The National Driver Register is a federal database, maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, that flags drivers whose licenses have been revoked, suspended, canceled, or denied for cause, along with those convicted of certain serious traffic offenses.1National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Driver Register You can check your own file for free by sending a notarized letter to NHTSA or by submitting a request through its online form. There is no fee for the search.
What Gets Reported to the NDR
State driver licensing officials are required by federal law to report anyone denied a license for cause, or whose license is revoked, suspended, or canceled for cause. They also report convictions in four categories:2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 30304 – Reports by Chief Driver Licensing Officials
- Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.
- Traffic violations connected to a fatal accident, reckless driving, or racing on highways.
- Failing to give aid or identification after an accident that causes death or personal injury.
- Perjury or knowingly making false statements to officials on matters related to motor vehicle operation.
Federal regulations add one more code: using a motor vehicle in connection with a non-traffic felony, such as a drug trafficking offense involving a vehicle.3eCFR. 23 CFR 1327.5 – Procedures for Participating in and Receiving Information from the National Driver Register Problem Driver Pointer System Each report includes your legal name, date of birth, sex, reporting state, and license number. States may also include your Social Security number if they use it for driver records. States have 31 days after receiving the information to submit their report.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 30304 – Reports by Chief Driver Licensing Officials
Ordinary moving violations, parking tickets, and non-serious traffic infractions don’t get reported. If you’ve never had a license action taken against you and haven’t been convicted of one of the offenses above, you shouldn’t be in the system.
How the Pointer System Works
The NDR does not store your driving history. It operates through the Problem Driver Pointer System, which works like a directory rather than a filing cabinet.1National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Driver Register When a state queries the system, it learns only whether another state has reported something about you and which state to contact for details.4U.S. Department of Transportation. National Driver Register (NDR) Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) The underlying court documents, administrative orders, and case history stay with the reporting state. NHTSA never holds them.
This design matters for two reasons. Your NDR result will point you to a state, not hand you a full record. And if something in that record is wrong, only the state can fix it.
How to Check Your Own Record
NHTSA offers two ways to request a file check, both free.5National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Driver Register – Frequently Asked Questions
By Mail
Send a notarized letter, or an unsworn declaration signed under penalty of perjury, that includes your full legal name, date of birth, mailing address, and your state and driver’s license number. Social Security number, sex, height, and eye color are optional but reduce the chance of a false match with someone who shares your name or birthday.
Notarization involves a notary public verifying your identity and witnessing your signature; fees typically run between $5 and $15. To skip the notary, federal law lets you substitute an unsworn declaration for any sworn statement.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1746 – Unsworn Declarations Under Penalty of Perjury Add this signed and dated line to your letter: “I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.”
Send your request to:
The National Driver Register, NSA-220
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590
Electronically
Submit your email address through NHTSA’s form at www.nhtsa.gov/content/ndr. NHTSA will email a link you use to upload the request. You provide the same identifiers as in a mailed request, plus a phone number and email address, and you sign the perjury declaration electronically instead of getting the letter notarized.5National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Driver Register – Frequently Asked Questions
NHTSA aims to respond within 10 business days when a request is complete. Mailed requests get a written reply at your mailing address. Electronic requests get an encrypted, password-protected email. NHTSA will not release results over the phone.
What Your Results Will Show
The response says one of two things: either no pointer records were found, or one or more states have reported information about you. If a pointer exists, the result identifies the reporting state but not the underlying facts. For the case details, you contact that state’s DMV.
An unexpected hit usually traces to an old, unresolved action in a state where you previously held a license, such as a suspension you thought had been cleared or a reinstatement fee that was never paid. The pointer system can also flag someone based on a name or birthdate match with a different person, which is why the optional identifiers on your request form are worth including.
How Long Records Stay and How to Fix Errors
There is no federal time limit on how long a pointer remains in the NDR. Records stay according to each reporting state’s retention rules and statutes of limitations, and some can remain indefinitely, particularly for revocations that were never formally reinstated.5National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Driver Register – Frequently Asked Questions To learn the specific timeline for your record, ask the state that reported it.
Corrections work the same way. Because NHTSA only holds pointers, it cannot change or delete what a state has reported. Contact the DMV in the reporting state. If you don’t know which state it is, your current state’s DMV can help identify it.
What happens next depends on why the record is there. If you have a legitimate open action, such as an unpaid reinstatement fee or an unfinished course, the state updates its records once you satisfy the requirements, and the pointer reflects that during the next inquiry. If the record genuinely belongs to someone else, the state investigates and corrects or removes it. If the state refuses to correct what you believe is a mistake, every state offers some form of administrative hearing or review for driver’s license actions; deadlines and procedures vary, and waiting too long can forfeit your right to a hearing.
Who Else Can See Your NDR Record
Access is restricted. State motor vehicle departments run an NDR check every time someone applies for a new license or a renewal, which is the main way a pointer affects daily life: a licensing state can deny your application until you resolve the underlying action with the reporting state.4U.S. Department of Transportation. National Driver Register (NDR) Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) Preventing people from sidestepping a suspension by moving across state lines is the entire point of the system.
Certain federal safety agencies, employers of motor vehicle operators, and air carriers hiring pilots can also request checks, but only with your written consent.7eCFR. 23 CFR 1327.6 – Conditions and Procedures for Other Authorized Users of the NDR For employment checks, information entered in the NDR more than three years before the request generally cannot be disclosed, unless the underlying revocation or suspension is still active on the date of the request.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 30305 – Access to Register Information If you’re job-hunting in a safety-sensitive field and think you may have an NDR record, checking your own file first lets you resolve any surprises before a prospective employer sees them.