NJ Form DO-11A is the Vehicle Registration Application Request you submit to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to obtain a certified copy of a vehicle’s registration record or specific details from it. To use it, complete Sections A, B, and D (plus Section C if the record isn’t your own), have the form acknowledged by a notary public or attorney, and send it with a $15 check and a photocopy of your ID to the NJMVC’s Certified Information Unit in Trenton. An online webform version is available as well. Mail processing takes about three to four weeks.1New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Registration Records
What the Form Gets You
On the DO-11A you check which pieces of information you want pulled from the registration record. The choices are the insurer on file, the registrant’s name and address, the license plate number, the registration expiration date, and the vehicle description (make, model, year, and identifying details).2New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Vehicle Registration Application Request
You also enter a specific date you want the record to reflect, such as the date of an accident or the date a vehicle was towed, so the NJMVC pulls the information that was active then. Older records may already have been purged as required by law; in that case the agency sends the oldest information still on file.
What You Need Before You Start
Gather these before filling anything in:
- The vehicle’s New Jersey license plate number or its VIN/HIN. One or the other is required; without it the form won’t be processed.
- Your driver’s license or other government-issued ID, plus a photocopy to enclose.
- A $15 check or money order made payable to “New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.” Cash is not accepted.
- Supporting documents if you’re requesting someone else’s record (more on this below).
- Access to a notary or an attorney.
One form and one $15 check cover one record. If you need records for three vehicles, you’ll send three forms and three separate checks.
Filling Out the Four Sections
Section A: Your Information
Enter your full name, phone number, email, and complete street address. The NJMVC mails results to the address you list here and does not forward mail, so use your current one. Add the organization name if you’re submitting on behalf of a business or government entity. Include your driver’s license or ID number, and clip a photocopy of that ID to the form. Government and law enforcement applicants attach a copy of their agency identification card instead.
Section B: Vehicle and Record Details
Enter the plate number or VIN/HIN, check the boxes next to the categories of information you want, and write in the specific date the record should reflect.
Section C: Purpose (Only If It’s Not Your Record)
Skip this section when pulling your own record. Otherwise, initial next to each permitted use that applies and write a clear explanation of why you need the information and how you’ll use it. Vague answers slow the request or get it denied. Attach documents that back up the stated purpose, such as an insurance declaration page, a tow bill, a court docket number, a client letter, or repair invoices.
Section D: Explanation and Signature
Write a detailed explanation of your reason and intended use. If a lawsuit is involved, state the type of case and your relationship to it. Sign with an original signature (signature stamps are not accepted) and date the form.
Requesting Someone Else’s Record
New Jersey’s Drivers’ Privacy Protection Act, at N.J.S.A. 39:2-3.3 and following, restricts access to personal information in motor vehicle records. The statute mirrors the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. ยง 2721.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 2721 If the record isn’t yours, you must identify a permitted use on the form and provide documentation that fits it.
The permitted uses listed in N.J.S.A. 39:2-3.4(c) cover government and law enforcement functions; motor vehicle safety, theft, emissions, and recalls; verifying information submitted to a business for fraud prevention, legal remedies, or debt collection; civil, criminal, administrative, or arbitral proceedings, including service of process and pre-litigation investigation; statistical research that doesn’t publish personal information or contact individuals; insurer claims, antifraud, rating, and underwriting work; notifying owners of towed or impounded vehicles; use by licensed private investigators or security services; employer verification of a commercial driver’s license; and any purpose with the subject’s notarized written consent.2New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Vehicle Registration Application Request
If you rely on that last option (permitted use number 10), you also need to submit Form BGS/DO-21A, the Notarized Authorization to Release Personal Motor Vehicle Information, signed and notarized by the person whose record you want. The DO-11A warns that false statements are punishable, so don’t stretch a permitted-use category to fit a purpose it doesn’t actually cover.
Notarization
Every DO-11A must be acknowledged by a notary public or an attorney at law before submission, not just requests for someone else’s record.1New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Registration Records Complete and sign the form first, then take it to the notary. Banks, UPS stores, and law offices commonly offer notary services for a small fee.
How to Submit
Online
The NJMVC offers a webform version of the request, accessible from the Registration Records page at nj.gov/mvc. You’ll still provide the same identifying information and state your permitted use.1New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Registration Records
By Mail
Assemble the completed, signed, and notarized DO-11A; a photocopy of your ID; a $15 check or money order to “New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission”; Form BGS/DO-21A if permitted use 10 applies; and any supporting documents for your stated purpose. Confirm all pages of the form are included; the NJMVC won’t consider a partial submission.
Mail the package to:1New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Registration Records
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission
Certified Information Unit
225 East State Street
PO Box 146
Trenton, New Jersey 08666-0146
Processing Time and Status Checks
Mail requests take roughly three to four weeks from the date the NJMVC receives a complete package. Results go to the address you listed in Section A. To check on a pending mail request, call the NJMVC at 609-292-4102. An incomplete form, missing notarization, missing check, or missing plate number or VIN will either come back to you or sit unprocessed, adding weeks.
Why Requests Get Rejected
Most rejections come from paperwork, not eligibility. Common causes include missing notarization or attorney acknowledgment, a signature stamp in place of a handwritten signature, missing payment or a check made out to the wrong payee, and no photocopy of ID.
For third-party records, the NJMVC looks closely at Section C. Failing to initial a permitted use, leaving the written explanation blank, or omitting supporting documents will send the form back. Selecting permitted use 10 without a completed and notarized BGS/DO-21A will also stop the request. Before sealing the envelope, go through each section and confirm every required enclosure is attached.