Ordering Your Georgia Driving Record (MVR)
A Georgia Motor Vehicle Report — what most people call an MVR — is the official summary of every entry on file with the Department of Driver Services for a Georgia driver. DDS sells the record in three lengths: 3-year, 7-year, and lifetime. The lifetime record is rarely needed but is the only version that includes DUI and major-violation entries older than 7 years.
Types of Georgia MVRs
3-year MVR
Includes traffic-violation convictions, accidents, and license actions in the last 3 years. The cheapest and fastest option. Cost: $6 online or in person.
7-year MVR
The standard MVR ordered by employers, insurance companies, and applicants for commercial driving roles. Includes everything in the 3-year record plus 4 additional years of moving-violation history. Cost: $8.
Lifetime MVR
Includes the entire driving history on file with DDS, going back to the original license issuance. Required for some federal hiring decisions and for any DUI or felony-related court matter. Cost: $8.
Certified copies
For court use or out-of-state agency requests, DDS issues a certified MVR with a raised seal. Add $2 for certification on top of the base record fee.
How to order
Online
The DDS Online Services portal lets a driver pull their own MVR for the standard fee, with the report delivered as a PDF immediately after payment. Online ordering is restricted to the driver themselves — third parties can't pull a record through the portal.
In person
Visit any DDS Customer Service Center with photo ID and the appropriate fee. The clerk prints the MVR on the spot. Some smaller CSCs don't have MVR printers; call ahead to confirm.
By mail
Send Form DDS-18 (MVR Request) with payment to the DDS Records Section, Conyers, GA. Allow 7-10 business days for the MVR to mail back. This channel works well for out-of-state requesters and for orders requiring certification.
By third-party employer service
Most insurance and CDL employers pull MVRs through state-approved third-party processors that interface directly with the DDS database. The employer pays a small additional fee per record but receives the MVR within minutes.
Who can request a record
Federal law (the Driver's Privacy Protection Act) limits who can pull a Georgia MVR:
- The driver themselves.
- Insurance companies for underwriting and claims.
- Employers screening for any driving-related role.
- Courts and law enforcement.
- Researchers and journalists with a redaction agreement.
- Anyone with the driver's signed consent.
What's on a Georgia MVR
- Full name, date of birth, address, license number, and license status.
- Issuance and expiration dates of the current license, plus the original issuance date.
- All traffic-violation convictions during the lookback period, including DUIs and reckless driving (DUIs stay on the record for the lifetime record indefinitely).
- All accidents reported to DDS, with at-fault status when known.
- Point assessments for each conviction.
- Any suspension, revocation, or limited driving permit issued.
- Court supervision or nolo contendere dispositions for driving-related matters.
Disputing an error
If the MVR shows a violation you didn't commit, didn't enter a plea on, or that was dismissed, submit a Records Correction Request to the DDS Records Section with documentation — typically a court disposition or dismissal order. DDS reviews and updates the record within 10-15 business days. Errors most often appear when a Georgia traffic court reports a nolo contendere plea as a conviction or when an out-of-state violation is recorded against the wrong driver due to a name match.
Nolo contendere and the MVR
Georgia allows a "nolo contendere" plea (no contest) for most traffic violations. A successfully pled nolo contendere does not appear as a conviction on the MVR for insurance purposes if used within the once-every-5-years limit and on a non-DUI matter. Drivers with multiple recent nolo pleas should review their own MVR before applying for a CDL or commercial driving role.
For broader record questions, see our national driving safety hub.