AAMVA Code Dictionary (ACD)

Overview
Documentation
History

The AAMVA Code Dictionary (ACD) is a set of codes used nationwide to identify:

The type of driver conviction, or
The reason for a driver withdrawal

ACD codes are used in messages sent over AAMVAnet, which is AAMVA's proprietary, secure computer network that connects to each State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA) in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

The AAMVA ACD manual provides information about the business rules for using the ACD code set in CDLIS and in PDPS. The manual also lists all ACD codes with corresponding descriptions and abbreviations, as approved by AAMVA and implemented by each State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA) in the jurisdictions.

ACD Release 5.2.1 (Effective 08/14/2017)

AAMVA Code Dictionary (ACD) Manual, Release 5.2.1
If you need a list of ACD codes to manipulate (e.g., sort, convert to Excel, etc.), download ACD Codes and Descriptions (MS Word). It is extracted from the ACD Manual.

ACD Release 5.2.0 (Effective 07/05/2017)

AAMVA Code Dictionary (ACD) Manual, Release 5.2.0
AAMVA Code Dictionary (ACD) Change Control Document (reflecting changes from release 5.1.0 and 5.2.0)
ACD001 - Rewording ACD Code A26
ACD004 - Proposed Modifications to ACD Codes
CP 342 - Merge Sections 3.2.2 and 3.1.5.12

ACD Release 5.1.0 (Effective 9/01/2013)

Note: This release is an update to release 5.0.0 that incorporates clarifications based on FMCSA’s release of the ‘Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations’ final rule on October 1, 2012.

AAMVA Code Dictionary (ACD) Manual, Release 5.1.0
AAMVA Code Dictionary (ACD) Manual, Release 5.1.0 (changes from release 5.0.0 highlighted)
Implementation Planning Guide, Release 5.1.0

ACD Release 5.0.0 (Effective 9/01/2013)

AAMVA Code Dictionary (ACD) Manual, Release 5.0.0
AAMVA Code Dictionary (ACD) Manual, Release 5.0.0 (changes from release 4.0.0 highlighted)
Implementation Planning Guide, Release 5.0.0

ACD Release 5.0.0 Overview Presentations

AAMVA provided two, 1-hour overview sessions on April 16 and 17, 2013, to provide details of this release and the timelines for annual releases (ACD 5.0.0 Release Highlights: PowerPoint | PDF).

ACD Release 4.0.0 (Effective 8/01/2011)

1980s

The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act (CMVSA) of 1986 mandated that a driver who has been disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle by the state of record (SOR) must not be able to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in any other jurisdiction.

The CMVSA also mandated the creation of the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) to enable a jurisdiction to maintain and electronically report a complete driver history record of each CDL holder and to enable a state of conviction (SOC) to electronically report a conviction of an out-of-state driver to the driver’s SOR.

1990s

In support of the CMVSA and CDLIS, AAMVA and the jurisdictions developed the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) D20 code set, which enables driver licensing authorities to communicate commercial driver convictions and withdrawals between jurisdictions. In 1996, because of identified inadequacies of the ANSI-D20 code set and the long timeframes involved with addressing the inadequacies, AAMVA and the jurisdictions developed and implemented the ACD code set as a replacement for the ANSI-D20 code set. In 1997, a few corrections and additions were made to the ACD code set.

2000s

In 2002, a few codes were added and revised to support the federal regulations requiring disqualifications for specified Railroad Highway-Grade Crossing (RRGC) violations, as mandated by the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act (ICCTA) of 1995. In 2005, AAMVA published the ACD (Release 2.1.0), known as the “revised code set”, in which AAMVA culled ACD codes that did not map to traffic safety violations or federal mandates. The revised code set also included the changes required to implement the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act (MCSIA) of 1999 and the Driver License Agreement (DLA).