Okla. Stat. tit. 47, § 47-790

This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 47, § 47-790, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 47, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 47,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

Nonresident Violator Compact

Official statutory text

The Nonresident Violator Compact, hereinafter called "the

compact", is hereby enacted into law and entered into with all other

jurisdictions legally joining therein in the form substantially as

follows:

ARTICLE I. FINDINGS, DECLARATION OF POLICY AND PURPOSE

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 47. Motor Vehicles Page 979

A. The party jurisdictions find that:

1. In most instances, a motorist who is cited for a traffic

violation in a jurisdiction other than his home jurisdiction:

a. must post collateral or bond to secure

appearance for trial at a later date; or

b. if unable to post collateral or bond, is taken

into custody until the collateral or bond is posted; or

c. is taken directly to court for his trial to be

held.

2. In some instances, the motorist's driver's license may be

deposited as collateral to be returned after he has complied with

the terms of the citation.

3. The purpose of the practices described in paragraphs 1 and

2 is to ensure compliance with the terms of a traffic citation by

the motorist who, if permitted to continue on his way after

receiving the traffic citation, could return to his home

jurisdiction and disregard his duty under the terms of the traffic

citation.

4. A motorist receiving a traffic citation in his home

jurisdiction is permitted, except for certain violations, to accept

the citation from the officer at the scene of the violation and to

immediately continue on his way after promising or being instructed

to comply with the terms of the citation.

5. The practice described in paragraph 1 causes unnecessary

inconvenience and, at times, a hardship for the motorist who is

unable at the time to post collateral, furnish a bond, stand trial,

or pay the fine, and thus is compelled to remain in custody until

some arrangement can be made.

6. The deposit of a driver's license as a bail bond, as

described in paragraph 2, is viewed with disfavor.

7. The practices described herein consume an undue amount of

law enforcement time.

B. It is the policy of the party jurisdictions to:

1. Seek compliance with the laws, ordinances, and

administrative rules and regulations relating to the operation of

motor vehicles in each of the jurisdictions.

2. Allow motorists to accept a traffic citation for certain

violations and proceed on their way without delay whether or not the

motorist is a resident of the jurisdiction in which the citation was

issued.

3. Extend cooperation to its fullest extent among the

jurisdictions for obtaining compliance with the terms of a traffic

citation issued in one jurisdiction to a resident of another

jurisdiction.

4. Maximize effective utilization of law enforcement personnel

and assist court systems in the efficient disposition of traffic

violations.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 47. Motor Vehicles Page 980

C. The purpose of this compact is to:

1. Provide a means through which the party jurisdictions may

participate in a reciprocal program to effectuate the policies

enumerated, in paragraph B, in a uniform and orderly manner.

2. Provide for the fair and impartial treatment of traffic

violators operating within party jurisdictions in recognition of the

motorist's right of due process and the sovereign status of a party

jurisdiction.

ARTICLE II. DEFINITIONS

A. In the Nonresident Violator Compact, the following words

have the meaning indicated, unless the context requires otherwise.

B. 1. "Citation" means any summons, ticket, or other official

document issued by a police officer for a traffic violation

containing an order which requires the motorist to respond.

2. "Collateral" means any cash or other security deposited to

secure an appearance for trial, following the issuance by a police

officer of a citation for a traffic violation.

3. "Court" means a court of law or traffic tribunal.

4. "Driver's license" means any license or privilege to

operate a motor vehicle issued under the laws of the home

jurisdiction.
ch requires the motorist to respond.

2. "Collateral" means any cash or other security deposited to

secure an appearance for trial, following the issuance by a police

officer of a citation for a traffic violation.

3. "Court" means a court of law or traffic tribunal.

4. "Driver's license" means any license or privilege to

operate a motor vehicle issued under the laws of the home

jurisdiction.

5. "Home jurisdiction" means the jurisdiction that issued the

driver's license of the traffic violator.

6. "Issuing jurisdiction" means the jurisdiction in which the

traffic citation was issued to the motorist.

7. "Jurisdiction" means a state, territory or possession of

the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of

Puerto Rico.

