What Happens If You Get into an Accident and Don’t Have Your Driver’s License on You?

When you get pulled over and do not have your driver’s license on you, you will typically receive a ticket that you can fix if you produce your license within a certain time period. The consequences for having an accident without carrying your license are much the same. In an accident, however, you are more likely to receive a citation for failing to have your driver’s license on you. Depending on the law enforcement officer and the jurisdiction, you might have the option to produce the requisite documentation by a specified date to avoid a ticket.

Some law enforcement officers may allow the drivers involved in the accident to produce their driver’s license numbers instead. The officer can then look up the driver’s information to see if his/her license is valid. Of course, for this option to be possible, you must have your driver’s license number memorized, which few do.

Regardless of whether you get the ticket dismissed once you produce a valid driver’s license, you will likely still face fines. You may have to pay the cost of the citation and any administrative fees you might incur in having it dismissed. Keep in mind that the citation you receive for not carrying your driver’s license will be in addition to whatever tickets you might receive for your involvement in the car accident.