What are Oregon Public Traffic Records?
Oregon’s public traffic records refer to official documents that contain information about a person’s road usage or driving history in the state. It includes records of accidents, traffic law violations, tickets, resulting penalties, accumulated points, driver’s license suspensions, etc. Public traffic records comprise information generated by different government agencies.
In Oregon, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the courts, and other law enforcement agencies are responsible for generating and maintaining traffic records.
Are Traffic Records Public in Oregon?
Yes, traffic records are public in Oregon. As provided by the state’s Public Records Laws, non-exempt records generated or maintained by public agencies are public records and must remain accessible to the public upon request. However, some parts of traffic records may not be accessible to the public. Oregon’s DMV Record Privacy Law protects personal information on all DMV records, including the subject’s name, phone number, ID or permit number, and driver’s license.
The privacy law also protects confidential information in DMV records, including medical information, social security number, photographs, drug test results, place of birth, legal presence indicator, and mother’s maiden name. Some confidential bits of information in DMV records are only accessible to authorized government agencies such as the DMV, the courts, and the Secretary of State’s office. Other confidential information can only be accessed either with the subject’s permission or not at all.
What do Oregon Traffic Records Contain?
Traffic records in Oregon contain such information as:
- Subject’s names and aliases
- Driver’s license
- Traffic violations
- Fines
- License suspensions or revocations
- Traffic violations
- Convictions and sentences
- Accident records
- Accumulated points
Does a Citation Go on Your Record in Oregon?
Yes, a citation goes on your record in Oregon. However, not all citations go on records in Oregon. Unlike most states in the US, Oregon does not use a point system to monitor traffic violations and offenders. However, the state records all moving traffic violations on the offender’s driving record. Accumulating up to five (5) convictions within two (2) years may result in a suspension or revocation of the offender’s driver’s license, which would also go on the offender’s record.
A moving violation is generally considered more severe as it involves more significant risks of injuries, accidents, property damage, and other types of fatalities. Examples of moving traffic violations in Oregon include reckless driving, drunk driving, and speeding. Non-moving violations, on the other hand, involve less risk of fatalities and are therefore considered less severe. The distinction explains why non-moving traffic violations do not go on an offender’s record.
Types of Traffic Citations in Oregon
There are different types of traffic citations in Oregon, including the following:
- Speeding tickets: law enforcement agents typically issue speeding tickets to road users who violate speed limits. Speeding is a misdemeanor in Oregon and is penalized as such. Recipients must resolve traffic tickets on time or pay additional fines.
- Red light camera tickets: these are issued to road users who run red lights. Each citation packet includes a copy of the speed violation, a diagram of the red light camera photo and a list of locations, and a copy of the Oregon red lights law.
- Violation tickets: other types of traffic tickets include ones issued based on the offense classification. In Oregon, traffic violation classification includes Classes A to D. Fines for Class A violations are the highest, and fines for Class D violations are the lowest. Ticket fines differ based on the offense classification.
Oregon Traffic Citation Lookup
To look up traffic citations in Oregon, interested parties visit the appropriate court’s website. These courts have online portals that allow requesting parties to pay tickets online and lookup traffic citation information. Alternatively, interested parties may visit the courthouse in person to look up traffic citations.
Persons who are uncertain which court to visit may consider the county or city where the traffic violation occured. The Oregon Judicial Branch offers OJD ePay, allowing users to search traffic citations or violations before making payments.
Persons interested in looking up traffic citations may also visit local law enforcement offices for information. Using the citation number, party names, and driver’s license number, requesting parties may retrieve traffic citation information. Local DMV offices may also be able to provide traffic citation information.
How to Lookup my Oregon Traffic Records
Looking up traffic records is easy in Oregon. Interested parties may simply contact the Oregon DMV to look up traffic records. The DMV offers an online service where users may access DMV profiles and view traffic or driving records or order such records online. Alternatively, interested parties may request DMV records by mail.
A person may look up or request different records from the Oregon DMV. These include:
- Three-year non-employment driving records: three (3) year records contain information about diversion agreements, accidents in Oregon, and convictions. The request fee is $1.50.
- Open-ended non-employment driving records: these records are only used by insurance support organizations and insurers to offer insurance discounts to drivers. These records include the same documents as three-year non-employment driving records. The request fee is $1.50.
- Three-year employment driving records: these certified records include Oregon-related accidents, commercial driver’s license entries, and convictions. Three-year employment driving records may also include commercial entrees. The request fee is $2.