8. "Motorist" means a driver of a motor vehicle operating in a

party jurisdiction other than the home jurisdiction.

9. "Personal recognizance" means an agreement by a motorist

made at the time of issuance of the traffic citation that he will

comply with the terms of that traffic citation.

10. "Police officer" means any individual authorized by the

party jurisdiction to issue a citation for a traffic violation.

11. "Terms of the citation" means those options expressly

stated upon the citation.

ARTICLE III. PROCEDURE FOR ISSUING JURISDICTION

A. When issuing a citation for a traffic violation, a police

officer shall issue the citation to a motorist who possesses a

driver's license issued by a party jurisdiction and shall not,

subject to the exceptions noted in paragraph B of this article,

require the motorist to post collateral to secure appearance, if the

officer receives the motorist's personal recognizance that he or she

will comply with the terms of the citation.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 47. Motor Vehicles Page 981

B. Personal recognizance is acceptable only if not prohibited

by law. If mandatory appearance is required, it must take place

immediately following issuance of the citation.

C. Upon failure of a motorist to comply with the terms of a

traffic citation, the appropriate official shall report the failure

to comply to the licensing authority of the jurisdiction in which

the traffic citation was issued. The report shall be made in

accordance with procedures specified by the issuing jurisdiction and

shall contain information as specified in the Compact Manual as

minimum requirements for effective processing by the home

jurisdiction.

D. Upon receipt of the report, the licensing authority of the

issuing jurisdiction shall transmit to the licensing authority in

the home jurisdiction of the motorist the information in a form and

content as contained in the Compact Manual.

E. The licensing authority of the issuing jurisdiction may not

suspend the privilege of a motorist for whom a report has been

transmitted.

F. The licensing authority of the issuing jurisdiction shall

not transmit a report on any violation if the date of transmission

is more than six months after the date on which the traffic citation

was issued.

G. The licensing authority of the issuing jurisdiction shall

not transmit a report on any violation where the date of issuance of

the citation predates the most recent of the effective dates of

entry for the two jurisdictions affected.

ARTICLE IV. PROCEDURE FOR HOME JURISDICTION

A. Upon receipt of a report of a failure to comply from the

licensing authority of the issuing jurisdiction, the licensing

authority of the home jurisdiction shall notify the motorist and

initiate a suspension action, in accordance with the home

jurisdiction's procedures, to suspend the motorist's driver's

license until satisfactory evidence of compliance with the terms of

the traffic citation has been furnished to the home jurisdiction

licensing authority.

B. The licensing authority of the home jurisdiction shall

maintain a record of actions taken and make reports to issuing

jurisdictions as provided in the Compact Manual.
he home

jurisdiction's procedures, to suspend the motorist's driver's

license until satisfactory evidence of compliance with the terms of

the traffic citation has been furnished to the home jurisdiction

licensing authority.

B. The licensing authority of the home jurisdiction shall

maintain a record of actions taken and make reports to issuing

jurisdictions as provided in the Compact Manual.

ARTICLE V. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAWS

Except as expressly required by provisions of this compact,

nothing contained herein shall be construed to affect the right of

any party jurisdiction to apply any of its other laws relating to

licenses to drive to any person or circumstance, or to invalidate or

prevent any driver license agreement or other cooperative

arrangement between a party jurisdiction and a nonparty

jurisdiction.

ARTICLE VI. COMPACT ADMINISTRATOR PROCEDURES

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 47. Motor Vehicles Page 982

A. For the purpose of administering the provisions of this

compact and to serve as a governing body for the resolution of all

matters relating to the operation of this compact, a Board of

Compact Administrators is established. The board shall be composed

of one representative from each party jurisdiction to be known as

the compact administrator. The compact administrator shall be

appointed by the jurisdiction executive and will serve and be

subject to removal in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction

he represents. A compact administrator may provide for the

discharge of his duties and the performance of his functions as a

board member by an alternate. An alternate may not be entitled to

serve unless written notification of his identity has been given to

the board.

