These two reports are routinely confused because both deliver "driver history" - but they come from different agencies, contain different data, and answer different compliance questions. The MVR is owned by the state Department of Motor Vehicles where the driver is licensed. The PSP is owned by FMCSA's Motor Carrier Management Information System.
Carriers running drivers under 49 CFR §391.23 are required to obtain a three-year MVR for every state where the driver was licensed in the prior three years, and to keep that MVR in the driver-qualification file. The PSP is voluntary at hire - FMCSA strongly recommends pulling it but does not mandate it under §391. PSP becomes unavoidable when investigating a roadside hit because the data lives only in PSP, not anywhere on the MVR.
How do MVR (State DMV) and PSP (FMCSA) compare?
| Attribute | MVR (State DMV) | PSP (FMCSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing agency | State DMV (one per state of license) | FMCSA via NIC (Pre-Employment Screening Program) |
| What it covers | License status, suspensions, restrictions, endorsements, traffic convictions | 5 years of crash records + 3 years of roadside inspections |
| Lookback window | 3 years (per 49 CFR §391.23) - full lifetime in some states | 5 years for crashes, 3 years for inspections |
| Cost | $2–$30 depending on state | $10 per individual driver report |
| Driver consent required? | Yes for FCRA-compliance; varies by state | Yes - driver must provide written consent before each pull |
| Required at hire? | Yes - 49 CFR §391.23(a)(1) | Voluntary but FMCSA-recommended |
| Required at annual review? | Yes - annual MVR under 49 CFR §391.25 | No annual mandate; some carriers re-pull yearly |
| Maintained in DQ file? | Yes for life of employment + 3 years | Yes if pulled - best practice but not mandatory |
When should you choose MVR (State DMV) or PSP (FMCSA)?
When to choose MVR (State DMV)
Every CDL driver hired into a regulated position
Required by 49 CFR §391.23(a)(1) for all initial hires and §391.25 annually thereafter. Pull from every state where the driver was licensed in the prior three years. Keep the original MVR in the driver-qualification file.
When to choose PSP (FMCSA)
Carriers that want full inspection and crash visibility before extending an offer
Pull at hire alongside the MVR. PSP is the only place to see roadside inspection history, which exposes hours-of-service violations, vehicle-maintenance hits, and driver-fitness flags that never appear on a state record. Vital input for any CSA-conscious carrier.
What's the next step in your filing?
Need an MVR or full driver screening package? Our spoke FastDriverScreening bundles MVR, PSP, Clearinghouse, and DQ file build-out into one order. For audit prep see New-Entrant Safety Audit and run through the compliance calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is a PSP report a substitute for an MVR?
No. They contain different data. The MVR is mandatory at hire and annually thereafter under 49 CFR §391.23 and §391.25. The PSP is voluntary at hire and is recommended in addition to - not instead of - the MVR.
How long is each report kept in the DQ file?
The MVR is kept for the life of employment plus three years under 49 CFR §391.51. The PSP report is best kept for the same window, although the regulation does not specifically require it.
Do I need driver consent for both pulls?
Yes. The Fair Credit Reporting Act and FMCSA-NIC procedures both require written driver consent before a carrier can pull either report.
What if the driver was licensed in multiple states?
Pull an MVR from each state where the driver was licensed in the prior three years. The PSP pulls a single national record - no state-by-state pulls are needed for crashes and inspections.
Does the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse replace either report?
No. The Clearinghouse is a separate query for drug and alcohol program violations. All three - MVR, PSP, Clearinghouse - are pulled at hire for a CDL driver.
Authoritative citations
Related guides
New-Entrant Safety Audit
The 12-month FMCSA audit walkthrough - the seven items investigators check.
Read the New-Entrant Safety Audit guideDrug & Alcohol Consortium Guide
Why owner-operators must enroll, random testing rates, and Clearinghouse reporting.
Read the Drug & Alcohol Consortium Guide guideCSA Scores & OOS Rate
How FMCSA computes BASIC scores and what the out-of-service rate signals to brokers.
Read the CSA Scores & OOS Rate guide