With its majestic woodland forests and pristine terrain, Montana is a great state to drive through.
But while Montana may not be repeatedly crisscrossed with highways and byways like East Coast states, it still has its fair share of roads and traffic mishaps.
For this reason, many drivers are encouraged to procure their Montana driving record to keep tabs on citations and other features of their report.
It’s also a good idea to know what employers and auto insurers may be viewing.
Your driving record certainly affects your insurance rates, so it’s important to understand how the way you drive affects what you pay for car insurance.
About Montana Driving Records
The Montana Motor Vehicle Division keeps track of motorists’ driving records. The MVD stores driving records for the entire state of Montana.
These records contain information that includes driver’s license applications, citations, convictions, suspensions, accidents, and DUIs. Montana driving records also include personal information as well as license information.
Your Montana driving record will also list demerit points associated with your driver’s license. Drivers receive demerit points for citations and convictions.
Montana Driving Record Types
There are two types of Montana driving records issued by the MT MVD:
- Basic driver record
- Commercial driver record
A basic driver record will include your lifetime driving history, including personal history, license information, convictions, sanctions, and motor vehicle accidents. However, it will not contain information on a driver’s medical status, expiration date, and self-certification.
If this is what you need, request a commercial driver record. It will include all the information in a basic driver record plus your medical qualifications.
If the driving record is needed for legal or court proceedings, you should request a certified driver record. A certified copy of either your basic or commercial driver record will contain the same information but it will be certified to be true and correct by the MT MVD.
About Demerit Points
Racking up too many demerit points can result in license suspension. While demerit points fall off the driving record after three years, all convictions remain on your permanent driving record in the state of Montana nonetheless. It’s important to check your Montana driving record to make sure that points are reflected accurately.
To give you an idea, drivers who have accumulated a certain number of points on their driving record can get their license suspended or revoked.
If a driver accumulated 15 points in 36 months, the license suspension will be for six months. If 30 points or more in 3 years is accumulated, it will mean license revocation for three years.
But, as we mentioned, the points will be automatically removed from your driving record after three years (but the convictions will stay on your driving record permanently).
You can also attend a defensive driving course to avoid points or dismiss citations. If so, you must seek approval from the MT DMV or your court handler first.
How to Obtain Your Montana Driving Record by Mail
Drivers can obtain their Montana driving records by mail, online, or in person.
The fee to obtain your driving record by mail is $4. The fee can be paid with a check or money order.
Drivers must fill out the Release of Driving Records form (Form 34-0100) and have it notarized.
Proof of identity must also accompany your form and fee. For instance, you may submit a copy of your driver’s license or passport.
You must also include a self-addressed stamped envelope for your records to be mailed to you.
Mail your form to:
Montana Motor Vehicle Division
P.O. Box 201430
Helena, Montana 59620-1430
Obtaining Your Montana Driving Record Online
To order your driving record online, visit the MVD’s website. You can type in “driving record” in the search box for easy access.
Fill out the required information. You should plan to provide your legal name, license number, and the last four digits of your social security number.
The fee to obtain your records online is $7.25. Only credit cards are accepted for paying for online driving records.
Obtaining Your Montana Driving Record in Person
The fee to obtain your driving record in person is $4.
You may only obtain your record in person at the Motor Vehicle Division office in Helena. The address is 302 N. Roberts, Helena. The office is located on the second floor of the Scott Hart Building.
You must show proof of identity so be sure to bring your driver’s license or passport. Be sure to note that you cannot pay the fee by credit card or with cash when obtaining your driving record in person. You must pay by check or money order.
Checking Your Driving Record for Errors
It’s essential to scroll through your driving record for errors once you receive it. Even though mistakes are not common, they do happen. These errors in your report can lead to costly insurance rates and can even affect your job. Be sure that all items are reported accurately.
If you should notice an error, be sure to contact the MVD as soon as possible to have the error corrected. You should also contact your insurer so they can update their rates if need be to reflect the corrected driving record.
Who Can Access Your Driving Record?
In Montana, your driving record can be accessed by federal, state, and local government agencies like the police or courts. Employers and insurers can also access driving records. Parents of drivers under age 18 can also obtain the driving records of their minors. Driving records can be accessed by businesses in the process of collecting debts or by license investigators. Employers frequently check driving records to ascertain whether their employee or prospective employee is a responsible driver. Insurers use driving histories to assign rates to drivers.
Periodically checking your driving record is important. Not only do you need to know what’s on your record and that it is accurate, but you also need to guard against identity theft. Keeping tabs on your driving record helps you make sure that your record is clean and not being used in an untoward manner.