The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (MCSIA) requires all states to verify that a person applying for a driver’s license or instruction permit has no unresolved sanctions (suspension, revocation, cancellation or withdrawal driving privileges) or a history of serious violations in any other states. This mandate prevents drivers from obtaining a license from more than one state or hiding convictions among several states and driving records. The cooperative exchange of problem driver information between states is helping to improve safety on our nation’s highways. How this affects you If you have outstanding driving sanctions (suspensions, revocations, cancellations or withdrawals) in another state, you will not be allowed to apply for, renew or upgrade a Minnesota driver’s license or instruction permit (commercial or non-commercial) until the sanction in the other state is cleared. If, at the time of application, the check indicates that you have sanctions in another state, your application will not be accepted. You will receive a document with the name of the state of record where the sanction occurred and contact information to assist with resolving the issue. Who is affected? Any driver (commercial or non-commercial) who has an outstanding driving sanction (suspension, revocation, cancellation or withdrawal of driving privileges) or a history of serious driving violations in another state is affected. What do I need to do if my driver’s license is sanctioned in another state? You will need to contact the state in question to resolve the sanction. Once your driving record has been cleared and Minnesota can verify this, you will be able to obtain a Minnesota driving credential. How long will it take to clear a sanction? How long it takes to resolve a sanction in another state depends on the type of sanction and the other state’s procedures and requirements. If it takes a while for the other state to clear the sanction, is there some type of extension available? Minnesota will not extend driving privileges. You must resolve the issue in the other state before you can apply for, renew, change, upgrade or add an endorsement to your Minnesota license. Who do I contact if I have more questions about this? You may visit the Driver and Vehicle Services website at dvs.dps.mn.gov, or contact us (Reprinted from Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services) |
