How States Share Your Driving Record with the Drivers License Compact

There are 45 Drivers License Compact states plus the District of Columbia which share information with each other regarding your driving record. The five states which do not participate in the Drivers License Compact are:

• Georgia
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Tennessee
• Wisconsin

The goal of the Drivers License Compact is to ensure information that relates to licensing drivers is shared across state lines. If you have a revoked license in one state for repeated DUI offenses, you should not be able to go to another Drivers License Compact state and get a license. The types of driving record information that is shared among the member jurisdictions include:

• convictions
• licenses
• withdrawn, suspended or revoked licenses

Non-Resident Violator Compact

In addition to the Drivers License Compact there is another organization called the Non-Resident Violator Compact (NRVC) which specifically shares motor vehicle violations information among member states. As an example, if you live in a state that participates in the NRVC and you get a speeding ticket in another NRVC participating state and you ignore that ticket, the state where you received the ticket will contact your state's motor vehicle department and you could have your license suspended until such time as you clear up the ticket in the other state.

Georgia, Tennessee and Massachusetts while not member of the Drivers License Compact are members of the NRVC. However, California, Alaska, Montana and Oregon are not members of the NRVC.

Drivers License Agreement

A new agreement has been worked on (although not yet ratified by most state legislatures) called the Drivers License Agreement which would be a stronger agreement among the states and combine the aspects of the Drivers License Compact and the Non-Resident Violator Compact.

• All motor vehicle violation convictions will be shared with the home state of the driver.
• A key part of the DLA is to have one driver record which can be accessed by all member states.
• If the violation is also considered a violation in the home state, the driver should receive consequences in the home state.

Insurance Companies

Insurance companies can access information about drivers who have been convicted of serious violations, such as those involving drugs or alcohol or who have had their licenses suspended. This information is reported by the state level department of motor vehicles to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and is kept in a database called the National Driver Register.

• This information can be used to increase your insurance premiums
• States can check this database before issuing a drivers license, to make sure the driver has no suspensions.

Seek Legal Help

Any time or any place you receive a ticket for a moving violation, or are arrested for a traffic related offense it can have a long lasting impact on your driving record. If this has happened to you, contact an experienced defense attorney who can explain the options under local law and help you decide what course of action to take.