You might be surprised when you suddenly get penalties due to an expired or suspended driver’s license. You may feel that your driver’s license is still valid and has not expired. Depending on your state and conditions, your driver’s license could actually be suspended at any time for several reasons that you may not know about.
Fines for expired and suspended driver’s licenses can also affect your insurance coverage; they may decline to provide insurance to you due to a traffic violation. That’s why it’s highly important to check your driver’s license status and your driving record to avoid those things that might happen.
Then, how to do so? If you happen to find out those, let’s dive into our post to get the guide!
Checking Your Driver’s License Status and Driving History: Here’s How!
It’s pretty straightforward to check your driver’s license status and driving history since all of them are available on your Motor Vehicle Record (MVR). This driving history report will show you a range of information regarding your driving record, including:
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- Your driver’s license information, such as your name, birthdate, and license number.
- Your driver’s license status, whether it is valid, expired, suspended, or revoked.
- Your driver’s license points.
- Unpaid fines and fees
- Any events that you’ve had with your vehicle, such as traffic tickets, DUI violations, accidents, license suspensions, etc.
To check them, you must request a copy of your driving record, either online, by mail, or in person. Of course, you should go through your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or your state’s motor vehicle services.
First, you can start by searching for your state driver’s licensing office through online resources here → usa.gov/motor-vehicle-services On the page, make sure to select your state and click “Go.”
We take an example from the New York DMV.
If you live in New York and want to check the status of your driver’s license and driving history, you can take advantage of the “MyDMV” portal that you can access at the official website of the New York DMV.
The New York “MyDMV” is a great and fast option for those of you who want to check their driver’s license status and driving history since they don’t have to make a trip to the New York DMV or order by mail.
With the use of the “MyDMV” portal, you can:
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- Check your license status
- Check your vehicle’s registration information
- Change your address
- Order your driving record
- Restore your revoked license
To use it, you need to sign up first by providing the last digit of your SSN and the information of your New York driver’s license, learner permit, or non-driver ID. Of course, you have to create your NY.Gov username and password since you only use them to log into MyDMV.
After successfully creating your account, you can then log into MyDMV with your username and password.
Through “MyDMV,” you can save and print your driving record in a PDF version. After you order it, you’ll have 5 days to download it, and it costs $7.
If you want to request your driving record by phone or at a New York DMV office in person, you may need to bring a completed MV-15C form and proof of identity. And it costs $10.00 for each order.
You can call DMV call centers at 1-518-486-9786 or 1-800-698-2931.
To find the location of the DMV office in your county, you can make a search here → dmv.ny.gov/offices/county-offices
Why Do You Need to Check Your Driver’s License?
By regularly checking your driver’s license, you’ll know its current status, whether it’s valid, expired, suspended, or revoked. On your driver’s license, you can also find your personal information, such as your full name, date of birth, and address.
It could also be an opportunity for you to verify that the information on your driver’s license is valid and correct. However, providing incorrect information when registering a new driver’s license or forgetting to file an SR22 or FR44 through your insurance company may also occur.
Depending on your state and circumstances, like in Florida, your driver’s license may suddenly get suspended due to several reasons—without any notification—such as failure to pay child support, failure to meet the minimum vision requirement, or failure to appear on traffic calls.
However, verifying your driver’s license is very important, so you can avoid violations such as driving with an expired driver’s license. In addition, it can be a step towards keeping your driving record clean for various purposes.
How Does Your Driving Record Affect Your Insurance?
A motor vehicle report (MVR) contains an individual’s driving record, including your driver’s license status, your driving history, and any incidents like traffic violations and accidents.
However, your driving record is an important factor for the insurance company to determine your insurance rates and coverage eligibility. If you apply for car insurance, they will review your driving history.
If you ever get a ticket for traffic violations or causing an accident, the insurance company will usually charge you more by giving you a high premium because you will most likely file a car insurance claim.
If you have been involved in a minor violation, this will have a smaller impact on your car insurance rates compared to more serious accidents due to fault.
In fact, some car insurance companies may refuse to insure drivers because they have a bad driving history. Of course, this will make it difficult for drivers to get insurance. So, make sure to always keep your driving record good so that everything runs smoothly.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
