The Beltz Law Firm

214-321-4105

http://dallas-occupational-license-lawyer.com/

Dallas Municipal Court

Despite years of helping clients with obtaining their occupational licenses across the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex, we occasionally run across those individuals who have been caught violating the terms of the occupational license order. A recent client was arrested because he was caught operating a motor vehicle without carrying a certified copy of his occupational drivers license order.

The charge he now faces: Failure to Carry an Occupational License Order.

The classification of the crime: Class B Misdemeanor.

The range of punishment: Up to 6 months in jail, a fine up to $2,000.00, or any combination of the two.

Yep, you guessed it! A violation of the occupational drivers license is a serious offense and carries the possibility of jail time as a punishment.

This “crime” is classified the same as many drug and alcohol related crimes.  As well as some weapons crimes, prostitution crimes, some assault crimes, and theft crimes. The law makers in Texas decided a violation of an occupational order warranted a severe punishment. That can be debated and probably should because failing to carry a copy of the order sure does not seem as harsh as possessing drugs, stealing, or driving while intoxicated.

The pertinent statutes read as follows:

Sec. 521.250.  COURT ORDER IN OPERATOR'S POSSESSION.  A person who is issued an occupational 

license shall have in the person's possession a certified copy of the court order granting the 

license while operating a motor vehicle. The person shall allow a peace officer to examine the 

order on request.

and:

Sec. 521.253.  CRIMINAL PENALTY.  (a)  A person who holds an occupational license commits an 

offense if the person:

(1)  operates a motor vehicle in violation of a restriction imposed on the license;  or

(2)  fails to have in the person's possession a certified copy of the court order as required 

under Section 521.250.

(b)  An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.

(c)  On conviction of an offense under this section, the occupational license and the order 

granting that license are revoked.

Dallas Traffic Attorney

And of course, the last section of the Section 521.253 explicitly states that a conviction for an offense here

will revoke the occupational license and the order granting the license. Harsh!

The moral of the story is to keep a certified copy of the occupational license order and follow it to explicitly

or face the possibility of jail time and thousands in fines and the loss of your occupational license. If this ever

happens to you, please do not hesitate to contact our office. Our initial phone consultation is free and your

case is important to us. So call today if you are facing such a case. 214-321-4105