Driving Records

Driving Records: Understanding What’s In Your DMV Records And The Importance of a Good Driving Record

Disclaimer: This article is solely intended for informational purposes and in no way constitutes legal advice or specific recommendations.

What are driving records, and are they public?

Driving records, maintained by a state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, are intended to be a comprehensive history of all recorded infractions and violations committed by each driver registered in that state. Driving records also include personal information that may help identify an individual.

Also known as Motor Vehicle Reports, these records can be viewed in several forms: a motor vehicle report or record (MVR), a certified or non-certified driving record (often obtained through third-party providers), a driving, title, or registrations abstract, or an online driving record. They are generally considered to be public records, although states may differ on what information is publicly available. Depending on the type of record requested, it may show a complete or partial driving history.

Depending on the state you live in, driving records may be referred to in any of the following ways:

• Driver records;
• Motor vehicle records (MVR);
• Vehicle records;
• Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records;
• Driver history records;
• Driving history reports;
• Traffic records;
• Driver’s license records;
• Driving record abstracts;
• Licensed driver records;
• Driver history abstracts; and
• Driver record reports.

What information is available in driving records?

Driving records include personally identifiable information as well as a person’s driving history, but the information available may differ from state to state. It may be important to note that some of the information you see on your own driving record may not be accessible on someone else’s. For example, your mailing address and date of birth may be viewable to you, but not to someone else who may have requested to see your driving record.

A certified driver record may include the following:

• Personal information such as your name, date of birth, and mailing address;
• Other identifying information such as eye color and height;
• Driver information including driver license class status, expiration, and restrictions;
• Driving record points;
• Driving history such as accidents, moving violations, suspensions, and fines; and
• Alcohol or drug-related convictions, depending on how long ago they occurred.

You may receive an uncertified driving record if the record you seek is not your own. You may also request an uncertified copy of your own driving record. In this case, some of the information may be partial or omitted, but may still contain the following:

• Restrictions and class of the driver license and
• Driving history, such as any accidents, suspensions, and revocations.

It may be important to note that this unofficial copy does not have the official stamp from the state’s DMV, and may not be recognized when used to apply for a job, certain volunteer programs or to a school or the military, register for certain exams (such as the Bar Exam), to obtain insurance quotes, or as part of a court case. More often than not, an uncertified copy of your driving record may be available online.

How can I get driving records?

You may be able to order your driving records from your state’s DMV online, in person, or by mail if you are able to provide information and documents confirming your identity, such as your Social Security Number, your driver’s license number, and your date of birth.

If you are ordering someone else’s driving records, you may have to make the request by mail or in person. The Driving Records Privacy Protection Act, also known as the DPPA, is a federal law that regulates how motor vehicle departments share driver information and driving records. It prohibits the release of this information without the consent of the driver whose record you wish to obtain.

However, there are some cases when a person has a legal right to access another’s driving records. An example would be lawyers who need your driving records in the event of a legal dispute.

Whether you are looking to access your driving records or another person’s, you will likely have to pay a relatively small fee.

Other than visiting your state’s motor vehicles department, there are other ways you may be able to obtain driving records.

• Your insurance agent has the ability to look up your motor vehicle report and print out a copy, but it may not be a certified copy. Prior traffic violations, convictions, and suspensions may appear on this report.
• Most often, the quickest way to access driving records (yours or another person’s) is to use a third party service. This may be the fastest way to get results, and all the information you need is a person’s name and their state of residence. In this case, you may also be able to order a copy of the record through email or fax, depending on the service.

Bear in mind that each state has different laws about who, why, and how an interested party can access your driving records. For the most current information, visit your motor vehicles department.

The importance of knowing what’s in your driving record

Knowing what’s in your driving record may be crucial for many reasons. Of course, you may want to know your license’s official status out of sheer curiosity, but there’s a plethora of ways your driving record can possibly help or hurt your endeavors.

• You may want to check your driving records for employment purposes. If you applied for a job that requires travelling or driving (such as commercial driving), you may want to confirm that you have a clean driving record. You may have to provide an official copy of your driving record to your potential employer.
• If you are a student applying for financial aid through the federal government, you may have to provide a copy of your driving record. Some offenses, such as a history of DUI charges or convictions, may make individuals ineligible for some financial aid programs.
• Your insurance rate may also be partially determined by your driving history, so maintaining a good driving record is important in this regard. A good record can help lower your car insurance payments.
• Some state and municipal volunteer programs require a driving abstract, particularly if those programs entail driving emergency response, relief or other aid vehicles or are coordinated with or by a police department or other law enforcement organization.
• Applying for certain branches of the military and law enforcement, or to be admitted to practice as an attorney or to obtain a firearms or certain other permits or licensing designations.
• Courts and attorneys reserve the right to use your driving history in traffic court or in another related legal case.
• Of course, a bad driving record can lead to a license suspension or even a revoked license.

How to fix an error in your driving record, or how to remove an offense from your driver history

• You may be able to remove points from your driving record by attending a course approved by your state’s DMV.
• Traffic violation errors may be corrected by the Secretary of State.
• If you were involved in an accident and were listed as the party at fault, the issue can typically be cleared up with your insurance agency.

Driving records in a people search

Because driving records contain personal, potentially identifying information, you may be able to connect them to acquaintances, friends, and family members. They may come in handy when trying to piece together a person’s history or checking up on a rumor. Because some information in driving records is publically available, you can use them to make decisions in your personal life: for example, you may want to check that your child’s carpool driver has a good driving history.

Although a driving record may not paint a fully complete picture of a person’s true driving history, it may be comprehensive enough to be helpful when trying to protect yourself and your family.