Question: If I lose my license in North Carolina, can this affect my license in other states. Can I simply go and get a license in another state. Or, if I have a license in another state and get a North Carolina ticket, must I worry about the North Carolina ticket?

Answer: Maybe. It depends on whether the state has joined the Non-Resident Violator Compact. North Carolina and most other states and parts of Canada have joined this pact. A license suspension or serious ticket in any member state is the same as a ticket or loss of license in ALL 44 member states. Nonmembers are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington, and Wisconsin. If your license is suspended in North Carolina, you cannot obtain a license in any of the member states until your North Carolina license is restored. If you fail to pay a ticket in North Carolina, your driver’s license in North Carolina will be suspended. It is unlikely that you will be able obtain or renew your license in your home state until you have resolved the ticket in North Carolina and had your driving privileges restored here. Most states also exchange information under the National Driver License Compact for serious violations such as DWI’s and suspended license due to unpaid tickets in North Carolina. This means that these violations will be charged against your license in your home state. In some states, even less serious out-of-state traffic violations are charged against your license.