Virginia drivers may lose licenses

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Thousands of Northern Virginia drivers face losing their driver's licenses if they fail to respond to a warning letter by next month, state Department of Motor Vehicles officials said yesterday .

The roughly 2,800 drivers sent the letters were singled out because they received new licenses at the Tysons Corner branch from two employees sent to federal prison this month in connection with a $1 million scheme that involved illegally selling licenses.

"If [drivers] don't respond within the deadline, unfortunately, they are going to get their license canceled," said Anne Atkins, agency spokeswoman. "We want to make sure they are all legal."

The letters were mailed Dec. 15 to the 2,800 motorists who used out-of-state licenses to get new licenses from the two employees from Sept. 28, 1998, to July 1, 2003.

Federal prosecutors estimate that the employees helped 1,000 motorists illegally obtain licenses.

The clerks falsified applications to appear as if some customers had turned in valid out-of-state licenses, which reduces paperwork for a new license, according to court records.

The drivers who received the letters have until Jan. 15 to send the agency information about their out-of-state licenses. They will have no problem if the agency can verify the information with that state. However, those who miss the deadline because, for example, because they never got the letter will have their licenses canceled automatically, Miss Atkins said. She also said the agency will not send follow-up notices.

Miss Atkins said the agency has no estimate on how many drivers among the 2,800 in question received illegal licenses. The agency already has received some responses, but it has no official count on how many motorists have been cleared from the list, she said.

Agency spokeswoman Pamela M. Goheen said those who have their licenses canceled will receive notices.