Being centrally located in the United States means thousands of travelers passes through Oklahoma every year. Inevitably, some of those drivers will get tickets for speeding or some other driving infraction. Whenever we get a call from an out-of-state resident with a ticket or other criminal charge, one of the first questions we get is, "Will my state find out about this?"
The answer, as it is so often, is: it depends. Under Oklahoma state law, the Department of Public Safety is authorized, upon receiving a record of the conviction in an Oklahoma court of a nonresident driver of a motor vehicle of any offense under the motor vehicle laws of Oklahoma, to forward a certified copy of such record to the motor vehicle administrator in the state wherein the person so convicted is a resident. Frequently, particularly with regard to traffic offenses, deferred sentencing and similar agreements can be reached to avoid a conviction thereby avoiding reporting of the offense and consequences in the home state.
There is another implication to this reporting requirement to keep in mind. Some wayward drivers might have an inkling to "forget about" a ticket received in some tiny Oklahoma town while passing through. That is not advised! Failure to appear and make arrangements on a moving citation will be reported to the Department of Public Safety and lead to a suspension of driving privileges until fines are paid. Such a suspension will also lead to additional reinstatement fees. For out-of-state drivers, the failure to appear or failure to pay will be reported to their home state as well as noted above.
If you've received a ticket for speeding, defective equipment or any other driving infraction in an Oklahoma District Court or Municipal Court, we welcome your call to discuss your case and your options.