NY DMV Form MV-15C is the Request for Driving Record Information you fill out at a DMV office to get your own New York driving abstract. Despite the form number, it has nothing to do with vehicle titles. Bring the completed form, proof of identity, and $10 to any DMV office, and you walk out with the record the same day. If you have a current New York license, permit, or non-driver ID, ordering online through MyDMV for $7 is faster; MV-15C exists for the in-person route.
What MV-15C Gets You
The form pulls your driving record abstract, the DMV’s official summary of your history behind the wheel. It shows your name, mailing address, date of birth, DMV Client ID number, license class and status, expiration date, restrictions, endorsements, and a suspension and revocation summary. The activity section lists traffic convictions with dates, locations, fines, and points; accidents with dates, injury details, and county; and any course completions or reciprocity notes.
You can request three types of abstract using MV-15C. A standard record covers your recent driving history within the DMV’s retention windows and is what most people need for insurance reviews and job applications. A lifetime record includes your complete history from the day you were first licensed in New York, including permit history and every license class you’ve held; courts and attorneys typically want this version. A CDL record covers commercial-driver violations, medical certification status, out-of-state convictions, and federal disqualifications.
Filling Out the Form
Download MV-15C from dmv.ny.gov or pick one up at any DMV office. A separate form is required for each record you request. You cannot bundle multiple searches on one sheet.
The form has two sections. If you’re requesting your own record, complete Section A only. If you’re requesting someone else’s record, complete both Section A and Section B.
Section A asks for the information needed to locate the driving record. Enter the driver license ID number if you have it. If not, enter the last name, first name, and middle name. Then add the date of birth: month, day, and year.
Section B is for third-party requests only. It collects your own name, date of birth, and full mailing address. On page two, you must initial the specific permissible use that applies to your request and sign the certification acknowledging your obligations under the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act. The form warns that knowingly making a false statement may be punishable as a criminal offense, and that false representations to obtain someone’s motor vehicle record carry federal fines under the DPPA.
Identification to Bring
The DMV requires proof of identity before releasing any driving record. MV-15C directs you to Form ID-44 for the full list of acceptable documents.
The simplest option is a current New York State driver license, learner permit, or non-driver ID card. A photo driver license from another U.S. state or Canadian province also works and is worth 4 points under the ID-44 system. If you don’t have any photo ID issued by a motor vehicle authority, you can combine documents to reach 6 points total. High-value documents include a U.S. passport (4 points), a certificate of naturalization (3 points), and a U.S. military photo ID (3 points). Lower-value items like an original Social Security card (2 points) or utility bills can fill remaining gaps.
Bring originals or certified copies. The DMV office needs to see the actual documents, not photocopies. If your only government-issued photo ID is expired, check the ID-44 chart. Some expired documents are accepted if expired no longer than two years, but not all.
Fee and Payment
The fee at a DMV office is $10 for any of the three abstract types. You pay even if the DMV cannot find a record matching your search criteria. The counter accepts cash, credit card, personal check, or money order. Checks and money orders must be made payable to “Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.”
Standard or Lifetime: Which to Order
The version you pick matters, because the standard abstract drops items off after set retention windows and the lifetime abstract keeps everything.
- Traffic convictions and accidents show through the end of the calendar year in which they occurred, plus three additional years.
- Suspensions and revocations show for four years from the date the suspension or revocation ended. A suspension for refusing a chemical test stays for five years from the suspension date.
- DWI convictions show for 15 years from the date of conviction.
- DWAI convictions show for 10 years from the date of conviction.
If you’re ordering a record to check whether a conviction has aged off before an insurance renewal or job application, order the standard version. The lifetime abstract will still show it.
Requesting Someone Else’s Record
You can use MV-15C to request another person’s driving record, but the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act restricts who qualifies. Permissible uses include government agencies carrying out official functions, insurance claims investigation and underwriting, legal proceedings, employment verification for commercial drivers, licensed private investigators, and research that won’t be used to contact individuals. You must initial the specific use that applies to your request and sign the certification on page two.
Violations carry real consequences. The DPPA provides for a minimum of $2,500 in statutory damages per violation in civil suits, and the form itself warns that false representations to obtain records are subject to federal criminal fines. If you’re unsure whether your reason qualifies, the DMV’s Records Request Navigator at dmv.ny.gov walks you through the options before you commit to a request.
When to Use a Different Form
MV-15C is designed for in-person use at a DMV office. If you’d rather submit by mail, use Form MV-15 instead. It’s the mail-in version and covers driving records, vehicle records, and insurance information searches on a single form.
Mail the completed MV-15 with your payment and either a copy of your driver license, a driver identification card issued by a state motor vehicle authority, or documents totaling 6 points of identification to:
MV-15 Processing
New York State DMV
6 Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12228
Payment by mail must be a check or money order payable to “Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.” The DMV does not accept credit cards, starter checks, or cash by mail. Allow at least five business days for processing once the DMV receives your request, though volume at the Albany bureau can stretch that timeline.
For online orders through MyDMV, you skip the paper form entirely. The fee is $7, your abstract generates immediately as a downloadable PDF, and it’s available for five days after purchase. You’ll need your DMV Client ID number, the document number from your most recent photo document, your date of birth, the ZIP code from your DMV address on file, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you don’t have a current New York photo document or prefer not to create an NY.gov ID, the DMV’s Records Request Navigator handles the request online with about five business days of processing time.