Because the Department realizes that the ability to drive is critical to achieving gainful employment in the Southern California and because gainful employment is critical to an obligor’s ability to pay his child support obligation; the Department has adopted a posture of negotiation aimed at setting the obligor parent up for success, not failure.
The practical application of this policy directs staff to issue a license release to the DMV or other licensing board if:
1. The Obligor can prove that he/she has a job offer that requires a license; or
2. The Obligor signs an agreement to remain current with their child support, pays the current month’s obligation, a nominal amount towards the delinquency and agrees to pay a fair amount monthly towards the arrearages. Application of this practice has all but eliminated the need for obligors to seek review by the Family Court as sustainable agreements are usually reached and the Department takes an active role in initiating motions to modify the support when appropriate.
It is important to note that once a settlement is negotiated the request for license release is submitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles by mail and it takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process the release. Once the release is issued and mailed to the obligor, it is the obligor’s responsibility to take the release to his local Department of Motor Vehicles Office, pay a fee and receive his license.
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