Question: What happens if a Canadian driver gets a New York traffic ticket?
A Canadian driver who gets a New York traffic ticket must answer the ticket, and a conviction may affect the driver’s New York privileges and may also matter in Canada depending on the province.
Canadian drivers should not ignore a New York traffic ticket. New York and Canada have special reporting and reciprocal issues that can make the consequences more complicated than for some other out-of-state drivers.
Key Things to Know:
NY DMV states that New York has a reciprocal agreement with Canada and that traffic convictions in certain Canadian provinces can be recorded on a New York driver record. For Canadian drivers ticketed in New York, DMV advises contacting the home province about the effect of a New York conviction. New York may also suspend New York driving privileges if the ticket is ignored.
A Canadian driver should answer the New York ticket properly and check how the conviction may affect the driver’s provincial record or insurance.