A Pennsylvania driver can find out if their driver’s license is valid and other information regarding their own record, but only select entities like an employer, an insurance company or a creditor can inquire as to the status of another resident’s driving record.
Generally, inquiries are made by completing a Request for Driver Information form and submitting it to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Driver and Vehicle Services (PennDOT). An interested party can order several types of reports on a driver; fees vary based on the specific request.
Businesses can request Pennsylvania driver’s license and record information online if they are employing the driver or insuring them, but the requestor must be an authorized online business user to do so.
Requesting Information on Validity of a Driver’s License
A Pennsylvania resident who has a state-issued driver's license can access information regarding the validity of their own license by calling PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services at 717-412-5300.
Drivers can access their record by filling out a Request for Driver Information form and sending it to the agency by mail. They cannot purchase a certified copy of their driver’s record online.
Entities Who Can Access a Driver's History
Not everyone is privy to a driver’s record other than their own in Pennsylvania. Other entities who can access a driver’s information in Pennsylvania are:
- Credit business connected to the driver due to a transaction they initiated.
- Current insurer, credit investor or server assessing a driver’s credit or payment risks associated with their existing credit.
- Insurance company intending to insure, currently insuring, or that has rejected a driver.
- Party holding a court order or subpoena.
- Attorney representing the driver.
Using Driver’s Information in Pennsylvania
When PennDOT releases a driver’s information to an interested party, that party is responsible for its use; it is confidential and restricted information. It is up to the requestor to protect the confidentiality of the driver’s record.
They cannot sell, assign or transfer the information to another party, nor can they combine or link the driver’s information to a database with other data, unless the law requires it. The information the end user receives cannot be used for any type of mailings, including direct mail advertising.
The end user cannot disseminate or publish any of the driver’s information on the internet without PennDOT’s approval. The agency also has the right to audit the request for the driver’s information. If it finds that the end user requested a driver’s information for an unauthorized reason, the interested party can lose access to that driver’s information.
Businesses Requesting Employee Information
Businesses can obtain a driver’s license and record information online if they are employing the driver or insuring them, through PennDOT’s Enhanced Online Services. To do this, the requestor must become an authorized online business user by visiting PennDot’s website and clicking on "Online Business Services.”
Form for Driver’s Record Information
When filling out the form, a driver requesting their own record will complete Sections A and C. When requesting a record other than the driver’s own, the interested party will:
- Complete Sections A, C, and D.
- Sign the form in Section E if blocks B, E or L are checked in Section D.
- Complete Section B if the requester obtains the information on behalf of another.
All information on the form must be printed or typed, and the requester must fill out as much as possible – just the driver’s name and address does not provide enough information for a proper search. A requester who wants a microfilm copy of a driver's information must complete Section F and provide information on the document date and type.
Fees for a Driver’s Record Information in Pennsylvania
Fees vary for a driver’s information depending upon the request. They are:
- Basic Information with driver’s name, address, license number, birth date and license class: $12.
- Three-year record with driver’s name, address, license number, birth date and license class, and PennDOT actions and violations in the past three years from the date of request: $12
- 10-year record with driver’s name, address, license number, birth date, license class, and PennDOT actions and violations in the past 10 years from the date of request: $12
- Driver’s name, address, license number, date of birth, license class, and PennDOT actions and violations from an individual’s entire driving history in Pennsylvania: $12
- PennDOT-certified record with driver’s name, address, driver's license number, birth date, license class and PennDOT actions and violations of an individual’s entire driving history in Pennsylvania: $38.
- Microfilm copies from the agency are available for $12. If the requester is looking for citation information, the fee is $12 for each citation. The interested party must provide the violation/action date to clearly identify the information requested. If the microfilm copy is certified by the department, fee is $38.
Requesters must check at the top of the form the type of information they need. They’ll make a check or money order payable to PennDOT – cash is not acceptable payment.
The requestor must attach their check or money order to the form and mail it to the Bureau of Driver Licensing, P.O. Box 68695, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17106-8695. The record will be sent to them by mail. The fee is non-refundable, even if PennDOT has no record of the driver’s information or the requestor filled out the form with insufficient information.
References
Writer Bio
Michelle Nati is an associate editor and writer who has reported on legal, criminal and government news for PasadenaNow.com and Complex Media. She holds a B.A. in Communications and English from Niagara University.