You’re asking why keeping tabs on your driving records is so important?
Sky-high insurance premiums, employment history, traffic tickets - ring a bell?
There are several reasons why reviewing your driving record can be beneficial, but not everyone is familiar with the process of how to get it.
So let me guide you through it.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get your Alaska driving record in 2023.
Driving Record Types in Alaska
An Alaska driving record contains your driver history - this includes all your traffic and driving convictions, license points, accident reports, as well as all records of suspension, revocation, cancellation, and restrictions, and the reason behind it.
For your reference, here’s an example of a Full Individual Record.
Now, there are 3 types of driving records in Alaska:
Full Individual Record - A full individual record shows your current driving record status. As mentioned earlier, it is a reference for all your driving convictions, license actions, and at-fault accidents on record. It also includes full medical certification details for commercial (CDL) drivers.
Insurance Record - This type of driving record also shows your current driving record, but only includes a 3 or 5-year history of your driving convictions, license actions, and at-fault accidents that are required for car insurance applications. This does not contain the medical certification details for CDL drivers.
CDL Employment Record - Lastly, the CDL Employment record is similar to a full individual record that shows current driving record status (but only those that are required by the DOT regulations for CDL drivers) and full medical certification information that drivers will need for CDL employment purposes.
How to Order Your Alaska Driving Record
These are the four ways to order a driving record from the Alaska DMV:
Mail
In-person
Online
Note: If you are ordering for someone else’s driving record, you need to get their written and signed petition.
Ordering by Mail
Sure, this is not the fastest option, but there are some that still prefer mailing (that’s if they aren’t in a hurry).
If you fit in that category, you need to print and fill out the Request for Driving Record (Form 419F) and prepare the $10 driving record fee.
If you want to pay the fee through a check, keep in mind that the Alaska DMV will only accept checks with your pre-printed name and address.
Once this is complete, mail the completed form and check or money to:
Division of Motor Vehicles
Attn: Research
1300 W. Benson Blvd. Suite 200
Anchorage AK 99503
Ordering In-Person
If you’re near a local DMV office and you have the time, you can personally go there to order your driving record.
Similar to mailing, you simply need to fill out the Request for Driving Record (Form 419F), prepare your driving record fee (cash, check, money order, or even credit cards at some locations), and go straight to the office.
This is a lot faster as there’s no need to wait for the processing to be completed (you’ll need to fall in line, though).
Ordering Online
As expected, this is the most convenient option.
To order your driving record online, go to the Alaska DMV’s website and access their online Driving Record Request form.
To access the page, you will be asked to enter your identification, which should match the information on your current driver’s license.
Regarding the driving record fee, you’ll need to have a valid and accepted payment method to process the request - you can use a credit card (Visa or Mastercard are accepted by the Alaska DMV), personalized checks or money orders paid out to the “State of Alaska” or “Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles”.
Once submitted, it usually takes a couple of days for the order to be processed.
What To Do With Your Alaska Driving Record
Once you receive your driving record, the most important thing to do is to carefully examine it and correct any discrepancies (if there are any).
Depending on your purpose, the accuracy of your driving record can contribute to various factors. For example, you could end up paying higher insurance rates if your records show incorrect outstanding points.
Note: if you find an error, reach out to any Alaska DMV office for assistance so they can look into it.
Once you are sure all information is correct, you can go ahead and submit the record to fulfill the requirements for whatever purpose you need it for - whether it’s for your insurance application, employment, research, fulfilling a court requirement, or just for personal use.
One important thing you should keep in mind. Though your driving records are considered confidential, the Alaska driving law allows some organizations to access them. This includes:
Auto insurance companies - to verify information about your violations and accidents, so that they can determine the rate of the insurance policy. (See how keeping your record clean can help you here?)
Potential employers - for a pre-employment background check, especially if the job you are applying for will require driving skills.
Research companies, courts, and anyone with your written permission - this serves various purposes.
Alaska Driving Record Points
Driving weather conditions in Alaska, especially during winter, can make roadways extremely dangerous. Thus, the driving laws in Alaska prioritize the identification, control, and rehabilitation of problematic drivers to prevent road accidents.
