It depends on the state that issued the license and on the type of entry. Many states’ basic record covers about 3 years of routine violations; some also sell 7-year, 10-year or lifetime versions, and alcohol offenses and serious CDL violations can stay for decades or for life.
For employers of CDL drivers, federal rules set the minimum look-back you need, and they make it hard for a CDL holder’s convictions to disappear early.
What federal rules require
- Hiring: within 30 days of a driver’s start date, get an MVR covering the driver’s prior 3 years from each state where the driver held a license or permit during those 3 years (49 CFR 391.23). For a CDL holder, also check the current license state’s CDLIS MVR before they drive a CMV.
- Every 12 months: get an MVR covering at least the preceding 12 months from each state where the driver held a commercial license or permit during that time, and review it (49 CFR 391.25).
- What states must keep: a CDL holder’s traffic convictions in any vehicle (other than parking, weight and vehicle-defect violations), and the resulting disqualifications and licensing actions, stay on the CDLIS driver record for at least 3 years, and longer for some offenses (49 CFR 384.225).
- No masking: a state can’t defer, divert or mask a CDL holder’s traffic conviction to keep it off that record (49 CFR 384.226).
Look-back in 10 trucking states
Each state decides how long it keeps entries and which versions of its record it sells. These are the states’ own descriptions, checked against their official sources.
Swipe the table sideways if more columns are off-screen.
| License state | What the state says about look-back | State guide |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Uncertified record covers 39 months; certified record covers 5 years; a certified extended history is also available | Arizona |
| California | Most convictions and collisions are reported for 3 years, most 2-point violations for 10 years, and a CDL holder’s DUI and other disqualifying convictions for 55 years | California |
| Florida | 3-year, 7-year and complete records; on the complete record, alcohol-related entries stay 75 years and serious CDL violations for varying periods, such as 10 or 55 years | Florida |
| Georgia | 3-year, 7-year and lifetime versions when you order from the state | Georgia |
| Illinois | Moving violations stay 4 to 5 years, or at least 7 years from reinstatement if they led to a suspension or revocation; alcohol and drug offenses stay for life | Illinois |
| Indiana | The online BMV driver’s license search shows the driver’s lifetime history, including commercial license information | Indiana |
| North Carolina | 3-year and 7-year limited records, or the complete history | North Carolina |
| Ohio | Convictions and crashes stay on the standard record for 36 months; a request by an employer of a CDL holder returns at least 10 years, if available | Ohio |
| Tennessee | The MVR shows the past 3 or 10 years | Tennessee |
| Texas | The Type 2 record covers 3 years; the certified abstract (Type AR) is the complete record | Texas |
What you’ll see in a report ordered through Evergreen
The years of history in a report depend on what the license state releases for employment checks. Check the dates on each entry rather than assuming a fixed window.
A state’s record covers that state. If the driver held a license somewhere else in the past 3 years, you need that state’s record too; MVR + CDLIS searches for commercial licenses in other states. See pre-employment MVR requirements for the full hiring checklist.
Questions
Do old tickets fall off a CDL driver’s record? Eventually, on the state’s schedule, but not quickly. A CDL holder’s traffic convictions (other than parking, weight and vehicle-defect violations) stay on the CDLIS record for at least 3 years, and serious offenses can stay far longer: 55 years for a CDL holder’s DUI in California, and life for alcohol and drug offenses in Illinois.
Is a 3-year MVR enough for the annual review? The annual inquiry must cover at least the preceding 12 months, so a record covering 3 years meets that look-back. The review itself is a separate step; see DOT annual MVR review requirements and our free annual MVR review form.
Why do two states’ records look so different? Each state sets its own format and retention. States exchange CDL convictions using standard conviction codes, which How to read a CDL driver’s MVR explains.
See the MVR total for every state, or order an MVR.
Federal rules checked against eCFR on November 3, 2026. State details checked against official state sources on that date too; each state guide links its sources. This is general information, not legal advice.