How to Order Your New Jersey Driving Record
New Jersey driving records are kept by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission for all residents who have a valid driver’s license. Those drivers who seek to know the content of their New Jersey driving record can find all the necessary information about these reports and how to obtain them below.
What is on my New Jersey driving record?
Depending on the type of driving record and where you purchase it, your New Jersey driving record may provide either a partial or complete outline of your personal NJ driving history. If you order your driving record directly from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, it will contain:
- Your date of birth.
- Your home address.
- The application date and status of your driver’s license.
- A list of all car crashes.
- A list of driver’s license suspensions or revocations.
- Past traffic violations and violation points.
- New Jersey DUI reports.
Did you know? Your personal driving history is a public record. Potential employers, insurance providers, and courts of law can all request a copy of your driving history.
What do points on my New Jersey driving record mean?
Points found on a New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission driving record are all the traffic violations/offenses that you have committed while operating a motor vehicle in New Jersey. Each violation brings a different point value.
Collecting too many demerit points on your MVC driving history may cause a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license. The specific point values found on New Jersey MVC driving records are as follows:
- Racing on a highway: 5 points
- Tailgating: 5 points
- Reckless driving: 5 points
- Driving in an unsafe manner: 4 points
- Improper turn at a traffic light: 3 points
- Improper right or left turn: 3 points
- Improper U-turn: 3 points
- Failure to stop for a police whistle: 2 points
- Leaving the scene of an accident:
- Personal injury: 8 points
- No personal injury: 2 points
- Exceeding maximum speed:
- 30 mph or more over the limit: 5 points
- 15-29 mph over the limit: 4 points
- 1-14 mph over the limit: 2 points
Any incorrect points on your DMV driving record can be fixed by contacting your local New Jersey MVC office. Also, taking a traffic school course can remove points from your drivers record.
How do points against my New Jersey license affect me?
Getting too many demerit points on your New Jersey driver’s license may result in a license suspension or revocation. The amounts of points required for punishment are as follows:
- Six or more points in three years: driver’s surcharge
- 12 or more points: driver’s license suspension
Adding points to your New Jersey driving record will not only result in a surcharge and a suspension, but it will also increase your insurance premiums and may affect your employment status.
How do I remove drivers license points from my New Jersey record?
You can deduct two points from your DMV driving record by completing a defensive driving course at a state-approved traffic school, or three points by attending a driver improvement program, a probationary driver program or simply by driving for one year without any violations or suspensions.
For a list of state-approved traffic school courses, click here.
How long do points stay on my New Jersey driving record?
Different traffic violations are assigned different point values, which will stay on your driving history until you begin to deduct them by either taking a traffic school course or completing one year of violation-free driving.
One year of safe driving will remove three points from your drivers record. Meanwhile, driver improvement programs will deduct three points once every two years, and defensive driving programs will deduct two points once every five years.
New Jersey DUI Records
Drivers who have committed DUI offenses can find them written in their DUI criminal records, which are part of the driver history abstracts issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. These documents may be required when you reinstate your driver’s license or if you are ordered by a court of law to attend an alcohol education course.
How do I know if my New Jersey driving license is suspended?
If you intend to see whether your driver’s license has been suspended or not, purchase your New Jersey driving record. A copy of your personal driving history will provide you with your drivers license status.
Previous Traffic Violations in New Jersey
New Jersey drivers can check their past traffic violations, such as running red lights, speeding or not using a turn signal, by ordering their DMV driving record. Once you get your personal NJ driving history report, you can manage traffic tickets you have not paid and see all of your previous convictions.
Why do I need a copy of my New Jersey driving record?
When applying for new employment or for more affordable auto insurance premiums, you need to be prepared for any questions concerning your personal driving history. For that reason, you must obtain a copy of your driving record to provide these parties with details of your driving past.
Check for Points in New Jersey
Drivers often request a copy of their personal driving histories so that they may check their demerit point total. By ordering your NJ MVC driving abstract, you will gain access to information about your demerit points, traffic citations, driver’s license suspensions and more.
Applying for a Commercial Driver Position in New Jersey
Your personal driving history will have an effect on your commercial driving job applications. Employers will not consider you for a job without checking your personal New Jersey driving record.
Holding too many violations or accidents on your DMV driving record indicates that you are an unsafe driver. However, if you have few or no incidents on your NJ drivers record, your chances of gaining driving employment are high.
Get a copy of your driving record to address any possible mistakes on record and prepare yourself for any interview questions your future employer may ask.
Lower New Jersey Car Insurance Premiums
Drivers who have numerous traffic violations or accidents on their New Jersey driving records will be charged expensive auto insurance premiums, because they pose a risk to insurance companies as unsafe drivers. To lower your auto insurance rates, you need to fix any mistakes found in your personal driving history, or enroll in a traffic school course to remove demerit points, before you apply for auto insurance.
Take New Jersey Traffic School to Prevent Points
Attending traffic school in New Jersey allows you to remove points from your MVC driving record to avoid driver’s license suspension. Enrolling in a defensive driving course will remove two points from your drivers record, while completing a driver improvement program or a probationary driver program will take three points off of your NJ driving history.
Additionally, by removing points from your driving documentation, you can prevent a rise in your insurance premiums or an insurance policy cancellation.
Why do employers check your New Jersey driving record?
Your potential employer will order an employee driving history report if you are applying for a job that requires you to drive. By doing so, the employer will see whether or not you employ the necessary safe driving skills to operate a motor vehicle professionally.
The primary reason employers use this tactic is to avoid having to pay medical bills and costs for repairing or replacing damaged vehicles and property, which will be required of them if a new employee gets into an accident on company time or in a company vehicle.
Different Types of New Jersey Driving Records
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission offers two different types of driving records: the five-year record and the complete drivers record. To learn more about these two driving documents, look below.
5-Year Driving Record
The certified five-year driving record is the shortest option available for New Jersey drivers. It is typically used by future employers when deciding who they want to hire or by insurance companies when determining auto insurance premiums.
Complete Driving Record
The complete NJ driving record contains every infraction or violation you have ever committed, from the date you first received your New Jersey driver’s license to the present. The MVC full driving record contains information from other states as well.
How do I fix a mistake on a New Jersey drivers history report?
If you find a mistake on your driver history record, you need to contact the closest New Jersey MVC office and report the error. Clean DMV driving records are required to increase your chances of future employment, to lower auto insurance premiums and to avoid driver’s license suspension.
What is not included on my New Jersey driving record report?
Potential employers or insurance companies may need additional information beyond what is found on your New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission drivers record. DMV.com has set up resources to allow you to obtain the following information for your records:
- Background checks
- VIN Checks
- DMV police reports
New Jersey Vehicle Registration History
If you require access to more vehicle-related information than your driving record provides, consider obtaining a vehicle registration history. This document shows your entire owned and registered vehicle history in New Jersey, and it can serve as proof of any vehicle you have registered within the state, without your having to recollect the transaction.
Driving Record Fees in New Jersey
In New Jersey, a driving record costs $15.
Driving Record Forms
Note: DMV forms change regularly. The forms provided above are current based on the date of writing.
Sources
- Driver History Abstract from NJ.us