This is done by assigning demerit points for every traffic violation incurred. Every point is reported to the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and is added to your driving record.
The Alaska Statute 28.15.221 serves as your starting point to get familiar with Alaska’s driving point system.
But yes, reading legal terms can be a bit complicated, so let me summarize what it says in layman’s terms.
Moving traffic violations are given point values (from 2 points to 10)
Higher point values go to violations that have the highest risks of crashes
Getting 12 points within 12 months, or 18 points within 24 months, means mandatory suspension or revocation of your driving privilege
Alaska doesn’t allow drivers with suspended or revoked licenses to drive even for “work purposes”
When you reach the halfway point value before a possible license suspension, you’ll receive a warning letter
To give you an idea, here’s a list of some of the most commonly assigned points values on an Alaska driver’s driving record:
TYPE OF VIOLATION | Point Value |
|---|---|
Operating a motor vehicle while privilege to do so are suspended or revoked or in violation of limited license | 10 |
Driving while intoxicated / under the influence | 10 |
Reckless driving | 10 |
Refusal to provide a breath sample | 10 |
Fleeing or attempting to elude a Police Officer | 10 |
Speed contest........Racing | 10 |
Negligent Homicide with a Motor Vehicle | 10 |
Manslaughter with a Motor Vehicle | 10 |
Assault with a Motor Vehicle | 10 |
Leaving the scene of a crash | 9 |
Negligent driving | 6 |
Failure to yield to authorized emergency vehicle | 6 |
Failure to stop for school bus while bus is loading or unloading | 6 |
Failure to obey official traffic control devices in school zone, playground, crosswalk, or park | 6 |
Driving without insurance | 6 |
Careless driving types of behavior | 4 |
Following too close | 4 |
Failure to stop or yield | 4 |
Minor operating after consuming | 6 |
Illegal passing in a Traffic Safety Corridor | 4 |
All other moving violations | 2 |
Violation of oversize or overweight permits pertaining to restriction on hours of operation | 3 |
SPEEDING | |
In school zone or playground crosswalk | 6 |
3 to 9 mph over limit | 2 |
10 to 19 mph over limit | 4 |
20 mph or more over limit | 6 |
Violation of oversize or overweight permits pertaining to restriction of speed | Cell |
3 to 9 mph over limit | 2 |
10 to 19 mph over limit | 4 |
20 mph or more over limit | 6 |
Source: https://doa.alaska.gov/dmv |
How to Improve Your Alaska Driving Record
To improve your driving record, you can take a defensive driving course (DDC) in a state-approved traffic school. You can take the DDC once every 12 months for a point reduction.
On some occasions, you will be required to take a driver improvement course, this is if you acquire 6 points within 12 months or 9 points within 24 months.
Note: You should always ask permission from your local DMV or court handler if they will accept a traffic school to remove points. Also, make sure you name the school you plan to attend. You don’t want to spend time studying for no reason.
If you’re looking for a reliable online traffic school, here are some of the most highly recommended.
#1 .iDriveSafely
The school has been established more than 20 years and is well-known for their regularly updated course curriculum. Their course is easy to complete as it is very straightforward. This means that they get into the key points without any unnecessary information.
Fun fact - GoToTrafficSchool home-based courses were being offered in Alaska even before the internet! Yes, used to send VHS tapes and workbooks straight to your home so you can study on your own. Sounds Jurassic? Yeah, you can say that they’re probably the oldest and longest-running online traffic schools but this gives you an advantage because it will be highly likely that any judge in Alaska will be familiar with them.
If you want to explore other options, here are more online traffic schools in Alaska:
Conclusion
Want to order your driving record but not sure how to?
Here’s a quick recap of how you can do this:
- Order it through the mail by printing and filling up Form 419F and sending it, along with the fees, to the Division of Motor Vehicles, Attn: Research, 1300 W. Benson Blvd. Suite 200, Anchorage AK 99503
- Go to your local DMV office and fill up the form and pay the fees on the counter.
- Order it online from the Alaska DMV website, fill up the request form, pay the fee, and submit.
To remove points from your driving record, you can ask your court handler if you can attend an online traffic school. If so, check out iDriveSafely and GoToTrafficSchool.