MVR Check for Employers: What You Need to Know

Cindy Ellis - December 7, 2024

MVR checks are important for many different career fields, and there are a few things that employers need to know about before they request an MVR check from a potential applicant. If you need to conduct MVR checks on your employees, or if you are simply wondering what an MVR check is, our article can help you understand more about MVR checks and their importance.

What Is an MVR Check?

A Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check is a type of background check that looks specifically at someone’s background check report. These checks provide an in-depth history of a person’s driving records, including any traffic offenses, DUIs, or other motor vehicle records that could potentially impact the person’s ability to carry out a job.

Unlike regular background check reports, MVR checks require a specialized form, as a person’s driving records – with the exception of criminal driving offenses – are not considered to be public record. Special permissions and consent need to be obtained before employers can carry out an MVR check.

Who Needs to Submit an MVR Check?

There are a few different career fields and professions where MVR checks are essential to the hiring process. In general, these are careers where individuals will be operating vehicles or heavy machinery. 

Common jobs where MVR checks may be required include:

• Delivery driving
• Ambulance operation
• Commercial truck driving
• Law enforcement
• Bus driving
• Construction workers
• Taxi or transportation workers

If you have questions or concerns about whether or not you need to conduct MVR checks for your company or employees, you can check federal and state-level guidelines for more information.

What Will an MVR Check Look At?

MVR checks look at a person’s motor vehicle records. These records are very personal, which is why a separate check is required to look at these items. Typically, MVR checks will include the following information:

• The applicant’s full name, birth date, and physical descriptors such as height, weight, gender, hair color, and eye color
• The applicant’s driver’s license number, issuance date, and expiration date 
• The type of license the applicant possesses
• Traffic violations and traffic crimes
• Accident reports
• License suspension information
• Points assessed against the applicant and their driver’s license

Additionally, MVR checks can confirm a person’s identity and make sure that the person provided the correct identification and driver’s license number. They can also confirm that the individual has a valid driver’s license and that they are insurable. 

Employers can also verify if the job applicant has the right type of driver’s license to complete the job they are applying for, such as a commercial driver’s license or a license with a specific type of endorsement.

Why Are MVR Checks Important?

MVR checks are important because they allow employers to perform their due diligence for new employees and maintain specific safety requirements. This protects employees, the employer, and customers, as only individuals who are qualified and skilled at their job will pass the MVR check.

Additionally, employers limit their risk with MVR checks for all employees, something that allows them to prevent lawsuits and other legal issues in the case that an employee experiences an accident while on the job. MVR checks also help employers meet both federal and state regulations For applicant screening.

How Do You Fail an MVR Check?

You can fail an MVR check by having a disqualifying offense on your report. What counts as a disqualifying offense does vary from employer to employer, but many employers do need to follow federal regulations for what is allowable on an MVR check.

In general, serious criminal traffic offenses, a history of DUIs, or falsified driving and identity information will disqualify you from a job that requires an MVR check. It’s important that you check the hiring requirements of the position you are applying for and any company-specific or federal regulations to understand what is required to pass an MVR check.

What Services Do Employers Use for MVR Checks?

Employers may use a variety of different services for MVR checks, though the most common and reliable way to obtain MVR checks is by requesting them directly from the State Department of Motor Vehicles. Alternatively, employers can order MVR checks for employees directly from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

In some cases, employers may use third-party checking services, but these may not be as reliable as MVR checks conducted directly through a state or federal agency.

What Employers Need to Know About MVR Checks

As employers get ready to run MVR checks, there are a few different things to keep in mind. Below, we discuss the three most important things that employers need to consider as they start to conduct MVR checks.

Written Notice and Consent

Every state requires that employers give written notice to applicants that MVR checks will be required, and consent must be obtained before an MVR check can be run on a person. Some states have different laws regarding the disclosure of the information that the MVR check is looking at, and other states may require that the employer provide a copy of the MVR check to the applicant after their review has been completed.

Employers must follow all state and federal laws regarding MVR checks in order to make sure these checks are valid.

Procedures for Adverse Action

An adverse action refers to the termination of a job or the denial of an applicant to a certain position based on the information shown in their MVR check. Taking an adverse action after an MVR check has been completed needs to follow a certain set of procedures, and employers are generally required to provide the applicant written notice of their findings in addition to details on the agency that carried out the MVR report.

Some states may also allow applicants to dispute the findings of an MBR check or to provide further context for an employer to take into consideration.

Consumer Reporting Compliance

After you have requested an MVR check from a certain agency or third-party checking service, you will be required to provide acknowledgment of your compliance with any rules and regulations that state and federal laws have in place. 

Employers are not allowed to review MVR checks for employees without providing this consent in order to comply with consumer reporting rules, as these reports are highly personal information, and they cannot be handed out to someone who will not handle the report correctly. 

How Do I Stay Compliant When Running an MVR Check?

Employers can stay compliant when running an MVR check by following all state and federal regulations surrounding obtaining consent and written notification. Employers must also handle the report with care and follow proper procedures when it comes to adverse actions based on an MVR check. 

If states have ban-the-box laws in place, these laws must also be followed to reduce instances of discrimination based on the findings of an MVR check.

How Long Does an MVR Check Take?

How long an MVR check takes depends on the service conducting the report and any delays in specific agencies that may be compiling this report. In general, it can take a few business days to receive an MVR check, though this report may take up to a week or two to be delivered to employers.

How Far Back Does an MVR Check Look?

Most MVR checks will look back at a driver’s history of between seven and ten years. Different states and employers may vary in regulations and preferences of how much history an MVR check covers. Some federal laws may also apply to certain careers, such as commercial truck driving, where details of a driving history of up to ten years can be reviewed.

Are DUIs Included on MVR Checks?

DUIs are included on MVR checks, and this is because a DUI is a type of driving offense. Many individuals who are arrested for DUIs will receive a criminal conviction for this action, and DUIs will stay on an individual’s background check report indefinitely. Employers must check for a history of DUIs on an MVR check report to ensure that an applicant is qualified for the job they are applying for. 

The Importance of MVR Checks

MVR checks are incredibly important when it comes to careers where individuals are operating vehicles or heavy machinery. Without an MVR check in place as part of the screening process, individuals may not be qualified for the jobs they are hired for, endangering other employees, themselves, customers, and the employer. 

If you are an employer, it’s important you learn all about MVR checks and how to stay compliant when requesting this essential pre-hiring screening report.