2010 Pennsylvania Code
Title 75 - VEHICLES
Chapter 15 - Licensing of Drivers
1581 - Driver's License Compact.

                               SUBCHAPTER D
                         DRIVER'S LICENSE COMPACT

     Sec.
     1581.  Driver's License Compact.
     1582.  Definitions.
     1583.  Compensation of compact administrator.
     1584.  Furnishing of information to other states.
     1585.  Actions of courts and other agencies.
     1586.  Duties of department.

        Enactment.  Subchapter D was added December 10, 1996,
     P.L.925, No.149, effective immediately unless otherwise noted.
        Cross References.  Subchapter D is referred to in section
     3804 of this title.
     § 1581.  Driver's License Compact.
        The Driver's License Compact is hereby enacted into law and
     entered into with all other jurisdictions legally joining
     therein in the form substantially as follows:
                                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 Conviction
        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 a 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; or
            (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 is 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
     subdivision (a) of this article 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 his 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.

        Effective Date.  Section 10 of Act 149 of 1996 provided that,
     in recognition of the technical and administrative limitations
     under which the Department of Transportation is currently
     operating, the effective date of section 1581 Art. IV(b) shall
     be suspended until the repeal of section 10. Section 11(2) of
     Act 149 provided that the addition of section 1581 Art. IV(b)
     shall take effect on the date of the repeal of section 10 of Act
     149.
        Cross References.  Section 1581 is referred to in sections
     1532, 1543, 3804 of this title.