You're a Georgia resident who has just been charged with DUI in another state. You're holding your breath. Will the charging state notify Georgia authorities? What effect, if any, will this have on your driving privileges back home? Will your insurance rates go up? Will you insurer even receive notification of the charge?
It all gets a little murky when it comes to out-of state driving charges, and that applies to everything from driving under the influence to speeding.
This much is certain. The great majority of states - 45 in all - subscribe to an interstate reciprocal agreement called the Driver License Compact ("DLC"). Every signatory to the DLC agrees to report any traffic conviction within its borders to the home state of the driver. Moreover, a license suspended in any signatory state is highly likely to receive the same fate in the domicile of the motorist.
Which brings us to Georgia, which, interestingly, is among a distinct minority - a mere handful - of only five states in the country that are not DLC members (along with Massachusetts, Michigan, Tennessee and Wisconsin).
Does that make any material difference to a Georgia resident ticketed elsewhere? The quick answer: Probably not. Authorities in states where a conviction resulted generally notify all other states, including non-signatories to the DLC. Additionally, the Georgia DMV states that it will in most cases act reciprocally, i.e., notify another state of a driver's conviction inside Georgia.
The bottom line: If you are charged with something fairly serious anywhere outside your state of residency, it is likely that the news will filter back, both to the DMV and to your insurer.
Related Resource: www.foxbusiness.com "Out-of-State Speeding Tickets Follow You Home" March 15, 2011
