EXPERT REVIEWED
by
Leslie Kasperowicz
Managing Editor
Most states have reciprocal agreements with each other regarding driver convictions. The shared information may be about a minor offense, such as a speeding ticket, or a major offense, like a DUI.
The Driver’s License Compact (DLC) and Non-Resident Violator Compact (NRVC) are the main reciprocal agreements for traffic violations. There is also the Driver’s License Agreement or DLA, but only a few states are members.
Key Highlights
- Member states of the Driver’s License Compact (DLC) share traffic ticket convictions of drivers with other states.
- Five states don’t share speeding ticket information with other states: Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
- Member states of the Non-Resident Violator Compact (NRVC) must suspend the driver’s license of anyone who fails to pay or otherwise legally resolve moving violations in another state.
- The states that are not NRVC members are Alaska, California, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
- The National Driver Register contains records of drivers whose licenses were revoked or suspended and those convicted of a DUI.
Which states belong to the Driver’s License Compact?
Member Driver’s License Compact (DLC) states must report driver traffic ticket convictions to the driver’s home state. That state determines whether to place the traffic offense on the driver’s record and if points are added to the driver’s license.
Members of the DLC:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
The members include all states except
Even if your state isn’t part of the DLC, an out-of-state ticket may follow you because most states have informal agreements to share information about traffic tickets.
What is the Non-Resident Violator Compact?
The Non-Resident Violator Compact (NRVC) requires member states to suspend the driver’s license of those who get traffic tickets for moving violations in other states and fail to pay them or otherwise legally resolve them. It does not apply to vehicle registration or parking citations.
Current members of the NRVC:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
NRVC members include all states except:
- Alaska
- California
- Michigan
- Montana
- Oregon
- Wisconsin
Again, though, each state may have agreements with other states and may still suspend or penalize a driver who doesn’t pay their out-of-state traffic ticket.
What about the Driver’s License Agreement – how is it different?
To establish a one-driver, one-record system, the Driver’s License Agreement (DLA) hopes to combine the DLC and NRVC and become a more efficient and effective agreement for the jurisdictions to share and transmit driver and conviction information.
However, few states have gravitated to the DLA — only Arkansas, Connecticut, and Massachusetts have signed up as members.
What is the National Driver Register?
Another registry is the National Driver Register (NDR), in which all states and the District of Columbia participate. The NDR contains records on drivers who have had their licenses revoked or suspended or were convicted of serious traffic violations (such as a DUI) throughout the United States.
When a person applies for a driver’s license, the state DMV should check if that individual’s name is in the NDR file. A new license may be denied if you’re listed as a problem driver on the NDR.
Which states do not transfer driving records?
Many states have taken the initiative to collaborate on addressing driving convictions, allowing them to share information regardless of severity. This could range from a minor speeding ticket to more serious offenses such as DUIs. However, the following states do not transfer driving records:
- Georgia
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Tennessee
- Wisconsin
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Laura Longero
Executive Editor
Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.
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John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.
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Leslie Kasperowicz
Managing Editor
Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.
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Nupur Gambhir
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Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.