- Certified court print: these are five or ten-year records that include information such as major traffic offense convictions, diversion agreements, commercial driver’s license entries, alcohol rehab entries, minor offense convictions, cancellations and revocations, accidents, and suspensions. The request fee is $3.
An alternative is the Oregon Judicial Case Information Network (OJCIN), which contains judgment dockets from state courts. OJCIN allows users easy access to court records at a fee. However, users must first register and pay a subscription fee to use this service.
Oregon’s Criminal Justice Information Service (CJIS) provides public access to criminal history record checks. Interested parties may view criminal traffic case records by sending requests to the CJIS. However, the service comes at a fee of $33.
Oregon traffic case records may also be available from third-party websites since they are considered public records. Unlike government sources or websites, third-party websites do not have geographical limitations. Hence, interested parties may access these websites from anywhere in the world. However, some third-party websites may require registration or subscription to access traffic record.
Oregon Traffic Violations
Oregon traffic violations can be either civil or criminal offenses. Civil traffic violations are typically less severe than criminal offenses and usually result in a fine. On the other hand, criminal traffic violations can result in jail time, points on the offender's license, and a suspension of the offender's driving privileges.
Some of Oregon's most common traffic violations include speeding, running a red light or stop sign, and failing to yield the right-of-way.
If cited for a civil traffic violation, offenders will have the opportunity to pay the fine or contest the citation in court. If convicted of a criminal traffic violation, the offender will have a permanent offense record.
Oregon License Plate Lookup
License plates are an essential part of traffic records. They can be used to identify a vehicle and its owner, and they can be used to track a person's driving history. A person can look up Oregon license plates by going to the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles website. Requestors will need to enter the license plate number and the state. The website will then provide the vehicle's registration information. Oregon license plates are required to have a unique number and state identification. The Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles issues license plates and registration cards. They also keep track of vehicle titles, liens, and security interests.
How to View Traffic Case Records for Free in Oregon
The Oregon Judiciary offers a way to view case records online for free. Interested parties may view traffic case records through the Oregon Judiciary’s online search portal. Alternatively, interested persons may visit the courthouse where the case was first heard. Court clerks are record custodians, and by law, are required to make records available to requesting parties.
So, interested persons may view traffic case records in person at the courthouse through public terminals. Requesting parties may also view court records in other available formats at the courthouse. While access to court records is free, the court may charge a fee to produce copies.
Requesting parties may also obtain traffic case records from the courts by email or phone. However, such persons must note that some of the information in traffic case records may be exempt from public access under state and federal laws.
How Long do Traffic Offenses Remain on a Public Record in Oregon
The length of time a traffic offense remains on a public record in Oregon depends on the severity of the offense. Generally, offenses remain on traffic records for three (3) to five (5) years. Serious traffic offenses, such as driving under the influence of intoxicants, may stay on public records indefinitely.
How to Remove Traffic Records from Public Websites in Oregon
Persons who wish to remove traffic records from public websites in Oregon may begin with the expungement process. Expungement seals records of criminal convictions and arrests. Requesting parties must first file a motion with the court to expunge any records they wish to remove from public websites. Parties may file a motion for expungement three (3) years after the judgment, provided the petitioning party has fulfilled all the sentence requirements.
Persons who wish to expunge arrest records may petition the court any time from one (1) year after the date of arrest, provided that the party was not charged or convicted. Records that the court seals or expunges become inaccessible to authorized parties and therefore removed from public access. Such records would no longer be available on public websites.
Where it is impossible to expunge traffic records, interested parties may remove personal information from public websites by replacing details like residential addresses with a P.O.Box and a personal telephone number with a dedicated one. Record subjects may then update the new information with the courts and the DMV. While this may not remove the records entirely from public websites, it will protect the subject’s personal information.
Some public websites provide opt-out options for free and others at no cost. Interested parties may opt-out of having personal information displayed on these websites.
Do Motoring Offenses Affect Criminal Records in Oregon?
Yes, motoring offenses affect criminal records in Oregon. However, not all motoring offenses affect criminal records. Motoring offenses may be civil or criminal. Civil motoring offenses are less severe than criminal motoring offenses; while civil offenses do not affect criminal records, criminal motoring offenses do. Criminal motoring offenses are not only motoring offenses. These offenses are also criminal offenses and appear on both the offender’s driving and criminal records.
