Texas DPS Form DR-1, the Application for Copy of Driver Record, is the paper form you mail to the Texas Department of Public Safety to order a copy of your driving history. You choose one of six record types, fill in the licensee’s identifying information and a mailing address, sign the form, and send it with a check or money order for $4 to $20. If you only need your own record and don’t need it mailed, the DPS online portal delivers most record types immediately.
Record Types and Fees
DPS offers six record types. Pick one before you start filling out the form, because checking the wrong box means paying twice.
- Type 1, Status Record ($4): date of birth, license status, home address, and the date you first applied for a Texas license. No crash or violation history.
- Type 2, Three-Year History ($6): everything in Type 1 plus crashes where you received a ticket and all moving violations from the past three years.
- Type 2A, Certified Three-Year History ($10): a certified copy of the Type 2. Cannot be used for a defensive driving course.
- Type 3, All Crashes and Violations ($7): everything in Type 1 plus every crash on file (even without a ticket) and all moving and nonmoving violations. Available only to the person the record belongs to.
- Type 3A, Certified All Crashes and Violations ($10): a certified copy of Type 3. Also available only to the licensee. This is the only record type accepted for a defensive driving course.
- Type AR, Certified Abstract ($20): everything in Type 3 plus all suspensions. Every piece of information in your driver record.
The same fees apply whether you order by mail or online.1Department of Public Safety. How to Order a Driver Record
How to Fill Out the DR-1
The form is a single page with instructions on the reverse, downloadable as a PDF from the DPS website.2Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas DPS Application for Copy of Driver Record
Check the Record Type
At the top of the form, check one box for the record type you want. The options are numbered 1, 2, 2A, 3, 3A, and 4 for the abstract, with fees printed alongside. An “Other” box handles less common requests such as an original application or a Driving While License Invalid (DWLI) record.
Information Requested On
This section identifies the person whose record you need: last name, first name, middle or maiden name, date of birth, Texas driver license number, and suffix (Sr., Jr.) if it applies. If you’re ordering your own record, this is your information. If you’re ordering someone else’s, you’ll also need either their written consent or a qualifying legal reason, covered below.
Mail Driver Record To
Enter the name, full mailing address, and a daytime phone number for wherever DPS should send the record. Double-check the address. For personal requests this is usually your home; for business requests, your office.
Business or Entity Information
If you’re requesting the record for a company, insurer, law firm, or government agency, list the organization’s name, your title or affiliation, the type of business, and your own Texas driver license number. This block helps DPS verify that the request qualifies under one of the exceptions for third-party access.
Signature and Payment
Sign and date at the bottom. Pay by check or money order made payable to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Do not send cash.2Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas DPS Application for Copy of Driver Record
Requesting Someone Else’s Record
You can request another person’s driver record, but access to personal information is limited by state law and by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act. Without the license holder’s written consent, your request has to fit one of the authorized exceptions listed on the back of the form. The most commonly used ones:
- Government function: a government agency, or a private contractor acting on its behalf, carrying out official duties.
- Court or legal proceeding: use in a civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding, including service of process, pre-litigation investigation, or enforcement of a court order.
- Business verification: a legitimate business verifying information the individual submitted, or correcting inaccurate information, to prevent fraud or recover a debt.
- Employer or insurer: an employer, or its insurer, verifying information about a commercial driver license holder as required under federal law.
- Motor vehicle safety or theft: use related to vehicle safety, theft, emissions, recalls, or manufacturer monitoring.
If an exception applies, initial that category on the back of the form and certify that your use complies with state and federal law. If you have written consent instead, the license holder signs and dates the consent block on the front, authorizing one-time access.2Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas DPS Application for Copy of Driver Record
Type 3 and Type 3A records are more tightly restricted. DPS furnishes those only to the person the record belongs to, regardless of consent or exceptions.1Department of Public Safety. How to Order a Driver Record
Where to Mail the Form
Send the completed DR-1 with your check or money order to:
Texas Department of Public Safety
PO Box 149008
Austin, Texas 78714-9008
Allow about three weeks from the date DPS receives the request.1Department of Public Safety. How to Order a Driver Record
Ordering Online Instead
Texas license holders can request their own record online through the DPS Licensee Driver Records portal at txapps.texas.gov. You log in, select the record type, pay, and receive the document immediately.3Texas DPS. Licensee Driver Records
Two things to know. The portal does not mail anything; you either print the record or have it emailed. And if you need a certified copy with an official DPS seal for court or a defensive driving course, confirm the online version will be accepted before you buy it. When in doubt, mail the DR-1.
The online portal is for personal requests only. Employers, insurers, attorneys, and other third parties still have to use the paper DR-1.
Which Record Type to Choose
The right record depends on why you need it.
- Insurance quote or employment screening: a Type 2 three-year history is usually enough. It shows recent crashes where a ticket was issued and all moving violations, which is the window most insurers and employers ask for.
- Defensive driving course: you need a Type 3A. DPS is explicit that this is the only record type accepted. A Type 2A will not work, even though it’s also certified.1Department of Public Safety. How to Order a Driver Record
- Court proceeding or legal dispute: a Type AR certified abstract gives you the most complete and legally credible document, including all suspensions. If your driving history is at issue in litigation, this is what an attorney will want.
- Quick status check: a Type 1 at $4 tells you whether your license is valid, suspended, or expired.
If you can’t decide, a Type 3A covers most personal situations. It’s restricted to you, it works for defensive driving, and $10 is a small price compared with ordering the wrong record and starting over.
The DR-1 Is Not a Crash Report
The DR-1 is often confused with the CR-2, the old self-reported Driver’s Crash Report sometimes called the Blue Form. As of September 1, 2017, the Texas Department of Transportation no longer retains CR-2 forms and no longer hosts the form for download.4Texas Department of Transportation. Crash Records Forms for Law Enforcement The driver filing requirement that once existed under Texas Transportation Code Section 550.061 is gone. Officers still file CR-3 reports for collisions they investigate that involve injury, death, or property damage of $1,000 or more, but drivers no longer have a state form to submit on their own when police don’t respond.
If you were in a collision and looking for the Blue Form, it no longer exists as an official TxDOT document. Exchange information with the other driver at the scene, take photographs, and report the collision to your insurance carrier. Some cities may still require local crash reports by ordinance, so check locally if you’re unsure.