The abstract of driving (ADR) is a history of violations and convictions, collisions and departmental actions incurred by the driver over a period of time.

An individual may purchase a copy of his or her own driving record at any driver licensing service office. The fee for a driving record is $5.00. A parent of a driver under the age of 18 who is not emancipated from such parent, may purchase a copy of their son and/or daughter’s driving record without a signed release.

The Department of Licensing maintains records as follows:

Convictions
Most convictions remain on the driving record for 5 years from the conviction date. Alcohol-related convictions remain on the driving record for 15 years. Vehicular Assault and Vehicular Homicide convictions remain on record for life. Commercial motor vehicle related convictions remain on record for 55 years.

Violations
Forfeitures of bail or court findings that an infraction was committed based upon a violation of a motor vehicle law remain on the driving record for 5 years from the adjudication date. Commercial motor vehicle related violations remain on the driving record for 55 years.

Deferred Prosecutions
Deferred Prosecutions remain on the driving record for life.

Failure to Appear (FTA)
Failure to Appear in response to a traffic citation or failure to respond to a notice of infraction served by a law enforcement officer remain on the driving record for 10 years from the date the court notifies the Department of Licensing.

Collisions
Collisions involving noncommercial vehicles remain on the driving record for 5 years from the collision date. Collisions involving commercial motor vehicles remain on record for 10 years. They are recorded to show involvement, as the Department does not determine fault for collisions.

Departmental Actions
Departmental Actions, such as suspensions, revocations, disqualifications, etc. remain on the driving record for 5 years from final release.

The following records are available:

Employment Driving Record
A full driving record to be used exclusively to determine whether the named individual should be employed to operate a commercial vehicle or school bus on the public highways. Commercial vehicle means any vehicle the principal use of which is the transportation of commodities, merchandise, produce, freight, animals or passengers for hire.
Employment Driving Records can be released to the following:

• Individual named on the abstract of driving record
• Employer or prospective employer of the named individual
• Agent for the employer or prospective employer

Employers and their agents may not divulge any information from the driving record to a third party.

The Employment Driving Record is a full record consisting of:

• Convictions
• Forfeitures of bail or court findings that an infraction was committed based upon a violation of a motor vehicle law
• Any reports of Failure to Appear (FTA) in response to a traffic citation or failure to respond to a notice of infraction served by a law enforcement officer
• Collisions - recorded to show involvement, as the Department does not determine fault. Includes the number of vehicles involved, whether the vehicles were legally parked or moving, whether the vehicles were occupied at the time of the collision, and whether the collision resulted in any fatality.

There is a $5.00 fee for each driving record requested. We recommend that records be requested on the appropriate form, either the Employer Request for Abstract of Driving Record or the Agent for Employer Request for Abstract of Driving Record form.

• The employer attesting that the information is necessary to determine whether the licensee should be employed to operate a commercial vehicle or school bus on the public highways; and
• If the employer or prospective employer authorizes an agent to obtain information on their behalf, this must be noted in the statement. The record(s) will be printed and mailed to the requester.

Individuals may purchase a copy of their own employment driving record in person at a Licensing Services Office for a $5.00 fee. The individual will be required to present a Washington Driver License or a document containing both the name and photograph as proof of identity.

Insurance Driving Record
Insurance companies or their agent may use the driving record exclusively for its own motor vehicle or life insurance underwriting purposes and may not divulge any of the information to a third party. No policy of insurance may be canceled, non-renewed, denied, or have the rate increased on the basis of such information unless the policyholder was determined to be at fault.

Insurance driving records can be released to the following:

• Individual named on the abstract of driving record
• The insurance carrier or its agent that has insurance in effect covering the employer or prospective employer
• The insurance carrier or its agent that has motor vehicle or life insurance in effect covering the named individual;
• The insurance carrier or its agent to which the named individual has applied for motor vehicle or life insurance; Insurance companies and their agents may not divulge any information from the driving record to a third party.

Insurance companies get a full driving record containing convictions; violations, including FTAs; and collisions for the past 3 years. Washington State law defines the criteria as follows:

• 3-year commercial driving record (underwriting commercial employer motor vehicle policy) - may only use information contained in the driving record relative to the person's operation of a commercial motor vehicle;
• 3-year noncommercial (underwriting noncommercial motor vehicle policies) - may only use information contained in the driving record relative to the person's operation of a motorcommercial vehicle upon the public highways as defined in RCW 46.04.140, and not engaged in employment of operating a commercial motor vehicle as defined in RCW 46.25.010(6);
• 3-year life insurance underwriting - may use information contained in the driving record relating to the person's operation of commercial and noncommercial motor vehicles.

