How to Get Your Louisiana Driving Record

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Last Updated on January 15, 2022

Do you know that every licensed driver in Louisiana has a driving record?

The state keeps tabs on each traffic violation you make. When you drive recklessly, you get points. Each time you make an illegal turn and get caught, you earn more points. So, any time you ever got a speeding ticket and thought that paying it off was enough, you were wrong. The state recorded this and more violations.

Do you want to know the interesting part?

This record is public information, so you may want to know what’s in it before applying for your next job or approaching your insurance company about lower premiums.

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What’s On My Louisiana Driving Record?

Your driving record is an overview of your road behavior. It includes traffic offenses like:

  • Any accidents you may have been involved in,
  • All traffic offense violations and convictions,
  • The status of your commercial driving license,
  • Whether your license has been suspended, canceled, or revoked in the past, etc.

You might wonder how long the state holds on to traffic offenses and which ones will appear on your record. Typically, severe offenses remain on your record for as many as ten years. Minor offenses can be struck off in about three years. So, the worse your violations, the longer you’ll have to wait for the record to be free of violations.

Who Can Access My Louisiana Driving Record?

It would be great if we could keep prying eyes away from our driving records. However, this is not possible, seeing as these are public records. Any of the following competent authorities can request access to your driving record and obtain it:

  • Louisiana law enforcement.
  • DMV officials.
  • Insurance providers: Insurance companies often crackdown on traffic violators by increasing their insurance premiums. Your insurer has a right to check if you’ve been on the right side of the law and to revise your insurance premiums based on what they find out.
  • Employers: Did you know that potential employers can look up your driving record? The chances are high that your current employer did the same thing to gauge your suitability for the job, especially with commercial driving contracts.
  • Lawyers: If you are ever involved in a traffic accident or violation, lawyers can access your driving records to argue for or against your driving skills.

Now that you see how many people can use this information, wouldn’t you like to know what they would find if they obtained your record?

What are the Types of Driving Records Issued in Louisiana?

Most states offer at least two types of driving records. Applicants often choose between a simplified driving record or a complete report spanning a driver’s entire history. But in Louisiana, you only have one option. It includes recent and past traffic violations. Thus, anyone who gets their hands on this report will have a complete overview of your track driving behavior.

How Can I Access My Louisiana Driving Record?

Do you want a head start on your driving record? You can obtain it in three ways.

The first option is to access the DMV online, which you can do right from the comfort of your home. You will receive a digital copy which you can access at any time for a 30-day maximum period. The fee to access the digital copy is $15, coupled with an extra e-commerce charge of $2. After this, you will no longer have access to the digital copy.

The second option is to mail in your request to the central Louisiana OMV location. You will need to complete an Official Driving Record (ODR) Request form, which you can find at the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. You need to accompany this request with a $15 money order or check for processing. Send the fee and the form to:

Office of Motor Vehicles

Attention: ODR

P.O. Box 64886

Baton Rouge, LA 70896

Please note that a mail application will take longer to complete.

The final and most time-consuming option is to walk into a DMV location with a complete Official Driving Record (ODR) Request Form. You will pay $15 for this, payable by cash, check, credit card, or money order at the OMV location.

Please choose the option that feels most convenient to you based on how urgent the record is and how much you wish to spend on it.

What Information Do I Need to Provide?

The authorities require that you provide them with the following details regardless of the mode of application:

  • Your full name (as on your primary ID),
  • Your address,
  • Your date of birth, and
  • Your driver’s license number.

Please review your driving record before using it for any official purposes. While errors are not common, your record may feature some violations you did not commit. If you find any errors, do not hesitate to contact your nearest Louisiana OMV.

How do Points Get Added to My Louisiana Driving Record?

While most states used a point system, Louisiana relies on a Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) to track drivers’ past driving behavior. Interestingly, this system tracks your driving in and out of Louisiana. Thus, authorities can use it to determine if you are fit to drive in Louisiana. The more points on your system, the higher your chances of getting your license suspended, canceled, or revoked. For example, drivers who commit DWI offenses get their licenses suspended for a year. The same punishment follows drivers caught driving recklessly at least thrice within 12 months.

Besides getting your license suspended, having too many points on your system hurts your insurance premiums and could lock you out of employment. Start keeping track of your points today to avoid such a negative impact on your driving record.