expired license or one that has been permanently revoked is against the law as well. If you fail to show proof of a license when you’re operating a vehicle, you can also be penalized for that, although you will generally be able to present the license to the police within a short time frame. You may also have to appear in court to prove that you’ve fixed any correctable offense, like updating a license that has expired.
Source: FindLaw, “Driving Without a License,” accessed Sep. 07, 2016