How to Read Your California Driving Record
by Desi CrallA California driving record contains information about your driving history and personal identification information as well as lists any restrictions on a license. Some employers will ask that you purchase and submit a driving record for hiring purposes. This can also be a requirement when you will be transporting other people, such as children, even if it is on a volunteer basis. It is important to know how to read a driving record in order to check for accuracy and outdated information. The record can be difficult to read if it contains a number of different violation codes and restrictions.
Reading Your California Driving Record
Step 1
Locate personal information by the following abbreviations: B/D is date of birth; RES ADD stands for Residential Address; HT is your height; and WT is your weight. This information should match your driver's license.
Step 2
Find information about your license by identifying the following abbreviations: DL/NO is your driver's license number; LIC/ISS tells when the license was issued; and EXP stands for the expiration date of the license.
Step 3
Locate driving history information by looking for the following abbreviations: COURT stands for courthouse number. If you appeared in court for a violation, you will find the number listed here. VIOL/DT lists the date of a traffic violation. The specific violation is listed under SEC/VIOL. You will find the docket number, which is the same thing as a court case number, listed under DKT/NO.
Step 4
Check for violations on your driving record. California uses a number code system to simplify the violations code. Refer to the Common California Vehicle Code Violations Used In Negligent Operator Counts chart to locate a specific code. This can be found in the Resources section.
Step 5
Identify any driving restrictions that are listed on your record. First-year drivers will have a statement on their driving record that tells who they can drive in a vehicle with and for how long this restriction will last. Restrictions should be automatically removed by the DMV computer system once time limits have been reached.
Things You'll Need
- Copy of your California driving record
- Internet access
- Common California Vehicle Code Violations chart
Writer Bio
Desi Crall has a B.A. in Political Science from California State University Sacramento, and is currently a graduate student of Elementary Education at the University of Phoenix. Desi has worked as a freelance writer for three years, with articles and blogs appearing on sites such as Examiner.com, Today.com, and BrightHub.com.
