Interstate Drivers' License Compact (DLC)

Driver License Compact (DLC) is an interstate compact is an agreement by most of the States of the United States to exchange information concerning license suspensions and traffic violations committed by non-residents and forward them to the state which issued their driver's license known as the home state. Its intent is to further a policy of One Driver, One License, One Record. The home state may treat the offense as if it had been committed within the home state, applying home state laws and consequences to the out of state offense. The action taken against the driver may include, but is not limited to, accessing so-called points on a minor offense such as speeding and suspension of license or a major violation such as driving under the influence (DUI).

Overview

The Driver's License Compact, requires the home state to have an equivalent statute in order for a driver to be penalized for an out-of-state offense. If the driver's state does not have an equivalent statute, no action can be taken.

History

The Driver License Compact came into existence in 1960, with Nevada becoming the first member following the passage of the Beemer Resolution enacted by Congress in the late 1950's. States were automatically given permission to form compacts in the areas of traffic safety. A compact is merely an agreement between two or more states.  

Originally, the Driver License Compact dealt with dangerous driving violations such as drunk driving, reckless driving, commission of a felony involving a motor vehicle and other serious offenses. Subsequently, less serious violations were included. A number of states joined in the 1960's, however, the Compact failed to gain the membership of many states during the 1970's and early 1980s. Thereafter, in the late 1980s, there was a push by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) to get states to join and in the early to mid 1990s, quite a few states joined.

The Driver License Compact has fallen out of favor, as it is being superseded by the new Driver License Agreement (DLA) is also replacing the Non-Resident Violator Compact.

All states are members except for Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Tennessee (dropped out in 1997). Nevada repealed the authorizing legislation in 2007, although the state generally conforms to the agreement through regulations.

National Driver Register

The National Driver Register (NDR) is a computerized database containing information about drivers who have had their licenses suspended or revoked, or who have been convicted of serious traffic violations such as driving udner the influence of alcohol, medication or drugs. State motor vehicle agencies provide the NDR with the names of individuals who have lost their privilege or who have been convicted of a serious traffic violation so that if a person who has suffered such a suspension or revocation applies for a driver's license, the state may check to see if the applicant's name is on the NDR file. If a person has been reported to the NDR, the state may refuse to issue a driver's license.