Minnesota Driving Records

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

A Minnesota driving record (often called the Driver License Record) lists driver license history, traffic convictions, accidents, license actions, restrictions, and endorsements. Driver and Vehicle Services offers the record in several formats — including a 5-year abstract, a complete record, a certified version, and a Driver and Vehicle Compliance (DAC) report used by trucking companies — and the format determines what's on it.

When you need a Minnesota driving record

Employer pre-hire screening for any role involving driving.
CDL renewal and DOT medical certification updates.
Insurance underwriting at policy bind or renewal.
Confirming a license suspension or court action has been cleared.
Disputing a traffic conviction or DVS entry that you believe was incorrectly applied.
Court use during a traffic citation defense or a DWI hearing.

Driving record types

Standard 5-Year Driving Record: shows traffic convictions and accidents from the last 5 years. Used by most employers and insurers. Cost: $8.
Limited Driving Record: shows convictions, license type, and current status without the full driver history. Cost: $8.
Certified Driving Record: bears the state seal; admissible in court. Cost: $11.50.
Complete Driving Record: the full retained history including older convictions and license actions. Cost: $9.
DAC compliance record: for CDL holders, includes federally required commercial driving information. Used by trucking carriers in pre-employment screening.

How to order online

The fastest channel is Minnesota.gov/DVS. Log in with your driver license number and date of birth, then select the record type. The PDF is available for download immediately after payment and is also emailed as a backup. Records ordered online are valid for 30 days for most insurance and employment uses.

How to order by mail or in person

Form PS31188 is the paper Driver License Record Information Request. The signed form, a copy of the requestor's photo ID, and a check for the appropriate fee can be mailed to the DVS Records Section in St. Paul. In-person requests at any DVS exam station are processed at the counter for the same fees. Most counter requests are filled within 10-15 minutes.

Employer and third-party access

Minnesota follows the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA). Driving records are not freely available to the public — requestors fall into one of 14 permissible uses including the driver themselves, employers in the trucking industry, insurance carriers, attorneys representing the driver, and government agencies. Employers must have written consent from the driver to obtain the record. The PS31188 form requires the requestor to certify the permissible use.

Reading the abstract

A Minnesota driving record contains:

Personal information (name, address, license number, date of birth).
License class, type (Standard, REAL ID, EDL), endorsements, and restrictions.
License action history — issuances, renewals, suspensions, revocations, cancellations, reinstatements.
Traffic convictions and the violation citation.
Reportable accidents and at-fault determinations.
DWI and chemical-test refusal entries.
Implied Consent revocations.
Failure to appear (FTA) entries and any holds tied to unpaid tickets.

Note that Minnesota does not assign numerical points to convictions — the abstract shows the violation directly, with conviction date, county, and citation number. See the driver record page for how Minnesota's no-points system handles repeat violations.

How long entries stay on your record

Standard moving violations: 5-7 years on the abstract for most uses.
Major violations (reckless driving, eluding police, vehicular assault): 10 years.
DWI and chemical-test refusal: 10 years for license-action purposes; permanent on the criminal record.
License suspensions, revocations, and reinstatements: 10 years on the abstract.
Felony DWI: lifetime entry for license-action purposes.

Minnesota does not allow expungement of a DWI conviction from the driving record. Some lower-tier convictions can be sealed by court petition, but the DVS record remains.

Disputing an error

If your driving record shows a violation that was dismissed or one that was charged to the wrong driver, you can dispute it. The process:

Order a current driving record so you have a copy of the disputed entry.
Obtain a certified copy of the court disposition showing dismissal, deferred prosecution, or wrong-person identification.
Submit a written request to the DVS Records Section with both documents.
Allow 30-60 days for the correction to post.

For more severe DVS actions tied to the disputed entry, the administrative review process is the right venue rather than the records dispute desk.

Insurance carriers and your record

Minnesota insurers typically pull a driving record at policy bind, at renewal, and after any reported claim. A 5-year record drives most rate calculations; serious violations look back further. Minnesota's no-fault insurance system means insurers also pull crash claim history from a separate database, so the driving record is only one of several inputs to underwriting.