2006 Minnesota Statutes

171.50 DRIVER LICENSE COMPACT.
The Driver License Compact is enacted into law and entered into with all other jurisdictions
legally joining in it, in the form substantially as follows:

DRIVER LICENSE COMPACT

ARTICLE I

Findings and Declaration of Policy
(a) The party states find that:
(1) The safety of their streets and highways is materially affected by the degree of compliance
with state and local ordinances relating to the operation of motor vehicles.
(2) Violation of such a law or ordinance is evidence that the violator engages in conduct
which is likely to endanger the safety of persons and property.
(3) The continuance in force of a license to drive is predicated upon compliance with laws
and ordinances relating to the operation of motor vehicles, in whichever jurisdiction the vehicle is
operated.
(b) It is the policy of each of the party states to:
(1) Promote compliance with the laws, ordinances, and administrative rules and regulations
relating to the operation of motor vehicles by their operators in each of the jurisdictions where
such operators drive motor vehicles.
(2) Make the reciprocal recognition of licenses to drive and eligibility therefor more just
and equitable by considering the overall compliance with motor vehicle laws, ordinances, and
administrative rules and regulations as a condition precedent to the continuance or issuance of
any license by reason of which the licensee is authorized or permitted to operate a motor vehicle
in any of the party states.

ARTICLE II

Definitions
As used in this compact:
(a) "State" means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of
Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(b) "Home state" means the state which has issued and has the power to suspend or revoke
the use of the license or permit to operate a motor vehicle.
(c) "Conviction" means a conviction of any offense related to the use or operation of a motor
vehicle which is prohibited by state law, municipal ordinance, or administrative rule or regulation,
or a forfeiture of bail, bond, or other security deposited to secure appearance by a person charged
with having committed any such offense, and which conviction or forfeiture is required to be
reported to the licensing authority.

ARTICLE III

Reports of Convictions
The licensing authority of a party state shall report each conviction of a person from another
party state occurring within its jurisdiction to the licensing authority of the home state of the
licensee. Such report shall clearly identify the person convicted; describe the violation specifying
the section of the statute, code, or ordinance violated; identify the court in which action was
taken; indicate whether a plea of guilty or not guilty was entered, or the conviction was a result
of the forfeiture of bail, bond, or other security; and shall include any special findings made in
connection therewith.

ARTICLE IV

Effect of Conviction
(a) The licensing authority in the home state, for the purposes of suspension, revocation,
or limitation of the license to operate a motor vehicle, shall give the same effect to the conduct
reported, pursuant to article III of this compact, as it would if such conduct had occurred in
the home state, in the case of convictions for:
(1) manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle;
(2) driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or narcotic
drug, or under the influence of any other drug to a degree which renders the driver incapable
of safely driving a motor vehicle;
(3) any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used;
(4) failure to stop and render aid in the event of a motor vehicle accident resulting in the
death or personal injury of another.
(b) As to other convictions, reported pursuant to article III, the licensing authority in the
home state shall give such effect to the conduct as provided by the laws of the home state.
(c) If the laws of a party state do not provide for offenses or violations denominated or
described in precisely the words employed in subdivision (a) of this article, such party state shall
construe the denominations and descriptions appearing in the subdivision (a) hereof as being
applicable to and identifying those offenses or violations of a substantially similar nature and
the laws of such party state shall contain such provisions as may be necessary to ensure that
full force and effect is given to this article.

ARTICLE V

Applications for New Licenses
Upon application for a license to drive, the licensing authority in a party state shall ascertain
whether the applicant has ever held, or is the holder of a license to drive issued by any other party
state. The licensing authority in the state where application is made shall not issue a license
to drive to the applicant if:
(1) The applicant has held such a license, but the same has been suspended by reason, in
whole or in part, of a violation and if such suspension period has not terminated.
(2) The applicant has held such a license, but the same has been revoked by reason, in whole
or in part, of a violation and if such revocation has not terminated, except that after the expiration
of one year from the date the license was revoked, such person may make application for a new
license if permitted by law. The licensing authority may refuse to issue a license to any such
applicant if, after investigation, the licensing authority determines that it will not be safe to grant
to such person the privilege of driving a motor vehicle on the public highways.
(3) The applicant is the holder of a license to drive issued by another party state and currently
in force unless the applicant surrenders such license.

ARTICLE VI

Applicability of Other Laws

Except as expressly required by provisions of this compact, nothing contained herein shall be
construed to affect the right of any party state to apply any of its other laws relating to licenses to
drive to any person or circumstance, nor to invalidate or prevent any driver license agreement or
other cooperative arrangement between a party state and a nonparty state.

ARTICLE VII

Compact Administrator and Interchange of Information
(a) The head of the licensing authority of each party state shall be the administrator of this
compact for the state. The administrators, acting jointly, shall have the power to formulate all
necessary and proper procedures for the exchange of information under this compact.
(b) The administrator of each party state shall furnish to the administrator of each other
party state any information or documents reasonably necessary to facilitate the administration
of this compact.

ARTICLE VIII

Entry Into Force and Withdrawal
(a) This compact shall enter into force and become effective as to any state when it has
enacted the same into law.
(b) Any party state may withdraw from this compact by enacting a statute repealing the
same, but no such withdrawal shall take effect until six months after the executive head of the
withdrawing state has given notice of the withdrawal to the executive heads of all other party
states. No withdrawal shall affect the validity or applicability by the licensing authorities of states
remaining party to the compact of any report of conviction occurring prior to the withdrawal.

ARTICLE IX

Construction and Severability
This compact shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes thereof. The
provisions of this compact shall be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provision of
this compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any party state or of the United States,
or the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person, or circumstance is held invalid, the
validity of the remainder of this compact and the applicability thereof to any government, agency,
person, or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If this compact shall be held contrary to the
constitution of any state party thereto, the compact shall remain in full force and effect as to the
remaining states and in full force and effect as to the state affected as to all severable matters.
History: 1989 c 307 s 35