New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

Public Records

• New Jersey's "Right to Know Law," N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1, et. seq., has required since 1963 that the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) provide individual copies of its public records, such as Driver History Abstracts, Vehicle Registrations, Driver License and Title Records, to New Jersey citizens upon their request and for the fees established by regulation.
  
  
• The DMV has never provided social security numbers or medical information contained in its public records.
  
  
• New Jersey citizens have many legitimate uses for copies of individual records, such as:
  
  
• obtaining vehicle history when purchasing a used vehicle.
• obtaining another driver's insurance information when involved in an accident.
• obtaining a copy of a driver history abstract for employment as a commercial driver.
• obtaining proof of a valid driver license for employment purposes.
  


• The DMV's Regional Offices (Trenton, Eatontown, Deptford and Wayne) are the only offices that can process requests for the requestor's own Driver History Abstracts.
  
  
• Requests for records other than an individual requestor's driver history abstract must be made in writing to DMV's main headquarters in Trenton or through the completion of a form if coming to the Trenton offices.
  
  
• Citizens requesting copies of their own records must present a valid New Jersey driver's license or a New Jersey non-driver identification card, or one other official form of identification (such as a passport or birth certificate).
  
  
• A citizen requesting a copy of another person's records must additionally provide, in writing, the reason for the request.
  
  
• Since 1992, the DMV has had a Domestic Violence/Violent Crimes Protection Program in order to protect the identities and addresses of individuals who have in the past or who are currently experiencing personal violent attacks or threats of attacks. A filed police report or other evidence (from a court of law or legal counsel) documenting the need for protection is required to apply to this program.
  
  
• The DMV is supporting bills in the Assembly and Senate which will implement the federal "Driver's Privacy Protection Act" (S-1302 sponsored by Haines/Sacco and A-2049 sponsored by Bucco/Impreveduto). This legislation, if passed, will further restrict the release of personal information contained in DMV records.