- This can either be a driver license or other government-issued photo ID card (you can black out your photo) or 6 points of identification. See the DMV Document Guide.
Allow 5 business days for processing requests made through the Navigator.
At a DMV Office
To request your Standard driving record at a DMV office, bring
- a completed Request for Driving Record Information (PDF) (MV-15C)
- proof of identity - This can either be a driver license or other government-issued photo ID card or 6 points of identification. See the DMV Document Guide.
- Cash, credit card, personal check or money order to pay the $10 fee. Make checks and money orders payable to "Commissioner of Motor Vehicles." (If you are renewing your license and want to order your record at the same time, mark the blue box on your renewal notice and add the $10 search fee to your renewal fee.)
A “standard” driver license abstract only contains information that DMV is required to keep. In most cases, this is information related to your record the past few years. Certain violations will be displayed longer or permanently. For example,
- Most suspensions and revocations are only shown on the driving record abstract for 4 years from the date the suspension or revocation ended. Suspensions for a chemical test refusal are displayed for 5 years from the date of suspension.
- Accidents and most traffic convictions are only displayed until the end of the year in which the accident or conviction occurred, plus 3 additional years.
- Convictions for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DWI) are displayed for 15 years from the date of conviction. Convictions for DWAI are displayed for 10 years from the date of conviction.
See Description of Abstract of Driving Record (PDF) (DS-242.1) for information about how to read and understand a driving record abstract.
Header
The Header section includes the individual's
- name
- mailing address (city, state, ZIP code)
- mailing county
- DMV ID number (Client ID number) from your New York State driver license, learner permit, or non-driver photo ID card
- motorist ID
- date of birth
- gender
- height
- eye color
Note: DMV collects your Social Security Number (SSN) when you apply for an New York State driver license. However, your SSN does not appear on records or documents issued by the DMV.
Summary
The Summary section includes
- license class
- license status
- license expiration date
- a suspension and revocation summary
- any restrictions and/or endorsem*nts that limit or expand the driving privilege. See Driver License Class Descriptions (PDF) (MV-500C) for an explanation of driver license classes, restrictions, and endorsem*nts.
Activity
The Activity section includes
- driver license-related course completion
- Commercial Driver License (CDL) history
- license reciprocity information
- various other license-related notes
Suspensions and Revocations
The Suspensions and Revocations section shows scofflaws and non-scofflaws and includes
- the reason for the suspension or revocation
- the date the suspension or revocation took effect
- the order number
- the clear-on date and reason for clearance, if cleared
- complied-on date for non-scofflaws
- location and county of the court where the scofflaws were settled as well as any judgment amount
Non-vehicular Convictions
The Non-Vehicular Convictions section includes the
- type of violation the diver was convicted of
- date of the violation
- date of the conviction
- location where the violation occurred
- amount of the fine and any jail time incurred
Convictions and Bail Forfeitures
The Convictions and Bail Forfeitures section includes the
- type of violation the driver was convicted of
- date of the violation
- date of the conviction
- location where the violation occurred
- amount of the fine and any points incurred
Accidents
The Accidents section includes
- the date of the accident
- whether there was a fatality, personal injury, and/or property damage
- the county where the accident occurred
- the case number
Note: DMV lists an accident on the record of every driver in the accident. An accident that appears on a driving record does not assign the fault to that driver. The DMV does not determine the fault of an accident.
Lifetime Driving Record DescriptionA "Lifetime" driving record contains all the license information DMV currently has available about a driver. It displays all information still in DMV’s possession, regardless of the data retention requirements in the Vehicle and Traffic Law. The record may not include information that dates back to when a driver was initially granted driving privileges. See Description of Abstract of Lifetime Driving Record (PDF) (DS-242.3) for information about how to read and understand a lifetime driving abstract.
