When stopping a driver for a moving violation who does not have their license, what is the appropriate charge?

• A. Infraction: $150 first offense
• B. Misdemeanor
• C. Civil penalty only
• D. Traffic ticket with warning

Answer: (A)

When you stop a driver for a moving violation who doesn’t have a license, it’s treated as a non-criminal infraction with a set monetary penalty. The focus is on the licensing violation as a civil/ticketable offense, not a criminal act, so the appropriate charge is an infraction with a fixed fine for a first offense. The $150 amount reflects the standard penalty for a first offense in this situation.

A misdemeanor would imply criminal charges with potential jail time, which isn’t consistent with how this licensing issue is handled. A civil penalty only would not involve the typical ticketing process for a moving violation. A warning wouldn’t address the licensing violation at all. So the infraction with a $150 first-offense fine is the correct approach.