There is a $5.00 fee for each driving record requested. A request form has not been developed for the insurance agencies to request driving records. Insurance agencies should submit a request for driving records on their letterhead and provide the individual's Washington Driver License number or their full name (including middle name or initial) and date of birth; and state the purpose for requesting the driving record (commercial, noncommercial or life insurance underwriting). Record requests must be mailed to

Department of Licensing
Driver Records
P.O. Box 9048
Olympia, WA 98507-9048

The record(s) will be printed and mailed to the requester.

How to get a copy of "your own" driving record
You may request a copy of your own driving record by mail or in person.

When you request a copy of your own record by mail using the Request For Abstract Of Driving Record form you may choose from one of eight different driving record abstracts. They are:

• Three-year noncommercial insurance record.
  (Used by insurance companies for underwriting noncommercial motor vehicle policies.) This abstract contains all convictions; violations, including FTAs; and collisions for the past three years "not" related to your operating a commercial motor vehicle as defined in RCW 46.25.010(6).
• Three-year commercial insurance record.
  (Used by commercial employers' insurance companies for motor vehicle underwriting purposes.) This abstract contains all convictions; violations, including FTAs; and collisions for the past three years related to your operation of a commercial motor vehicle as defined in RCW 46.25.010(6). .
• Three-year life insurance record.
  (Used for underwriting purposes by the insurance carrier that has life insurance in effect covering you or to which you have applied for life insurance.) Contains all traffic related commercial and noncommercial convictions; violations, including FTAs; and collisions for the past three years.
• Full employment/commercial record.
  (Used by employers or prospective employers to determine employment eligibility for commercial vehicle operation. Commercial vehicle means any vehicle the principal use of which is the transportation of commodities, merchandise, produce, freight, animals or passengers for hire.) This abstract shows all traffic related convictions; violations, including FTAs; and collisions. Some convictions remain on the record for more than five years. Collisions involving commercial motor vehicles remain on record for 10 years.
• Volunteer vanpool driver record
  (Available to transit authorities to determine insurance and risk management requirements necessary to drive a vanpool vehicle.) This abstract shows all traffic related convictions; violations, including FTAs; and collisions. Some convictions remain on record for more than five years. Collisions involving commercial motor vehicles remain on record for 10 years.
• Volunteer for organization driver record
  (Available to volunteer organizations to determine whether the licensee should be permitted to operate a vehicle used to transport individuals under age 18, over age 65, or physically or mentally disabled, upon public highways.) This abstract shows all traffic related convictions; violations, including FTAs; and collisions. Some convictions remain on record for more than five years. Collisions involving commercial motor vehicles remain on record for 10 years.
• School bus driver record
  (Available to school districts to determine employment eligibility for school bus operation.) The record shows all traffic related convictions; violations, including FTAs; collisions; and departmental actions, such as suspension, revocations, disqualification, etc.
• Complete record
  (Available to the person named on the record, attorney representing named person, law and justice agencies and government agencies.) This abstract shows all traffic related convictions; violations, including FTAs; collisions; departmental actions, such as suspension, revocations, disqualifications, etc.

There is a $5.00 fee for a copy of your driving record. Mail your completed request form and fee to the address printed on the form. The record will be printed and mailed to you.

Individuals may purchase an abstract of their own driving record in person at a Licensing Services Office for a $5.00 fee. The individual will be required to present a Washington Driver License or a document containing both the name and photograph as proof of identity. There are three types of driving record abstracts available from the Licensing Services Offices:

• Three-year noncommercial insurance record.
  (Used by insurance companies for underwriting noncommercial motor vehicle policies.) This abstract contains all convictions; violations, including FTAs; and collisions for the past three years "not" related to your operating a commercial motor vehicle as defined in RCW 46.25.010(6).
• Full employment/commercial record.
  (Used by employers or prospective employers to determine employment eligibility for commercial vehicle operation. Commercial vehicle means any vehicle the principal use of which is the transportation of commodities, merchandise, produce, freight, animals or passengers for hire.) This abstract shows all traffic related convictions; violations, including FTAs; and collisions. Some convictions remain on the record for more than five years. Collisions involving commercial motor vehicles remain on record for 10 years.
• Complete record
  (Available to the person named on the record, attorney representing named person, law and justice agencies and government agencies.) This abstract shows all traffic related convictions; violations, including FTAs; collisions; and departmental actions, such as suspensions, revocations and disqualifications, etc.

