AUGUSTA, MAINE -- Secretary of State Matt Dunlap reminded motorists today that the cost of restoring a suspended license or registration in Maine will go up significantly on July 1st following action taken by the Maine Legislature.  This increase applies to all restorations on or after July 1st.

Chapter 213 of the Laws of Maine, 2009 includes a provision to raise from $35 to $50 the fee to reinstate a suspended driver's license or vehicle registration. "While this was done in the state budget, it would be wrong to assume this is purely a revenue generator," Dunlap said. "The Legislature has grappled with these policy issues for a long time, and felt it was appropriate to send a strong message about the responsibility of drivers to behave safely in order to keep their driving privileges intact." Dunlap noted that all policies that affect state revenues must be accounted for in the final state budget.

"Despite all the work that has been done to toughen our laws and increase penalties, these dangerous activities persist at unacceptable levels," Dunlap said. "By increasing the cost of reinstating a suspended license or registration, no one should expect light treatment if they choose to engage in dangerous or illegal behavior."