Many agencies have different requirements for employment. Certainly the high school diploma is one requirement, and a college degree is a common requirement for many positions in federal agencies. But the most consistent requirement for a job throughout the country, and the range of agencies at all levels, is the need for a valid driver's license. Some agencies require that the license be from the state where the employment is to be held, but most do not. It is important that an applicant have a valid driver's license in some jurisdictions, even if it isn't the one in which they are applying. For example, if you're applying for a job in Nebraska and you hold an Oregon driver's license, that is acceptable. What matters is that you are eligible to acquire a Nebraska license if and when you are hired. As long as there are no outstanding issues that would encumber the issuance of a local license, an out-of-state driver's license will do.

The reason for this requirement is simple: one of the core requirements of almost every law enforcement job is the ability to drive a motor vehicle. To do so legally, an officer or agent must be licensed. Even agents assigned to purely administrative functions find the need to drive from one place to another now and then, even in the inner city where public transportation is a way of life. Driving a government vehicle is no different than a personal vehicle, other than the fact that it is purchased and maintained using tax dollars. Since one of the cornerstones of motor vehicle law in all states is the provision for licensing, it would be illegal for an agency or department to allow an unlicensed person to operate one of its vehicles. Therefore, officers must have a valid license at the time of employment and be able to maintain it throughout their career.

There are other reasons for the licensing requirement that go beyond the issue of liability for the agency. Applicants presenting a valid driver's license are demonstrating their conformity to accepted standards of law. The applicant is also showing that she is worthy of accepting the responsibilities inherent in operating government-owned equipment.

The driver's license is also a universally accepted form of identification. A birth certificate is needed to obtain a license, and all states have embraced the photo identification system that has helped enormously in clarifying exactly who the licensee is. It's easy enough for law enforcement agencies to verify the data on a license by checking the computer records of the state where the license was issued. Such a check will also reveal the applicant's history (if there is one) with regard to traffic accidents, moving violations, and the more serious criminal acts that are charged and recorded under motor vehicle laws.

Candidates with extremely blemished motor vehicle records, or a host of restrictions attached to a license, may find it a little tougher getting hired at an agency. But having a motor vehicle record does not necessarily preclude applicants from serving as officers. Here again, subjective analysis comes into play. The hiring authority will look at the list of past transgressions and when they occurred before eliminating a candidate from consideration. Having several accidents in a short period of time on record might be more troublesome for applicants than a list of speeding violations that occurred several years prior.

Regardless of the personal history of a driver, having an operator's license that is valid at the time of application is the bottom line. Law enforcement agents have to be able to drive a vehicle and must be legally licensed to do so.