Why Is It Important to Obtain Your Driving Record in Texas?

A driving record is one of the most essential components of every motorist’s experience, along with a driver’s license. A missing, incorrect, or negative version of your Texas driving record can have a significant impact on your life; affecting everything from your finances and job opportunities to your rights as a driver.

Generally, a driving record is a record of pertinent information about the driver, which might be used by motor vehicle departments, law enforcement agencies, employers, insurance companies, and others to evaluate an individual’s driving history. However, there is much more than that to official Texas driving records.

Keep reading to learn all you need to know about your Texas driver record and how to obtain a copy to start monitoring yours.

What Is a Driving Record?

A driving record contains a person’s driving and license history, including information such as whether a license is valid, infractions, criminal convictions connected to driving, and any vehicle-related incidents. It’s worth noting that driving records have been found to influence insurance rates significantly.

Driving records are important not just to insurance companies, but to employers, landlords, and others who may be considering someone for a job or lease. A bad Texas driving record can indicate recklessness, which is why it’s important to keep tabs on your own record and contest any errors that you may find there.

What Information Is on Your Texas Driver Record?

All violations (including moving and non-moving), accidents, DUI convictions, license suspensions, license points, and your current license status record are included in your Texas driver record.

The state of Texas uses a point system to track various driving violations. A traffic moving violation, for example, earns two points on your driver’s license. A moving violation that results in a traffic accident, on the other hand, draws three points in Texas.

Note that this point system applies to your driver record, not your actual license. However, if you accumulate a large number of points, your license may be revoked or you may face additional penalties such as having to take a defensive driving course.

In the state of Texas, for example, if you’re convicted of seven or more moving violations in 24 months, you’re very likely to have your license suspended.

Types of Texas Driving Records

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) keeps full track of an individual’s driving records and updates it whenever they are involved in an infraction or accident. In Texas, drivers may obtain six types of driving records. They include:

Type 1

The basic personal information included in the Type 1 Texas driving record is your birth date, address, driver’s license status, and the original license application for your driver’s license.

Type 2

The Type 2 record is a three-year history report that includes the driver’s personal information as well as fines, traffic accidents, and non-moving infractions.

Type 2A

Type 2A is a 3-year history that has been certified. This record provides all of the same information as the 3-year history (Type 2) with the addition that it has been certified. A certified record can be used to submit applications to courts or for other official purposes.

Type 3

The Type 3 Texas driving history covers all accidents and infractions. Even if no citations were issued, all crashes are recorded on this report. This record also contains the driver’s personal information and can only be ordered by the person whose name is on the record.

Type 3A

The 3A certified driving report is the same as the Type 3 record, except that it is a verified or certified document. This certified version of type 3 from the Texas DPS may be used in official situations. Only the person whose name is on the record can order this driving record.

Type AR

Finally, the Type AR driving record is a certified and complete abstract. This document covers the driver’s entire career in a comprehensive report.

In Texas, your complete certified driving history covers the previous fifteen years of your driving experience. Keep in mind that infractions may be noted on a driver’s record for an extended or indefinite period.

Why It Is important to Obtain Your Texas Driving Record

You begin to develop a driver’s record the day you get your learner’s permit. While most driving records only keep information for three to ten years, they help you and others evaluate your driving history.

Keeping track of your driving habits is only one of the many reasons you would want or need to get a copy of your driving record. Here are a few more reasons why it is critical to obtain your driving record:

To Determine Insurance Rates

Auto insurance companies will take notice of the information on your driver’s record and use it to customize your premium rates. Any inaccurate data on your driving history may significantly raise insurance rates. This is especially true if you have incurred traffic violations in the past or been involved in accidents involving other motor vehicles. Hence, you must ensure that your driver’s history is accurate and up to date.

Employers May Request a Copy

If a job position requires you to drive for any amount of distance while working, a potential employer would want to look at an applicant’s driving record. Employers may also check an applicant’s driving record since hiring a driver with no traffic infractions lowers their own insurance premiums. Even one accident can dramatically raise insurance premiums.

In many instances, it is quite simple that someone with red flags on their driving record such as reckless driving convictions, accidents caused by the driver, and speed violations is not the person you want to drive the company car or bus.

Oftentimes accidents occur when someone is not paying attention or demonstrates a lack of care for the law. In order to be a responsible driver, you should aim to maintain a clean driving history as much as possible.

