Pull your driving record (MVR)
Your motor vehicle record is what insurance companies, employers, and the FMCSA look at when they size up a driver. Here’s what’s on it, why it matters for trucking insurance, and a direct link to every state’s DMV so you can pull yours.
What a driving record is
A driving record — also called a motor vehicle report (MVR) or driver abstract — is the official history your state’s DMV keeps on your license.
Most states offer 3, 5, or 7-year versions; insurance companies usually look at the last three to five. Any driver can request their own; employers and insurers need the driver’s consent.
It’s one record. Your MVR follows your license, not the vehicle. Tickets in your personal car count the same as tickets in the truck when an insurance company reviews a driver.
What shows up on it
- License number, class, status, expiration
- Accidents on record
- Points against the license
- Restrictions and special classifications
- Moving violations and citations
- Suspensions, revocations, cancellations
- DUI / DWI convictions
- Name, address, date of birth
Three places your MVR gets read
Insurance underwriting
Insurance companies review every driver’s MVR before they’ll add that driver to a policy, and again at renewal. Each carrier sets its own guidelines, but serious violations in the last three years — DUI, reckless driving, major speeding — are the ones that most often get a driver declined or a premium raised.
Hiring and FMCSA compliance
Motor carriers are required to obtain a driver’s MVR at hire and review it at least once every 12 months (49 CFR 391.23 and 391.25), and keep it in the driver qualification file. Pulling records is part of running a compliant fleet, not just a hiring step.
Your own check
Records have errors — tickets that were dismissed, points that should have aged off, another driver’s violation. Pulling your own MVR before a renewal or a job application lets you get mistakes corrected before an underwriter or employer sees them.
Find your state DMV
Pick your state to go straight to the official DMV site where you can request your record online, by mail, or in person.
Employers and motor carriers: to request a driver’s record for a qualification file, most states accept the FMCSA’s Inquiry to State Agency for Driver’s Record (MVR) form, with the driver’s signed consent. Requirements vary by state — the links above go to each state’s official process.
Three steps, usually same day
Go to your state's DMV site
Use the grid above. Look for “driving record,” “driver history,” or “MVR.”
Verify your identity and pay the fee
Typically your license number, date of birth, and a fee of roughly $5–$25 depending on the state and record length.
Download or receive by mail
Most states deliver a PDF immediately; certified copies may take a few days. Check every entry, and dispute anything wrong through the DMV.
MVRs and trucking insurance
How far back does an MVR go?
It depends on the state — most offer a 3-, 5-, or 7-year version, and some a complete history. Insurance companies typically review the last three to five years, though a serious conviction can be considered for longer.
What violations hurt most for trucking insurance?
Each insurance company sets its own guidelines, but DUI/DWI, reckless or careless driving, speeding 15+ over, following too closely, and at-fault accidents in the last three years are the ones most likely to get a driver declined or raise the premium.
What does MIG do with a driver's MVR?
When you add a driver to a policy, the insurance company reviews their MVR against its underwriting guidelines and makes the decision. MIG’s operations team helps you get the driver submitted and explains the carrier’s response — MIG does not set the guidelines or make the call.
How often does a motor carrier have to review driver MVRs?
At hire and at least once every 12 months under 49 CFR 391.23 and 391.25, kept in each driver’s qualification file. Many carriers pull them more often, and some insurance companies ask for them at renewal.
Questions about how your MVR affects your coverage?
A trucking specialist can walk you through what underwriters look for. Mon–Fri, 8 AM–5 PM ET.
This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Record availability, fees, and retention periods are set by each state; underwriting guidelines are set by each insurance company. Links go to official state sites and may change.