Volunteer Vanpool Driver Records
A full driving record to be used exclusively by an employee or agent of a transit authority to determine whether the volunteer licensee meets the insurance and risk management requirements necessary to drive a vanpool vehicle. The transit authority may not divulge any information contained in the abstract of driving record to a third party.

The Volunteer Vanpool Driver Record is a full record consisting of:

• Convictions
• Forfeitures of bail or court findings that an infraction was committed based upon a violation of a motor vehicle law
• Any reports of Failure to Appear (FTA) in response to a traffic citation or failure to respond to a notice of infraction served by a law enforcement officer
• Collisions - recorded to show involvement, as the Department does not determine fault. Includes the number of vehicles involved, whether the vehicles were legally parked or moving, whether the vehicles were occupied at the time of the collision, and whether the collision resulted in any fatality.
  

There is a $5.00 fee for each record requested. A form has not been developed for the transit authorities to request driving records. Transit authorities should request driving records in writing on their letterhead by providing the individual's Washington driver license number or their full name (including middle name or initial) and date of birth; and state the purpose for requesting the driving record. The request and fee is mailed to:

Department of Licensing
Driver Records
P.O. Box, 9048, Olympia
WA 98507-9048

The record(s) will be printed and mailed to the requester.

Volunteer for Organization Driver Record
A full driving record to be used exclusively to determine whether the volunteer/prospective volunteer should be permitted to operate a vehicle used to transport individuals under age 18, over age 65, or physically or mentally disabled, upon the public highways. Volunteer for Organization

Driving Records can be released to the following:

• Individual named on the abstract of driving record
• Volunteer organization for which the named individual has submitted an application for a position that could require the transportation of individuals under age 18, over age 65, or physically or mentally disabled, upon the public highways Volunteer organizations may not divulge any information from the driving record to a third party.

The Volunteer for Organization Driving Record is a full record consisting of:

• Convictions
• Forfeitures of bail or court findings that an infraction was committed based upon a violation of a motor vehicle law
• Any reports of Failure to Appear (FTA) in response to a traffic citation or failure to respond to a notice of infraction served by a law enforcement officer
• Collisions - recorded to show involvement, as the Department does not determine fault. Includes the number of vehicles involved, whether the vehicles were legally parked or moving, whether the vehicles were occupied at the time of the collision, and whether the collision resulted in any fatality.

There is a $5.00 fee for each driving record requested. We recommend that records be requested on the Volunteer Organization Request for Abstract of Driving Record form. If not, requests require a statement signed by the following:

• The volunteer/prospective volunteer that authorizes the release of the record;
• The volunteer organization attesting that the information is necessary to determine whether the licensee should be permitted to operate a vehicle used to transport individuals under age 18, over age 65, or physically or mentally disabled, on the public highways;

School Bus Driver Records (Complete driving record)
A complete driving record requested by school districts and used exclusively to determine whether the licensee should be employed to operate a school bus. School districts and their agents may not divulge any information from the driving record to a third party.

The 'complete' abstract contains all information on the driving record:

· Convictions;

• Forfeitures of bail or findings that an infraction was committed based upon a violation of any motor vehicle law;
• Any reports of Failure to Appear (FTA) in response to a traffic citation or failure to respond to a notice of infraction served upon the named individual by an arresting officer;
• Collisions - Recorded to show involvement, as the Department does not determine fault. Includes the number of vehicles involved, whether the vehicles were legally parked or moving, whether the vehicles were occupied at the time of the collision, and whether the collision resulted in any fatality; and
• Departmental actions, such as suspensions, revocations, disqualifications, etc.

A $5.00 fee and a completed Request For Abstract Of Driving Record Of School Bus Driver form must be submitted for each driving record requested. The form contains statements signed by the following:

• The employee or prospective employee that authorizes the release of the record
• The school district attesting that the information is necessary to determine whether the licensee should be employed to operate a school bus

The record(s) will be printed and mailed to the requester.