Header
The Header section at the top of the abstract includes the following information, as applicable, about the individual:
- deceased
- name
- mailing address (city, state, ZIP code)
- mailing county
- name as it appears on the document
- DMV ID Number (client ID number) from your New York State driver license, learner permit, or non-driver photo ID card
- date of birth (DOB)
- gender
- height
- eye color
- status information for
- temporary visitor
- military
- veteran
- organ donor
See Driver License Class Descriptions (PDF) (MV-500C) for a list and explanation of driver license restrictions.
Summary
The header is followed by a Summary section that includes:
- license class / privilege
- document status (including commercial and 19-A)
- document expiration date
- date of road test eligibility
Current License
The Current License section includes:
- current license class
- current license expiration date
- any endorsem*nts that expand the driving privilege
- type of document that was issued
Non-Driver ID
The Non-Driver ID section includes:
- issue date
- expiration date
Permit History
The Permit History section includes:
- permit classes and the dates for which they were applied for
- date the permit document expired
- any restrictions or endorsem*nts that limit or expand the permit privilege
Activity
The Activity section may include:
- driver license-related course completion
- Commercial Driver License (CDL) history
- license reciprocity information
Class / Privilege Change
The Class / Privilege section includes:
- class(es) / privilege(s) the driver holds or has held
- the effective date for each class / privilege
- date each license class / privilege was posted to the license record
Document Issued
The Document Issued section includes:
- type of document
- license class
- issue date
Merges
The Merges section only appears on the abstract if the driver has ever had a license under a different Customer Identification Number (CID) than the one shown in the Header section.
If present, the Merges section will show:
- which CIDs were merged and the resulting CID
- the date the merged CID was put on the record
- any other name connected to the merged CIDs
- any other Dates of Birth (DOB) connected to the merged CIDs
- any other gender connected to the merged CIDs
Suspensions and Revocations
On the Lifetime driving record, the Suspensions and Revocations section is divided into two sub-sections: Non-Scofflaws and Scofflaws. Non-scofflaws and scofflaws are listed separately, in order by effective date, from newest to oldest. For out-of-state courts, the court’s address and phone number are recorded as provided by the issuing jurisdiction.
Non-scofflaws: The type of sanction imposed (suspension or revocation) which results from reasons other than failure to answer a summons or pay a fine / surcharge / assessment. The following fields may appear:
- suspension / revocation date
- incident date, if applicable
- reason (reason for sanction)
- order number
- case number, if applicable
- ticket number, if applicable
- class affected
- civil penalty, if applicable
- termination fee, if applicable
- length of sanction
- clear on (clearance date)
- reason (reason for clearance)
- out-of-state information, if applicable
- rescission, if applicable
Scofflaws: The suspension imposed as a result of failure to answer a summons or pay a fine / surcharge / assessment. The following fields may appear:
- suspension date
- reason (reason for sanction)
- order number
- ticket number
- court name
- clear on (clearance date)
- reason (reason for clearance)
The Convictions/Bail Forfeitures section lists conviction and bail forfeitures in order of violation date. The following fields may appear:
- conviction / forfeiture (violation description)
- violation date
- conviction date
- location
- penalty, if applicable
- points, if applicable
- commercial vehicle
- hazmat
- ticket number
The Vessel / Snowmobile Privilege Suspensions section lists boat and snowmobile suspensions in order of effective date. The following fields may appear:
- suspension effective date
- reason (reason for sanction)
- order number
- ticket number, if applicable
- civil penalty, if applicable
- period (length of sanction)
- clear on (clearance date)
- reason (reason for clearance)
The Vessel / Snowmobile Convictions section lists boat and snowmobile convictions in order of violation date. The following fields may appear:
- conviction
- violation date
- convicted on
- ticket number, if applicable
- location
- penalty, if applicable
Non-Vehicular Convictions: The following fields may appear:
- conviction
- violation date
- conviction date
- location
- penalty
- ticket number
The Accidents section lists accidents in order of accident date. The following fields will appear:
- accident date
- county
- case number
- accident type
- accident reports filed
The Address History section lists addresses on file in order of effective date. The following fields will appear:
- posted (effective date)
- type
- address
- county
- country
