State service guide

Delaware driving records: $25 certified copies, 3-year, 5-year, or full-history online options, and notarized release rules for mail requests

Delaware's driving-record process is narrower and more formal than a generic MVR page usually suggests. Delaware DMV allows licensed Delaware drivers with a MyDMV account to buy a certified copy of their own driving record online for $25 and choose a 3-year, 5-year, or full-history version. The record is available immediately as a PDF and can be viewed again for up to 90 days. If you want a mailed copy, the DMV records page says you must complete the Personal Information Release Form, have it notarized unless you apply in person, and send it to the Driver License Administration address in Dover. Delaware law also limits older-record access for most authorized third parties: only self-requesters, law enforcement, courts, and other motor-vehicle jurisdictions may access retained records over 3 years old as a normal matter.

Open official source View Delaware services
Online fee Delaware charges $25 for a certified driving record purchased online
History options Online buyers may choose a 3-year, 5-year, or full Delaware driving history
Download rule The Delaware record is available immediately as a PDF and can be viewed again for up to 90 days
Mail-form rule Delaware says mailed record requests require the Personal Information Release Form and notarization unless the request is made in person

Overview

What this page helps you verify

A strong Delaware driving-records page should begin with the privacy and certification rules, not just with the online checkout page. Delaware's own public materials split the experience between self-service online purchase and privacy-controlled release procedures. Online, a Delaware license holder can buy a certified copy immediately and choose 3 years, 5 years, or full history. By mail, the state wants a notarized Personal Information Release Form. The Delaware code adds another detail many national pages skip: authorized third parties usually only receive driver license and performance records that are 3 years old or less, while the driver, law enforcement, courts, and other motor-vehicle jurisdictions may access older retained records as well.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-18. This page was manually upgraded against service-specific official sources, but requirements can still change quickly.

Usually needed

Documents and information to prepare

  • A Delaware driver's license and MyDMV account if you want to buy your own certified record online
  • A credit or debit card for the $25 online purchase
  • The Delaware Personal Information Release Form if requesting by mail or requesting access to protected personal information
  • A notary seal or stamp on the release form for mail requests unless you instead submit the request in person at a DMV office
  • If the request is for another person's record or for protected information, a lawful Delaware privacy-basis or express consent that fits Section 305

Typical flow

What the process often looks like

  1. Decide whether you need a 3-year, 5-year, or full Delaware driving history.
  2. If you are a Delaware license holder buying your own record, use MyDMV to purchase the certified copy online and print or save the PDF.
  3. If you are requesting by mail, complete the Personal Information Release Form, have it notarized, include the proper payment, and mail it to Driver License Administration in Dover.
  4. If you need a notarized copy beyond the normal certified online product, visit a Delaware DMV branch office instead of relying on the self-print online version.

What Delaware sells online

Delaware's online self-request product is a certified record, not just a view-only consumer copy

This is the cleanest state-specific difference from many other DMV systems.

  • Delaware's online driving-record page says a certified copy of your driving record is available for purchase online for $25.
  • The same page lets the user choose last 3 years, last 5 years, or full Delaware driving history.
  • The purchased record is printable immediately, and Delaware's MyDMV FAQ says previously purchased records can be viewed again within 90 days.

Mail and in-person requests

Delaware still uses a release-form and notarization workflow for mailed record requests

This is where the DMV's records page becomes more formal than the online purchase screen.

  • Delaware's records page says that if you want a copy of your driving record by mail, you must complete the Personal Information Release Form.
  • The DMV also says the form must be notarized with a seal or stamp unless you submit it in person at one of the offices.
  • Mail requests for driving records go to the Driver License Administration P.O. Box in Dover.

Who can see older history

Delaware law restricts older retained records more sharply for most third parties than for the driver

This matters if the request is for employment, litigation, or another formal reviewer.

  • Section 305 of Title 21 says only driver-license and performance records 3 years old or less are made available to authorized persons or agencies in the ordinary case.
  • The statute then carves out broader access for people requesting their own records, law enforcement officers, the courts, and other motor-vehicle jurisdictions.
  • That means a self-requested full history in Delaware is not the same thing as what every outside requester can automatically obtain.

Certification and special handling

Delaware distinguishes an ordinary record fee from extra handling for certification or notarization in the statute

This is the reason the official sources can look inconsistent if read too quickly.

  • The online DMV page treats the self-service driving record as a certified $25 product.
  • Section 305 separately says the Secretary charges $25 for each motor vehicle record supplied to non-government requesters and $30 if special handling is needed to certify a record or notarize an affidavit, including the requested record.
  • The safest reading is that Delaware's live online certified self-record sits at $25, while special handling rules still matter for other request formats and notarized needs.

Accuracy notes

Where people get tripped up

  • Delaware driving-record content should distinguish between the live online certified self-record product and the broader privacy-and-release rules on the records page and in Section 305.
  • The notarized Personal Information Release Form is one of the most useful Delaware-specific mail details and should not be skipped.
  • Older-record access is more restricted for many third parties than the generic benchmark implies.
  • If the user needs a notarized copy, the official online page itself tells them to visit a DMV branch office rather than rely on the standard self-print certified PDF.

FAQ

Common questions

  • How much does a Delaware driving record cost?

    Delaware's online self-service page lists $25 for a certified copy of your driving record.

  • What history lengths can I choose for a Delaware driving record?

    Delaware's online system offers a 3-year record, a 5-year record, or a full Delaware driving history.

  • Can I get my Delaware driving record instantly?

    Yes if you are using the online self-service path. Delaware says the certified record can be printed immediately after purchase and remains available again for up to 90 days.

  • Do Delaware mail requests need notarization?

    Yes in the normal mail workflow. Delaware's records page says the Personal Information Release Form must be notarized with a seal or stamp unless you submit it in person.

  • Can an outside requester automatically get my full older Delaware driving history?

    Not usually. Delaware law says older retained driving records over 3 years are ordinarily available only to the driver, law enforcement, courts, and other motor-vehicle jurisdictions.

Sources

Official references used for this page

Related services

More Delaware tasks people often check next

Delaware Car Insurance

Understand minimum coverage rules, proof-of-insurance expectations, and when you must show insurance to drive or register a vehicle.

Delaware Car Registration

Find out what is usually required to register a vehicle, including title documents, proof of ownership, fees, and emissions or inspection rules.

Delaware DMV Point System

Review how traffic convictions and other events can affect a driving record, suspension risk, and defensive-driving eligibility.

Delaware Driver's License

Get a clear starting point for applying for, replacing, or maintaining a standard driver license in your jurisdiction.