Applied for a job lately? If you have a particularly poor Washington DOL driving record, you could be in for a long wait.
Potential employers use your driving history as part of a standard background check to verify your identity and the information you put on your application. If the job entails driving while on company time, you may be passed up for the position due to violations on your driving record.
Likewise, insurance companies check your driving history when you apply for coverage, and the rates you get are largely determined by the information on your driving record. If it’s less than stellar, you’re probably going to be paying out of your ears for insurance.
Violations on Your Washington State Driving Record
Your driving record includes information about violations, convictions, and suspensions. It may also contain information about any traffic accidents you’ve been involved in.
If you get four moving violations within a 12-month period or five violations within a 24-month period, you will be put on probation. If you get 2 or more violations during your probationary period, your license will be suspended for 30 days, and you’ll go back on probation for another year once you get it back. The second suspension will earn you 60 days of taking the bus, the third 120 days, and the fourth and subsequent violations will result in a full year of not driving.
Probation and suspension are bad enough, but you’ll also have to pay the Department of Licensing fees as well as court costs and reinstatement fees, and you’ll probably be required to take a driver improvement course on your own dime before reinstatement. You’ll definitely pay higher insurance rates after a suspension.
Checking Your Driving Record for Accuracy is Essential
Mistakes on driving records are rare, but they can and do occur. Making sure your personal information is correct and checking the accuracy of any reported violations, convictions, and suspensions is essential to ensure you’re not penalized for inaccuracies, either by your insurance company or by potential employers.
How to Order Your Washington DOL Driving Record
You can order your driving history online, in person, or through the mail. Each way requires a $13 fee.
Order Online
There are two ways to order your Washington State driving record online.
The first option is to log in to License eXpress, the DOL site where you can do most of your licensing business online. Fill in the required information, pay the fee with a credit or debit card, and either print the record or email it to yourself so that you have it on file digitally.
The second way to order online is to go to the DOL website online order page and enter your name, driver’s license or state ID information, and the last four digits of your social security number. Pay the fee with your Visa, Mastercard, or American Express credit or debit card. The record will be available for 24 hours after you pay for it, so be sure to download it with Adobe Reader to so that you can view and print it before your session expires.
Order by Mail
To order a copy of your driving record through the mail, you’ll need to download, print and complete the Driving Record Request Form. Enclose it in an envelope along with a check in the amount of $13, made payable to the Department of Licensing, and mail it to:
Driver Records
Department of Licensing
Box 3907
Seattle, WA 98124-3907
Allow about two weeks to pass before you start looking for your driving record in the mail.
Order In Person
There are a number of locations where you can order your Washington State driving history in person. You’ll need a photo ID and payment in the form of cash or a check made payable to the Department of Licensing. Bring the payment along with the completed Driving Record Request Form to the office nearest you.
How To Clear Your Washington Driving Record
If you want to remove convictions from your driving record, you may be able to take an online defensive driving course. In the state of Washington, you need to receive special permission from the court you got the ticket in. However, if you do get permission to take a traffic school, it may eliminate a citation from your Washington driving record entirely.
Even if you are not able to remove a traffic violation from your driving record, an online traffic school can still sometimes be used in order to get a discount on your auto insurance rates. Be sure to ask your insurance agent if they offer discounts for enrolling into defensive driving courses.
If you are able to take a defensive driving class to remove a violation or lower your insurance premiums, check out one of the options below.
Top 4 Best Online Traffic Schools
Corrections and Questions
If you have any questions about your driving record, call the Department of Licensing at 360-902-3900 or send an email to drivers@dol.wa.gov.