Tennessee MVR & Driving Record Checks
If driving is part of the job, the driving record is a separate check with its own legal rules. It is not included in a criminal search, and it cannot be pulled without a permitted use.
Who needs an MVR in Middle Tennessee
The I-40 and I-24 corridors through Wilson, Davidson and Rutherford counties carry a heavy concentration of distribution, delivery, construction and field-service employers. Any role where an employee drives a company vehicle, drives their own vehicle for work, or transports people or goods puts the driving record squarely in scope.
It also puts negligent-entrustment exposure in scope. An employer who puts someone behind the wheel without checking the record they were entitled to check is in a materially worse position if something goes wrong. See our negligent hiring and entrustment guide.
What a driving record can show
- Licence status and class — whether the licence is valid, expired, suspended or revoked, and what class and endorsements it carries.
- Restrictions — corrective lenses, interlock requirements, and similar conditions attached to the licence.
- Violations and convictions — moving violations and driving-related convictions reported to the state.
- Suspensions and reportable accidents — where the state records them.
What is actually returned, and how far back it goes, is set by the issuing state and by the permitted use under which the record is released. We tell you the scope for your request rather than promising a fixed field list.
DPPA: this is restricted information
Motor vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and by additional state restrictions. DatabaseRecords.com does not provide unrestricted access to DMV personal information, and we do not process MVR requests for curiosity, personal disputes, or unverified purposes. Requests are processed only for legally permissible purposes and may require customer certification, documentation, authorisation, or other permitted-use verification.
Before you request an MVR
- Confirm driving is genuinely a function of the role, and write that into the job description.
- Obtain the applicant’s written authorisation, separate from the application form.
- Decide in advance what record content is disqualifying, and apply it consistently.
- If you act adversely on what comes back, follow the two-step adverse action process.
MVR questions
What is an MVR report?
A motor vehicle record, or MVR, is the driving history a state holds for a licence holder. Depending on the state and the permitted use, it can show licence class and status, endorsements and restrictions, violations, suspensions, and reportable accidents. It is a state record, not a criminal court record, and it is governed by its own rules.
Can any employer pull a Tennessee driving record?
No. Access to driver information is restricted by the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) and by state rules. An employer needs a permissible purpose — typically that driving is a function of the job — and the driver's authorisation. We verify permitted use before an MVR request is processed.
Does a criminal background check include driving records?
Not automatically. A criminal record search and a motor vehicle record are separate products from separate sources with separate legal rules. A DUI may appear in both, in court records and on the driving record, but the two are obtained independently.
Do you pull driving records for other states?
Yes, subject to each state's rules and permitted-use requirements, which differ. Some states impose additional certification or documentation requirements beyond the federal baseline.
How often should MVRs be re-checked?
There is no single legal answer. Many employers with driving roles re-check on an annual cycle, and some regulated operations more often. What matters is that the policy is written down, applied consistently, and supported by a current authorisation.
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