MVRs: How to Pull Them, Read Them, and Act on Them

The Motor Vehicle Record is your window into a driver's history. Speeding tickets. Suspensions. DUIs. It's all there. And if you're not pulling MVRs correctly — or not pulling them at all — you're flying blind on driver risk and violating Part 391.

When to Pull an MVR

At hire (§391.23): Pull an MVR from every state where the driver held a license in the past 3 years. If they lived in Texas and Oklahoma in the past 3 years, that's two MVRs you need.

Annually (§391.25): Pull a fresh MVR from the driver's current state of licensure every 12 months. Compare it against the Annual Certificate of Violations the driver provides.

How to Pull MVRs

Each state has its own process and fee. Most states offer online ordering through their DMV website. Costs range from $2-$12 per record. Some states have bulk pricing for carriers.

Alternatively, use a third-party MVR provider. They'll pull from all states through one interface. Slightly more expensive ($5-$15 per record) but saves you from dealing with 50 different state systems.

What to Look For

• Moving violations — especially speeding, reckless driving, lane violations
• License suspension or revocation — immediate disqualification situation
• DUI/DWI — CDL disqualifying offense
• At-fault accidents — may affect your hiring decision and insurance
• CDL status — verify it's active and matches what the driver told you
• Medical certificate status — some states show whether the driver's med card is on file with the state

Annual Review Process

When the annual MVR comes in, you must review it within a reasonable time and take action on any disqualifying violations. Compare it to the driver's Annual Certificate of Violations. If the driver said "no violations" but the MVR shows three speeding tickets — that's a conversation you need to have.

Document your review with a date and signature from the person who reviewed it. This goes in the DQF alongside the MVR.

What If the Record Is Bad?

A single speeding ticket doesn't mean you fire someone. But patterns matter. Multiple violations, reckless driving, or any CDL-disqualifying offense requires action. Your decision should be documented — whether it's counseling, retraining, or termination.

Whatever you decide, write it down. "We reviewed the MVR and took no action" is better documentation than no documentation at all.