The National Driver Register

The Driver License Compact

Maintained by NHTSA, the National Driver Register (NDR) is a computerized central repository of information designed to help prevent the issuance of a driver’s license to drivers whose licenses have been revoked, suspended, denied or cancelled anywhere in the country, or who have been convicted of serious traffic violations such as driving while impaired by alcohol. State driver-licensing officials query the NDR when individuals apply for a license to determine if the applicant’s driving privilege has been withdrawn in any other state. Because NDR is a nationwide index of driver records from all states, a state needs to submit only a single inquiry to obtain this information. The information obtained from the NDR assists state driver-licensing officials in determining whether or not to issue a license ( NHTSA Highway Safety Desk Book 1996).

Federal agencies that certify pilots, locomotive engineers and ship operators also use the NDR to avoid certifying or recertifying individuals who have a problem driving history, especially alcohol-related. Employers who hire individuals to operate motor vehicles also use the NDR to avoid hiring problem drivers.

All fifty states and the District of Columbia contribute information and have electronic access to the NDR file, which contains records for approximately 36 million drivers. During 2001, the NDR processed approximately 44,445,087 file checks, which resulted in more than 5 million probable identifications of problem drivers.