Texas, like most other states, has a law on the books that requires
it to keep a record of "each accident report and abstract of the court
record of a conviction received by the department under a law of this
state." (Texas ยง 521.042) Therefore, any time you get in an accident or
are convicted of a traffic offense, it goes on your Texas driving
record and stays there. If you take a Texas defensive driving course to
have a ticket dismissed, the fact that you took a defensive driving
course also appears on your driving record, although the ticket itself
will not.
In most states, the state simply keeps these records on file for its
own use. If your insurance company or a potential employer needs to see
a copy, they can request one. However, in Texas it's not quite
that simple. There are actually six different types of Texas driving
records that you can request from the state. Therefore, it's important
to request the right type of driving record to ensure you get the
information you need.
Here are the different types of Texas driving records along with the
information contained in each:
Type 1: Status Record: This record simply shows your name,
birthday, whether or not your license is active, and your last known
address.
Type 2: 3-Year History Record: Shows all of the above information, and
also a list of your accidents and violations for the past 3
years.
Type 2a: Certified 3-Year History Record: Contains the exact same
information as Type 2, but it costs more to obtain and is certified by
the Texas Custodian of Records.
Type 3: List of all accidents and violations in record: This record
shows your name, birthday, whether or not your license is active, and a
list of any and all accidents and convictions you've incurred during
your Texas driving career. Only you can request a copy of this type of
driving record.
Type 3a: Certified list of all accidents and violations in record:
Contains the exact same information as Type 3, but it has been
certified by the Texas Custodian of Records. This is the only type of
driving record that is acceptable to bring to court of you have a
traffic ticket that you'd like to get dismissed. Like its non-certified
twin, only you can obtain this type of record.
Type 4: Certified Abstracts of Driving Record: A certified summary of
your driving record.
