POST Bulletin # 2019-11
Effective March 20, 2019, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will no longer provide the H6 (10 year) driver record. To determine how this may affect regulations and background investigations in general, POST staff contacted the DMV’s policy division. DMV confirmed that although the H6 will no longer be available, all previously reported information will continue to be included on the individual’s driver record. The change was made primarily to remove references intended for internal DMV use only (see FAQ below).
What is reflected on the driver record? (Source: DMV on-line FAQs)
Effective March 20, 2019, driver records formerly referred to as an “H6” or “10 year record” that included information intended for internal department purposes are no longer available. Driver records will only include all reportable information: convictions for three, seven, or ten years, departmental actions, and accidents on a person’s driver record as required by California Vehicle Code section 1808.
As a result of this DMV policy change, the reference to the ten year driver history on Page 5-26 in the POST Background Investigation Manual (see excerpt below) will be removed. There will be no changes to the Personal History Statement (PHS) forms.
As an alternative, hiring departments can require candidates to provide an official DMV printout of their driving history. Candidates can request their official driving record by completing and mailing DMV Form INF 1125 or taking it directly to a DMV field office. Candidates should request their complete ten-year driving history.
If the candidate lived or worked outside of California, out-of-state agencies may be contacted for records, although virtually all states (including California) have purge criteria that may limit driving history information. The amount of time that information remains on a DMV record may be influenced by the driving record itself. As a general rule, in California, infractions remain on a record for 37 months, misdemeanor offenses for seven years, and DUIs and hit-and-run for ten years.
