As was the case with criminal records, motor vehicle records are available to law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Some states have this data automated and available for instant check via the computer. A few states require a hand pull of records during routine business hours. Regardless of the method, an individual's driving record from anywhere in the United States is eventually available to those doing the background check on an applicant.

Some states maintain active records on drivers for only a few years. Other states never purge information, and records dating back decades are available for review. Not knowing which states retain records longer than others means that applicants need to be completely honest and offer a full disclosure of any past contact with the law. If the candidate received a traffic ticket ten years earlier and failed to disclose it, that violation could show up on a routine record check and be contradictory to the application on file.

Many agencies require applicants to provide a copy of their driving record along with the application, although this is more often a requirement of employers in the private sector. For a nominal fee, a copy of a driving record can be obtained from the state department of motor vehicles. In the event that there is no record of offenses or accidents, the motor vehicle department can usually furnish a statement saying that no record exists as of the date completed.