[1]Photograph Credit: Flickr (Scott Schrantz)
The time has come to address the final documents in the last file opening in Box 1 of my important documents [2]. This twelfth file slot hold miscellaneous items related to the fourth category: Vehicles [3]. Like many other slots, this file contains three sets of documents. The first set contains records pertaining to our driving.
Paul’s Driving Records
1. Official 10 Year Driver Record. This record contains our license information, address changes, any suspensions, violations, points, or accidents. I check our driver records to be sure all the information is accurate.
You might also want your record if your employer requires a background check or if you are shopping around to lower your car insurance. Knowing what is in your driving record will help you head off any issues.
Our state’s DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) office offers both a 3-year record and a 10-year record. To be thorough, I request our 10 Year record either every 5 years or 6 months after a change. (For example, I will be requesting my new driver record in the spring after the results of my speeding ticket are resolved at the end of November. Yeah, I posted on Facebook [4] about my lovely speeding ticket. Are you following me on Facebook, yet? If not, come “like” the page and join in [4].)
To get your 10 Year Driver Record:
1. Go to your favorite search engine (i.e., Swagbucks [5], Google, etc.) and type in “(your state) DMV.” If you live in South Carolina, then type “South Carolina DMV.”
2. Click on the web link to your DMV site.
3. If there is a Search box, type “drivers record.” If there is not a Search box, then scan the available links for on-line services or public services.
4. Look for a link to “Obtain your certified driving record.”
5. Follow the instructions. The South Carolina DMV [6] offers these instructions:
Your Driver Record contains a history of information related to your driving privilege. You may request a 3 year Driver Record or a 10 year Driver Record. An “unofficial” version of your Driver Record will be made available to you online in Adobe PDF format. An official “certified” copy of your Driver Record will be mailed to your address of record.
To complete this transaction:
- You must know your driver’s license or identification card number.
- You must have a valid VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card that will be charged the amount due.
- You must have Adobe Reader [7] installed.
- The cost of an unofficial or certified copy of your South Carolina driving record is $6.00.
After making your payment, your unofficial driver record should open in a PDF document for you to print. The official certified copy will come in the mail later.
2. Any Citations or Accident Documents. If there are any records in his file then I staple together all documents pertaining to one incident. If there are numerous incidents, whether our fault or not, I keep the records together for each occurrence.
All of Paul’s driving records are then paper clipped together.
Tracy’s Driving Records
1. Official 10 Year Driver Record. This document showed a clear license with only change of address and surrendering my Pennsylvania license for a South Carolina replacement. Now, I will get a speeding ticket violation added after my court date. Arrgh! Have I mentioned that I really hate speed traps.
2. Speeding Ticket Documents. Once I complete the court hearing and get my judgment, I will staple together all the documents relating to this speeding ticket.
Both of my documents will then be paper clipped together.
With both sets of paper clipped documents, I will then use another paperclip to hold both of these sets of driver records together. This packet is then housed inside the twelfth and final file opening in box 1 of my important documents [2]. Keeping these documents organized takes valuable time. However, by using time wisely one step at a time, you can get those important documents filed and organized. Keep sorting and filing!
Question: How often do you request your driver record? Please add your answer to the comments.