What Is an MVR Check? A Complete Guide
What is a Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) Check?
A Motor Vehicle Record check is a review of a driver’s official driving history as maintained by a state motor vehicle agency. Employers use MVR checks to confirm that a driver is legally licensed to operate a vehicle. It also helps to identify past violations, accidents, or license status changes that may indicate elevated risk.
For companies that employ drivers, MVR checks are a foundational part of hiring, compliance, and risk management.
What Information Does an MVR Show?
A driving record reflects how an individual has operated a motor vehicle over time. While the level of detail and retention period can vary by state, most MVRs include consistent data points employers rely on when assessing risk.
Typically, an MVR shows the driver’s current license status, including whether the license is valid, suspended, revoked, or restricted. They also list moving violations such as speeding, reckless driving, or impaired driving offenses. In many cases, accidents reported to the state appear on the record, along with endorsements, restrictions, and points.
Employers review this information to confirm that a driver meets company standards. It also helps to understand what qualifies as a clean driving record. Learn more in: What is a Clean Driving Record for Employment?
Why Employers Use MVR Checks?
Employers rely on MVR reviews to reduce accident exposure at multiple stages of the employment lifecycle.
During hiring, an MVR check helps confirm that a candidate meets internal standards for safe driving and license eligibility. Read more: Driving Record Background Check: What to Review Before You Hire. After hire, it supports compliance and safety efforts and helps demonstrate that driver oversight continues beyond onboarding.
As part of a broader screening process, many employers also include additional checks to build a more complete picture of driver risk—outlined in 5 Essential Driver Background Checks for Safe Hiring.
When Employers Should Run an MVR Check?
Many employers associate MVR checks only with pre-employment screening, but driving records can change quickly due to new violations, suspensions, or accidents. Relying on a single check at hire often creates blind spots and higher exposure.
Common times to run an MVR include before hiring, during ongoing reviews ,and after incidents. Also, in preparation for insurance renewals and audits. Each of these moments represents a point at which updated visibility into a driver’s record can influence a decision.
Best-practice guidance around timing and process is covered in MVR Checks for Employers: Do’s & Don’ts, which expands on how organizations structure reviews and apply consistent standards.
Are MVR Checks Required by Law?
Whether MVR checks are required depends on the type of driver, vehicle ,and where the company operates (See infographic: Am I DOT Regulated?). For CDL drivers, federal regulations require employers to obtain and maintain MVRs as part of the Driver Qualification File (DQF). The FMCSA requires an MVR to be reviewed at the time of hire and updated at least once every 12 months to verify license status and identify disqualifying violations.
For unregulated non-CDL drivers, MVR requirements are typically driven by the company policy and insurance requirements. Even though non-CDL drivers aren’t regulated by FMCSA, employers are still responsible for their behavior and take on the same risk if something goes wrong.
What’s the Difference Between MVR Checks vs. MVR Monitoring?
An MVR only provides a snapshot of a driver’s record at a single point in time. On the other hand, Continuous MVR Monitoring automatically tracks driving records in near real time and reports new negative changes.
With traditional checks, employers must decide how often to pull records and manually review them. Monitoring alerts employers to new violations and license changes, and scoring drivers with issues, helping them identify risk sooner with less manual work.
How to order MVRs?
Employers must obtain MVRs directly and cannot rely on or share reports. Learn more about the differences in Employer MVRs vs. Insurance MVRs.
To obtain a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) for employees, employers must first obtain an employee signed consent. From there, MVRs can be ordered by submitting basic information such as driver details and the states where records are needed. For ongoing oversight, employers can enroll drivers in continuous MVR Monitoring. To get started, contact us with the number of drivers and the states you operate in.
*We are not lawyers. Consult with your legal counsel to ensure your processes and procedures meet/ or exceed safety standards and compliance regulations. Please read our legal disclaimer.