B. Each member of the Board of Compact Administrators shall be

entitled to one vote. No action of the board shall be binding

unless taken at a meeting at which a majority of the total number of

votes on the board are cast in favor. Action by the board shall be

only at a meeting at which a majority of the party jurisdictions are

represented.

C. The board shall elect annually, from its membership, a

chairman and a vice-chairman.

D. The board shall adopt bylaws, not inconsistent with the

provisions of this compact or the laws of a party jurisdiction, for

the conduct of its business and shall have the power to amend and

rescind its bylaws.

E. The board may accept for any of its purposes and functions

under this compact any and all donations, and grants of money,

equipment, supplies, materials and services, conditional or

otherwise, from any jurisdiction, the United States, or any other

governmental agency, and may receive, utilize and dispose of the

same.

F. The board may contract with, or accept services or

personnel from, any governmental or intergovernmental agency,

person, firm or corporation, or any private nonprofit organization

or institution.

G. The board shall formulate all necessary procedures and

develop uniform forms and documents for administering the provisions

of this compact. All procedures and forms adopted pursuant to board

action shall be contained in the Compact Manual.

ARTICLE VII. ENTRY INTO COMPACT AND WITHDRAWAL

A. This compact shall become effective when it has been

adopted by at least two jurisdictions.

B. 1. Entry into the compact shall be made by a Resolution of

Ratification executed by the authorized officials of the applying

jurisdiction and submitted to the chairman of the board.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 47. Motor Vehicles Page 983

2. The resolution shall be in a form and content as provided

in the Compact Manual and shall include statements that in substance

are as follows:

a. a citation of the authority by which the

jurisdiction is empowered to become a party to this compact.

b. agreement to comply with the terms and

provisions of the compact.

c. that compact entry is with all jurisdictions

then party to the compact and with any jurisdiction that legally
content as provided

in the Compact Manual and shall include statements that in substance

are as follows:

a. a citation of the authority by which the

jurisdiction is empowered to become a party to this compact.

b. agreement to comply with the terms and

provisions of the compact.

c. that compact entry is with all jurisdictions

then party to the compact and with any jurisdiction that legally

becomes a party to the compact.

3. The effective date of entry shall be specified by the

applying jurisdiction, but it shall not be less than sixty (60) days

after notice has been given, by the chairman of the Board of Compact

Administrators or by the secretariat of the board to each party

jurisdiction that the resolution from the applying jurisdiction has

been received.

C. A party jurisdiction may withdraw from this compact by

official written notice to the other party jurisdictions, but a

withdrawal shall not take effect until ninety (90) days after notice

of withdrawal is given. The notice shall be directed to the compact

administrator of each member jurisdiction. No withdrawal shall

affect the validity of this compact as to the remaining party

jurisdictions.

ARTICLE VIII. EXCEPTIONS

The provisions of this compact shall not apply to parking or

standing violations, highway weight limit violations, and violations

of law governing the transportation of hazardous materials.

ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPACT

A. This compact may be amended from time to time. Amendments

shall be presented in resolution form to the chairman of the Board

of Compact Administrators and may be initiated by one or more party

jurisdictions.

B. Adoption of an amendment shall require endorsement of all

party jurisdictions and shall become effective thirty (30) days

after the date of the last endorsement.

C. Failure of a party jurisdiction to respond to the compact

chairman within one hundred twenty (120) days after receipt of the

proposed amendment shall constitute endorsement.

ARTICLE X. CONSTRUCTION AND SEVERABILITY

This compact shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate

the purposes stated herein. The provisions of this compact shall be

severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence or provision of this

compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any party

jurisdiction or of the United States or the applicability thereof to

any government, agency, person or circumstance the compact shall not

be affected thereby. If this compact shall be held contrary to the

constitution of any jurisdiction party thereto, the compact shall

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 47. Motor Vehicles Page 984

remain in full force and effect as to the remaining jurisdictions

and in full force and effect as to the jurisdiction affected as to

all severable matters.

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

Need a lawyer in Oklahoma?

Find a Oklahoma lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.