Your driving record is a history of you as a driver and includes personal information, details of any accidents and violations, license points, license suspensions, and even driving courses you’ve completed. It's an important document that can seriously impact your

California car insurance rates

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What is a driving record?

Your driving record is a complete history of public records of you as a driver from the time you get your license. It’s sometimes known as a motor vehicle report and includes personal information, as well as records of accidents, tickets, and license suspensions.

Employers may want to see your driving record, but it's especially important to your auto insurance provider. Whenever your

policy is up for renewal

, your insurance company will check your driving record when

re-calculating your rates

MORE:

Motor vehicle reports, explained

How do I access my driving record in California?

The easiest way to access your California driving record is to submit an

online request through the DMV

. It only costs $2, but you’ll only have one opportunity to print the record, so you must have a printer available. This is not an official driving record.

For an official copy of your record, complete the

INF 1125 form

and either take it to your local DMV office or mail it to the address on the form. You will need to pay a fee of $5 per record.

Here’s the information you’ll need to include with the request:

The record number or title

The number of copies you want

Business name (if applicable)

Contact name and phone number

Street address

Requesting a driving record for someone else

If you want a copy of another person’s driving record, vehicle records, or ownership history of a vehicle, you will need to complete a

Request for Record Information (INF 70)

form. The fee is $2 online or $5 in person or by mail.

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Where else can I find my driving record in California?

Car insurance agents

You should also be able to request a copy of your driving record from insurance agents. Most insurance companies will check your record before providing you with a

car insurance quote

—and if you ask them for a copy, they’ll likely oblige.

Note that a report from your insurance company will be free but “unofficial.”

MORE:

Are there car insurance companies that don't check your driving record?

Online third-party vendors

Using an online vendor will get you a copy of your driving record quickly, but it will cost you more. The reports may also be less accurate than an official record from the DMV, so it’s a good idea to confirm with the vendor whether they are able to obtain an official report before you proceed.

What is on my record?

Your driving record consists of details about you and your driving history. This typically includes:

Personal information (e.g., name, address)

Driver’s license information

Infraction points

Accidents, citations, violations, and convictions

Fines paid or owed

License suspensions

Completed driving courses

A small infraction, such as a speeding ticket, may stay on your record for three years or so. More serious offenses, however, stay on your driving record for much longer—often 10 years or more, depending on the state. These include things like DUIs, reckless driving, and stunt driving.

DMV points in California

Some states use a point system, which adds points to your license for each offense. If you hit a certain number of points, your license will be suspended or revoked. The rules differ in each state, so make sure you’re familiar with the law where you live.

In California, the following violations remain on your record for 3 years:

Convictions worth 1 point, including minor violations like disobeying traffic signals or failing to stop for a school bus

Car accidents

License suspension and revocation

The following violations remain on your record for 10 years:

Convictions worth 2 points, including serious offenses like

DUI

and

reckless driving

DUI “failure to appear” offenses—all other “failure to appear” or “failure to pay” offenses remain on your record for 5 years

The state of California allows you to attend traffic school for some infractions. This can help you:

Have a ticket dismissed

Avoid adding points to your record

Potentially earn a discount on your car insurance premium

MORE:

Does a no-fault accident go on your record?

How can my driving record affect me?

Good or bad, your driving record can have a significant impact on your life. Here’s what it can influence.

Your insurance premium

Your driving record plays a huge role in your

car insurance rates

If you have multiple violations in your history, insurance companies will deem you a

high-risk driver

and your premiums will rise—sometimes up to 300%. Even a single speeding ticket can spike your insurance rate by 20% or more.

If you have a clean driving record, on the other hand, you’ll likely enjoy some of the lowest available rates.

MORE:

You can achieve a clean driving record. Here's how

Your ability to drive

If you have a reckless driving or DUI charge on your record, you’ll almost certainly have your driver’s license suspended. But you could also face a license suspension for racking up too many points.

Your job prospects

Some jobs require a clean driving record as a precondition of employment. If you want to be a firefighter, police officer, delivery driver, or do any other job where driving is a key duty, a spotty driving history won’t cut it.

Key Takeaway Your driving record is more than just a document. It can have a significant impact on other areas of your life—so it’s in your best interest to keep it as clean as possible.

What is the difference between driving records in each state?

Your driving record will be in the state where you reside and hold your driver’s license. The idea is to have one person with one license and one driving record. So if you live in California, the state of California will hold your driving record.

But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook if you commit an offense outside of your home state.

The Driver’s License Compact (DLC) is an agreement between states to exchange information about traffic violations and license suspensions. This means that if you commit a driving offense outside your home state, it will be reported to the DMV where you live—and you will be penalized if you broke the law.

There are only five states that are not part of the DLC. They are:

Georgia

Massachusetts

Michigan

Tennessee

Wisconsin

That said, these states may share information with other states through alternate agreements.

How to save money on your California car insurance

Whether your driving record is pristine or a little spotty, you can find

cheap car insurance

in California by comparing quotes on the

Jerry

app. A licensed broker that offers end-to-end support, the Jerry app gathers affordable quotes, helps you switch plans, and can even help you cancel your old policy.