To Take a Defensive Driving School

If you wish to take a defensive driving course in Texas, courts require that you submit a certified type 3A copy of your driver’s history to them.

Many drivers who have recently been cited for a traffic violation may be able to keep it off of their record by taking a defensive driving course. The state of Texas usually accepts both online and in-person courses, and they can be completed in a matter of a few weeks.

However, you can only take defensive driving once a year in Texas to dismiss a citation. The court will use your submitted driving record to verify that you haven’t taken defensive driving in that time.

Always keep in mind that you must submit the type 3A driving record; it cannot be any other type to take a defensive driving course! In addition, it might take anywhere from one to three months for defensive driving training to show up on your driving record.

For Legal Matters Involving Your Driving

A copy of your Texas driving record is required for all legal issues relating to your driving, including traffic citations. For example, if you’re arrested for driving under the influence in Texas, your license will be suspended immediately.

You then have 15 days to request a hearing which requires legal representation and could result in keeping your license valid or getting rid of charges altogether.

After thoroughly examining your complete driving record and the specifics of your arrest, your legal counsel will fight for the best possible result in court on your behalf. It might be possible to have your license reinstated, penalties reduced, or charges dismissed.

To Fix Mistakes on Your Record

You may request a certified driver record to discover what kind of fines, charges, and citations were levied on your car driver’s license throughout the last fifteen years. This can assist you in determining any problems that are preventing you from obtaining a loan, qualifying for certain occupations, or decreasing your insurance premium rates.

If there is a mistake in your driving records, such as a drug or DUI conviction that was recorded in error, you must notify the Texas Department of Public Safety. Once you have reported this, they can then make the adjustment.

It may be necessary for you to submit evidence or documentation demonstrating that you are not the individual in question to the court. You must then wait for 14 to 21 business days for your driving record to be updated once the Department receives your correction.

Order Your Copy Online

Online ordering is the most convenient method to get a driver’s record here in Texas. You can get your records anytime and anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. Plus, you don’t have to go through unnecessary paperwork and the hassle of traveling to the Texas DPS and standing in line for hours.

To get your driver’s record in Texas, you can visit an authorized third-party service, like TX-DPS. If you want to obtain your driving record via an expedited service, then we are your best option!

To purchase a driver record online, you must have the following information ready to start the transaction:

• Your name.
• Your date of birth.
• Your current home address.
• Your phone number and email address.
• Your driver’s license number.
• The last 4 digits of your social security number.
• The audit number or DD number (Document Discriminator) is located on the bottom of your driver’s license.
• You will need a valid MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover card to pay the fee when placing the order online. 

You should be aware that obtaining your driving record through TX-DPS is quick and convenient. You can be sure you know exactly what your driving record contains when you access it through TX-DPS.

How TX-DPS Can Help

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has authorized TX-DPS Records to supply Type 3A Certified driver records. You may order a copy of your driving report directly through our website.

We are committed to keeping your details safe and secure. We use industry-standard encryption tools, so when you send us documents containing sensitive information like bank account numbers or Social Security numbers (SSNs), it’s automatically encrypted.

When you need to get your Texas driving record, using our simple procedure will get it to you as quickly as possible.

You can have your driver record delivered via email in 12 hours or less. You can also opt to have it sent through UPS overnight delivery or standard mail. With TX-DPS, you’ll have your certified version of type 3A driving record in no time!

Why You Should Choose TX-DPS

Our service allows you to obtain your driver’s history at a much cheaper rate than other third-party providers. We also offer you an expedited service for when you need your record fast!

For as little as $23.99, you will be able to receive your driving record in less than 12 hours, which is a fraction of the time it would take to receive the same information from other providers. You can rest assured that the information contained in your report will be accurate and up to date.

Our BBB rating says it all as an external expedited source for vital records like driving records. We do our best to make sure our customers get what they need with as little hassle as possible. Drivers who need certified Texas driver records can now get expert, timely service that is free of errors and delays.

Contact Us

Do you have any concerns about the procedure for obtaining your driver’s record or anything you want to clarify? You can contact us online or call us at (888) 596-7307 for more information. We assure you that your questions are answered as quickly as possible by one of our customer service professionals.

We strive to provide a quick, efficient, and pleasant vital records ordering experience for all of our customers. TX-DPS is here to help you get your order sent out as soon as possible and offer one-day rapid processing, should you require it for any of your vital records, including driving records, birth certificates, and death records.

Do not pass up the opportunity to get your driving record quickly from TX-DPS today!