How to Check Your Ohio Driving Record: Online, Mail, and Points

You can check your Ohio driving record online in about ten minutes through the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles portal at bmvonline.dps.ohio.gov, or by submitting Form 1173 by mail or in person at a Deputy Registrar. Certified records cost $5.00 each, and the online option adds a small card processing fee.¹

Which Record Should You Order

The BMV offers three versions of your record, and the right one depends on why you need it.²

A driving record abstract is a certified three-year summary of moving violation convictions, accident involvement, and any suspensions or revocations. This is what employers and insurers typically ask for.
A driving record history is a certified record covering your complete history in the BMV database, including license class, status, and every reported conviction, suspension, and accident. Order this if you need documentation going back further, such as for a legal proceeding or a professional license application.³
An unofficial two-year record is a view-only snapshot from the past two years, available only online. It cannot be printed as a certified document, but it works well for a quick personal check.

Ordering Online

The online portal is the fastest route. You can order the certified three-year abstract, the full driving history, or view the unofficial two-year record on screen. Each certified record costs $5.00, plus a 1.95% processing fee with a $1.75 minimum, and only credit or debit cards are accepted.¹

To pull the record, have your Ohio driver’s license number and date of birth ready. The BMV will also accept your Social Security number, or your name and date of birth, as alternative identifiers.² Your Social Security number is not required, but providing it helps the BMV match your record more accurately.³

If you expect to pull your record more than once, the BMV’s Driver Record Account lets you order and manage certified records under a single login. That’s useful for anyone whose job or licensing requires periodic checks.

Ordering by Mail or In Person

For a paper request, use BMV Form 1173, the Ohio BMV Record Request Form. You can download it as a PDF from the BMV website or pick it up at any Deputy Registrar license agency.³ Fill in your full legal name, mailing address, and at least one identifier such as your driver’s license number or date of birth. Check the box for the record type you want.

Mail the completed form with a $5.00 check or money order payable to “Ohio Treasurer of State” to:

Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Attn: BMV Records
P.O. Box 16520
Columbus, Ohio 43216-6520³

Mailed requests can take several weeks, so plan ahead if you have a deadline. For an in-person request, bring the completed Form 1173 with your driver’s license or other valid ID to any Deputy Registrar. The fee is the same $5.00, and you can pay by card, check, or cash.² In-person requests are typically processed faster than mail.

What Shows Up on the Record

An Ohio driving record compiles the license-related events the BMV tracks. Depending on which version you order, you’ll see moving violation convictions such as speeding or OVI offenses, points assessed against your license, accident involvement reports, and any suspensions or revocations.² The record also shows your current license class and status, which tells you whether your driving privileges are active, suspended, or revoked. Points are added within ten days of a conviction or bail forfeiture.⁴

Reading Your Points

Points are the reason most drivers check their own record. Ohio assigns them by severity of the violation:

OVI (DUI) conviction: 6 points
Leaving the scene of an accident: 6 points
Reckless operation: 4 points
Speeding more than 30 mph over the limit: 4 points
Speeding 6 to 30 mph over the limit: 2 points
Running a red light or stop sign: 2 points
Following too closely: 2 points
Improper passing: 2 points
Hit-skip on private property: 2 points

The BMV sends a warning letter when you reach six points within a two-year window.⁵ At 12 points within two years, the BMV suspends your license and the registrar sends written notice listing the violations that triggered it. Driving on a suspended license after a 12-point suspension is a first-degree misdemeanor carrying a mandatory minimum of three days in jail.⁶

Ohio’s adult remedial driving course, an eight-hour defensive driving program offered in a classroom or online, earns a two-point credit on your record. The course does not erase existing violations, but the credit can keep your total below the warning-letter and suspension thresholds. If you’re at four or five points and expect another ticket to post, completing the course beforehand is worth considering.

Fixing an Error You Find

Errors happen, especially when court clerks report convictions to the BMV. A conviction that was later overturned, a case of mistaken identity, or a data entry mistake can all appear on your file. If you spot something wrong, contact the BMV at (844) 644-6268, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit a Deputy Registrar in person. Bring supporting documentation, such as a court entry showing a dismissal or proof of a name change, to speed up the correction.

Because employers and insurers rely on what the BMV reports, ordering your record occasionally, even without an immediate need, is a reasonable habit if you want to catch mistakes before they affect a job or a premium.

Pulling Someone Else’s Record

Ohio driving records contain federally protected personal information, and access by third parties is restricted by the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act.⁷ Outside narrow exceptions for employers, insurers, courts, and government agencies acting within a permitted use, the way to obtain another driver’s record is with that driver’s written consent on BMV Form 5008, which must be signed in front of a notary.⁸ Submit the notarized Form 5008 along with a completed Form 1173 indicating the applicable permissible use, pay the $5.00 fee, and the request follows the same mail or in-person routes as a personal request.³ A court order can also authorize release without the driver’s consent in connection with legal proceedings.

1
Ohio BMV Online Services. Record Request
2
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. More BMV Record Types
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Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Ohio BMV Record Request Form
4
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code Section 4510.036 – Records of Bureau of Motor Vehicles Points Assessed
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Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Suspensions and Reinstatements – Points
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Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4510 – Section 4510.037
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 2721 – Prohibition on Release and Use of Certain Personal Information From State Motor Vehicle Records
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Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. BMV 5008 – Notarized Written Consent Release of Personal Information