DMV Abbreviation List: Licenses, CDL, Titles, and Driving Records

A DMV abbreviations list is easiest to use when it’s grouped by where the code appears: on your license or ID card, on a commercial driver’s license, on a vehicle title or registration, or on a driving record. The shorthand below covers the codes you’re most likely to run into and what each one actually means.

Codes Printed on Your Driver’s License or ID

Every license and state ID card carries a handful of abbreviated fields identifying you and setting the card’s validity window.

  • DOB — Date of Birth.
  • ISS — Issue Date, the date the card was produced.
  • EXP — Expiration Date. Renewal periods vary by state, from four years up to twelve.
  • HGT — Height.
  • SEX or GND — The legally recognized sex or gender marker on file.
  • DLN — Driver’s License Number, the unique identifier tied to your driving record, points, and any suspensions.

The REAL ID Star

Since May 7, 2025, you need a REAL ID-compliant license or another acceptable form of identification to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities.1Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Compliance is marked by a star in the upper portion of the card. The Department of Homeland Security recommends a gold star, but states can use alternative markings if DHS approves them.2Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions

Non-compliant cards must state on their face and in the machine-readable zone that they aren’t acceptable for official purposes, and must use a distinct design or color.3eCFR. Title 6, Part 37 – Real ID Driver’s Licenses and Identification Cards Often that shows up as a banner reading “NOT VALID FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION.” A card carrying that language and no star won’t work at a TSA checkpoint.

Donor and Veteran Markers

Optional designations appear on the front of the card in many states. An organ donor marker (usually a heart or the word “DONOR”) shows you’ve registered your consent to donate organs and tissue. A veteran designation, printed as “VETERAN” or “VET” and sometimes a branch indicator, is available to qualifying military veterans. Neither marker affects driving privileges.

License Classes and CDL Endorsement Letters

Your license class defines what you’re allowed to drive. Standard passenger vehicles fall under a basic class, typically Class D or Class C depending on the state. Commercial vehicles require a Commercial Driver’s License, and that’s where the codes multiply.

CDL Classes A, B, and C

Federal rules split commercial vehicles into three weight-based groups:4eCFR. Title 49 CFR 383.91 – Commercial Motor Vehicle Groups

  • Class A — Combination vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, where the towed unit weighs more than 10,000 pounds. Tractor-trailers are the typical example.
  • Class B — Single vehicles weighing 26,001 pounds or more, or any such vehicle towing a unit of 10,000 pounds or less. Straight trucks and large buses.
  • Class C — Vehicles that don’t hit the Class A or B thresholds but carry 16 or more passengers (including the driver) or transport placarded hazardous materials.5Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Commercial Driver’s License

Before the CDL skills test, you’ll hold a CLP (Commercial Learner’s Permit). A CLP only authorizes practice driving on public roads with a qualified CDL holder in the seat next to you, and you must hold it for at least 14 days before testing.6Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. How Do I Get a Commercial Driver’s License

Endorsement Letters

Endorsements are added to a CDL to authorize specialized driving. Each requires an additional knowledge test, skills test, or both:7Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. CDL Endorsements (383.93)

  • H — Hazardous materials (knowledge test, plus a TSA security threat assessment).
  • N — Tank vehicles (knowledge test). This is the tanker code, not “T.”
  • P — Passenger vehicles (knowledge and skills tests).
  • S — School buses (knowledge and skills tests).
  • T — Double or triple trailers (knowledge test).
  • X — Combined hazardous materials and tank vehicle endorsements (knowledge test).

On a standard (non-CDL) license, motorcycle privileges are designated by the letter M. A license reading “D, M” authorizes you to drive both passenger cars and motorcycles. It’s earned by passing a separate motorcycle knowledge and skills test.

CDL Restriction Codes

Restriction codes limit what a CDL holder can operate. They usually sit on the back of the card, and each reflects either a testing limitation or a regulatory condition. The most common:

  • E — No manual transmission. Applied when you take the skills test in an automatic. Removed by retesting in a manual.
  • K — Intrastate only. Commercial driving is limited to the issuing state. Often applied to drivers under 21 or those who don’t meet federal medical qualifications for interstate driving.
  • L — No air brake-equipped vehicles. Applied when you didn’t test on air brakes. Removed by passing the air brakes knowledge test and the skills test in an air brake-equipped vehicle.
  • M — In the CDL context, restricts a Class A holder to operating only Class B and C passenger vehicles or school buses, when the passenger or school bus endorsement was obtained in a Class B vehicle.5Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Commercial Driver’s License

Restriction codes vary somewhat between states. Your state’s DMV website or the back of your card lists all applicable codes with short descriptions.

