Operation Green Light is underway the following days across Southwest Florida:
CHARLOTTE: 3/31-4/4
COLLIER: 4/2-4/3
DESOTO: 3/29 & 3/31-4/4
GLADES: 4/7
HARDEE: 3/31 - 4/4
HIGHLANDS : 4/3- 4/4 & 4/7
HENDRY: 3/31-4/4
LEE: 4/2 - 4/4 & 4/7-4/11
OKEECHOBEE: 3/31-4/1
SARASOTA: 4/3-4/4
Suspended license or over-due traffic ticket got you down? You may be able to catch a break.
This time each year, counties across the state participate in what's called Operation Green Light. Think of it as an amnesty of sorts where minor scofflaws can forgo the pricey 25% surcharges on overdue fines that have been sent to collection agencies.
And that's not all, during Operation Green Light clerk of courts and comptroller's offices allow for special payment options if fines and costs are too steep.
Paying off debts to the clerk's office can mean restoring a driver's license.
Counties set aside anywhere from a single day to multiple days — such as the eight days offered in Lee County — for folks caught up in the legal quagmire to sort it out.
"I just want to encourage anyone who who has a suspended license, overdue traffic ticket or court case in collections to come to our office and take advantage of Operation Green Light," said Kevin Karnes, the clerk of courts and comptroller for Lee County.
Karnes called Operation Green Light the perfect opportunity to for citizens to save money and get back behind the wheel (lawfully ).
Since 2020, Karnes said, Operation Green Light has saved millions of dollars in collection fees and thousands of people became eligible to get their licenses back.
Last year's event in Lee County alone netted the following results:
* 117 licenses reinstated
* 1,495 cases were paid in full
* $126,997 in collections were waived
* 1,001 customers were helped.
If any of this applies to you, be sure and check with your county clerk of court and comptrollers office for specifics details such as if matters must be taken care of in-person of if they can be done on line.