, these records can focus on incidents that occurred specifically at work or outside of your job. Both can be accessed by employers or insurance companies, which can affect your job candidacy and

car insurance rates

Here’s a rundown of how to look into your Oregon driving record, what it might contain, and how its contents can impact your future.

What is a driving record?

A driving record, or motor vehicle record (MVR), is an

Oregon license

holder’s public driving history. Typically this contains some personal details—along with information relating to accidents, motor convictions or violations, and license suspensions and revocations.

How do I access my driving record in Oregon?

You may order your driving record in Oregon online, in person, or by mail.

Payment will depend on what type of record you need. Generally, a certified non-employment record costs $1.50, a certified employment record costs $2, and a certified court-print driving record will cost $3. All fees default to $1.50, however, if the DMV can’t find the record.

Online requests can be made through the

Oregon DMV’s web portal

. The process will require your Oregon license or ID number and the last 6 digits of your SSN, so be sure to have that information on hand.

To request your record in person, fill out the

Order Your Own Record form (753-7266)

and bring it along with acceptable proof of identity and the proper payment to your local DMV. Before making the trip, check first to confirm that the DMV processes driving record requests, as not all locations do so. If they don’t, you will need to apply at the Salem office.

You also can mail your form and payment to the address indicated on the form. If you’d like your record mailed to you, include your mailing address. If you’d prefer to pick your record up in person, leave a contact number and bring proof of identity to the DMV. You also may have your record faxed.

You’ll need to include the following information on the form:

Name and date of birth

Oregon driver's license or ID number

Mother’s maiden name

Place of birth

Mailing address (if applicable)

Contact information (if applicable)

Key Takeaway: You can request your record online, in person, or through the mail in Oregon. Depending on what record you need, you can expect to spend $1-3.

Requesting a driving record for someone else

To request a record for another person, the requestor must have written, notarized permission from the driver in question. This may be sent in by mail or handed into the DMV alongside

form 753-7266

and the proper payment.

To obtain records without the written consent of the individual in question, you must qualify to receive records under Oregon’s Record Privacy Law.

If you do not qualify or you have not received notarized permission, you may obtain a sanitized copy of the record. This is an uncertified record with all the driver’s personal information removed.

MORE:

Oregon car insurance laws

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Where else can I find my driving record in Oregon?

Car insurance agents

Before insurance companies give you a quote, they run a check on your driving history. In Oregon, this means they’ll have what’s called an open-ended, non-employment driving record on hand, and will give you an abstract of it if you ask.

While this may be a free option, keep in mind that this won’t be an official record. If you require an official document, you’ll still need to go through the DMV.

Online third-party vendors

You can typically purchase your record online to receive it faster, but beware—these records tend to be less accurate than those from the DMV. You’ll want to make sure the vendor is capable of obtaining an official record before you continue.

What is on my record?

While records can vary in focus and length, they all contain much of the same material, including:

Traffic violations and accident entries

Criminal traffic offenses

License suspensions, cancellations, and revocations

Diversion agreements

In Oregon, there are five types of driving records available:

Certified court print

3-year non-employment

Non-employment, open-ended (solely for insurance providers)

3-year employment

Certified court print with Commercial Driver License (CDL) medical certification

A non-employment record contains entries that occurred outside of employment-related activities while an employment record only contains entries that occurred on the job.

Court prints, on the other hand, contain most entries that occurred within the last five years, or in some cases, ten years.

Key Takeaway: In Oregon, you can request a non-employment or employment record, or a certified court print. All contain much of the same information but with varying focus and history duration.

DMV points in Oregon

Unlike most other states, Oregon does not use a point system to monitor traffic offenses. Rather, the DMV keeps a record of past convictions as part of your driving history. In other words, you accumulate tickets, but they aren’t assigned any point value.

More serious convictions, however, and/or more frequently occurring ones, can risk license suspension or revocation.

If your record contains several violations, the state allows you to take a defensive driving course to dismiss one citation every five years. This is changed to once every three years, however, if you are taking a mature driver course and are under the age of 70.

You can also take a distracted driving avoidance course to remove a distracted driving citation—but only if you are a first-time offender.

MORE:

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How can my driving record affect me?

Collecting numerous traffic citations can impact your driving record in Oregon—this hurts other aspects of your life, too. Let’s break down what might be affected.

Your insurance premium

Insurance companies may deem you a

high-risk driver

if you accumulate too many tickets in your driving history. When this happens, you may see your premiums jump by as much as 300%. Just having a speeding ticket can amount to a 20% rate increase, so it’s important to keep your record as clean as possible.

Being a careful driver has its own rewards, as well—drivers without citations on their records enjoy some of the lowest premiums available.

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Your ability to drive

In Oregon, adult drivers who accrue a total of three traffic convictions or accidents within 18 months will have their license restricted for 30 days. A restriction means that you’re prohibited from driving between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. unless your job requires it.

Adult drivers who accrue four traffic convictions or three accidents or any combination within 24 months will face

license suspension

for 30 days. A suspension means that you cannot operate any vehicle until your suspension is over.

Failure to comply with either a restriction or a suspension will result in license revocation. This takes away your driving privileges indefinitely.

Your credit rating

A bad driving record won’t affect your credit score, but failing to pay a ticket might. The longer a ticket goes unpaid beyond its due date, the more likely a collection agency will step in—this can hurt your credit score significantly.

Your job prospects

Certain employers may use your driving record as a way to screen job applicants. Therefore, having a long history of convictions may end up costing you a career opportunity. This is especially the case if you’re interested in fields that require the operation of a vehicle, like law enforcement and the postal service.

Key Takeaway: A bad driving record can raise your insurance rates, limit your job opportunities, and even result in a suspended or revoked license.

MORE:

Good driving record discounts, explained

What is the difference between driving records in each state?

Your driving record is always located in the state where you currently reside and hold a license. That way, no matter what

state you move to

, all of your information is in one place. If you live and drive in Oregon, your records will live there, too.

This does not mean, however, that traffic offenses committed outside of Oregon will not end up on your record.

Rather, the Driver’s License Compact (DLC)—an interstate agreement—has ensured that traffic violations and license suspensions are regularly communicated between states. Therefore, if you receive a ticket while traveling in another state, your local DMV will be notified and you will be penalized accordingly.

There are only five states that do not belong to the DLC. These are:

Despite this, these states can still communicate driver information to other states through alternate agreements.

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