Vehicle Title and Registration Codes

Vehicle documents run on their own shorthand covering identification, ownership, and history.

VIN, TITL, and REG

The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is the 17-character alphanumeric code assigned to every motor vehicle manufactured since 1981. It encodes the manufacturer, model year, engine type, and production sequence.8National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. VIN Decoder You’ll find it on the dashboard through the windshield, on the driver’s door jamb, and on every official DMV document tied to the vehicle.

The title (sometimes abbreviated TITL) is the legal document establishing ownership. Registration (REG) is separate: it grants the vehicle authority to operate on public roads for a set period and confirms compliance with insurance and, where applicable, emissions requirements. A title alone doesn’t let you drive the car. You need both.

MCO and MSO

Before a vehicle is titled for the first time, the manufacturer issues a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO) or Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO). This is the original ownership document. The dealer surrenders it to the state when the first buyer applies for a title, and once the title is issued, the MCO or MSO is no longer available.9American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin If you’re buying a new car from a dealer, you won’t handle this document yourself.

LIEN and ELT

If you financed the vehicle, the lender’s name appears on the title as the lienholder. LIEN on a title record means someone other than the owner has a financial claim on the vehicle, and the lien must be formally released before the title can transfer free and clear.

Many states now use ELT (Electronic Lien and Title), which manages lien information electronically between the lender and the state motor vehicle agency instead of printing it on paper. Lienholders add and release liens digitally, which speeds up the release process when the loan is paid off.10American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Electronic Lien and Title In an ELT state with an active lien, you likely won’t receive a paper title until the loan is satisfied.

Title Brands

A title brand is a permanent notation warning future buyers about a vehicle’s history. Brands follow the vehicle across state lines and can’t be washed away by re-titling elsewhere.

  • Salvage — Declared a total loss by an insurance company, typically because repair costs exceeded a set percentage of the vehicle’s value. Not legal to drive on public roads until rebuilt and re-inspected.
  • Rebuilt Salvage (or Rebuilt) — A previously salvage-titled vehicle that has been repaired and passed a state inspection. Road-legal, but the brand stays on the title permanently.
  • Flood Damage — Sustained flood damage. Carried forward on every subsequent title, even after repair.
  • Junk or Nonrepairable — Declared unfit for road use. In most states, may only be sold for parts or scrap.

Odometer Disclosure Status

Federal law requires an odometer mileage disclosure every time a vehicle changes hands, using one of four certifications:11eCFR. Title 49 CFR Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements

  • Actual — The reading reflects true mileage to the seller’s knowledge.
  • Not Actual (or Discrepancy) — The reading doesn’t reflect real mileage. Triggers a mandatory warning to the buyer.
  • Exceeds Mechanical Limits — The odometer rolled past its maximum reading, such as a five-digit odometer past 99,999 miles.
  • Exempt — Certain older vehicles and those with a GVWR over 16,000 pounds are exempt from odometer disclosure entirely.

These statuses print on the title itself. “Not actual” or “exceeds mechanical limits” is a signal to investigate before buying.

Driving Record and Insurance Notations

DUI, DWI, OWI, and OUI

Impaired driving offenses go by different abbreviations depending on the state: Driving Under the Influence (DUI), Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), Operating While Intoxicated (OWI), or Operating Under the Influence (OUI). In a few states, DUI and DWI mark different severity levels — DWI for a higher blood alcohol concentration, DUI for a lower one — but in most, the terms are interchangeable. Convictions carry license suspension, substantial fines, and possible jail time, with penalties escalating for repeat offenses.

FTA

FTA stands for Failure to Appear. It means you didn’t show up in court when required, and in most states it automatically triggers an administrative suspension of your driving privileges that stays in effect until you resolve the underlying case. Waiting it out doesn’t work. The DMV does not automatically reinstate your license once a suspension period ends. You have to appear in the issuing court, clear the case, and then separately reinstate your license with the DMV, which involves paying a reinstatement fee. Those fees vary by state and often climb with each subsequent suspension.

SR-22 and FR-44

An SR-22 is not an insurance policy. It’s a certificate filed by your insurance company with the state to prove you carry at least the minimum required liability coverage. States require an SR-22 filing after serious violations such as DUI convictions, driving without insurance, or accumulating too many points. If your coverage lapses, the insurer is required to notify the state, which typically results in an immediate license suspension.

Most states require you to maintain the filing for roughly three years, though the exact duration depends on the violation and the state. Premiums generally rise sharply during that period because the SR-22 flags you as a high-risk driver. A small number of states use an FR-44 instead, which requires liability limits well above the standard minimums.