FAQs For Becoming an Authorized Driver

Who Can Drive a State Vehicle?

Any person, including students, who drives for an NAU business purpose is required to register and meet driver eligibility requirements. This person is called an Authorized Driver. This requirement extends to operation of NAU vehicles, personal vehicles (if receiving reimbursement for travel), rental vehicles, golf carts, or any other means of motorized transportation.  

NAU students can drive if employed by the university or if registered as a volunteer. Students cannot drive as a Registered Volunteer for a class they are enrolled in or for a field trip for which they would receive class credit. In other words, you may not register as a volunteer for a course for which you receive a benefit or credit. A Registered Volunteer, by definition, does not receive a benefit for volunteering. 

Examples of when an employee or Registered Volunteer can drive a State Vehicle: 

• Driving to attend a conference out of town 
• Driving their class, as a faculty member, on a field trip 
• Driving for NAU purposes, e.g. running business errands or picking up supplies for NAU 
• Driving for authorized business purposes 

Examples of when an employee or Registered Volunteer cannot drive a State vehicle: 

• Driving to attend a non-work related activity 
• Driving for personal convenience, such as runs to a coffee shop for breaks, or to lunch 
• Driving as a Registered Volunteer on a field trip where the Registered Volunteer is enrolled in the class 
• Driving family members or any person not essential to accomplishing the purpose for which the state vehicle is dispatched 

• Drivers of regular vehicles (sedans, pickups, golf carts) must be at least 18 years old, and have a minimum of two years driving experience.
• Drivers of High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV) must be at least 18 years old, and have a minimum of two years of driving experience.  An HOV is defined as a passenger or cargo van that is designed, modified, or could otherwise be configured for a seating capacity of 9-15 persons, including the driver. 
• All drivers must have an Acceptable Driving Record. 

The following steps are required if you want to become an Authorized Driver. 

Step 1: Register your driver’s license number in LOUIE. If you do not have CAS login credentials and are an NAU affiliate, please visit the Non-NAU Credentialed Driver Training webpage for further instructions.  

Step 2: Complete and submit the Authorized Driver Certificate Request Form. Depending on the type of vehicles you want to operate, you will need to choose the respective certificate in the form. There are three types of Authorized Driver Certificates: Basic Authorized Driver, Van Authorized Driver, and CDL Authorized Driver. 

• Basic Authorized Driver: Choose this option if you need to operate a non-commercial, non-high-occupancy vehicle. 
• Van Authorized Driver: Choose this option if you need to operate a passenger van or HOV.
• CDL Authorized Driver: Choose this option if you need to have/maintain a Commercial Driver License (CDL). 

Please note that you must have an active Basic Authorized Driver certificate to apply or renew a van or CDL Authorized Driver certificate. If you do not have the Basic Authorized Driver certificate, you are required to apply by clicking both Basic Authorized Driver certificate and Van/CDL Authorized Driver certificate options in the form. CDL drivers must be at least 18 years of age and have a minimum of two years of driving experience. 

Once you submit the Drivers Authorization Certification Form, your request will be reviewed. If approved, you will receive an email with the link for the Canvas training course(s). 

Step 3: Complete Canvas course(s) and pass the final exam.

Step 4: Only applicable to applicants for HOV and CDL Authorized Driver certificate. Complete the in-person-training  and test for HOV and CDL. 

To apply to become an Authorized Driver, use the Drivers Authorization Certification Form to start the process.  

A number of vehicles are considered to be “specialty vehicles” under the state of Arizona fleet safety regulations. These may include electric powered bikes (E-Bikes), utility carts, snow removal equipment, construction equipment, and other vehicles. Specialty vehicles may or may not require a drivers license to operate, but generally require some level of documented training on safe use. Be sure to check for your specific vehicle type in the driver authorization program materials or contact the Driver Authorization Program Administrator or EHS if you have questions.  

Once a person becomes certified, the term will be valid for 36 months. 

30 Days prior to the expiration, an email notification with appropriate work instructions will be provided on how to renew the certificate.   

Specialty vehicle certificates may have varying durations based on the type of equipment. Some specialty vehicles (E-Bikes for instance) may have a one time only training requirement while others may require annual retraining. Retraining requirements should be included in the training content or other documentation for that specific vehicle. 

Drivers may contact the Authorized Driver Program Administrator at AuthorizedDriver@nau.edu to check the status of their request. To check a driver status, open the Authorized Driver form and search for drivers by User ID or First/Last Name.  

State regulations require NAU to review each driver’s motor vehicle record for moving violations during the most recent 39 months. Points are accrued on a driver license for each violation, and the total points accrued within the 39 month monitoring period result in the driver’s record being classified as Acceptable, Conditional, or High Risk. The point system is: Acceptable, 5 or fewer points; Conditional, 6 to 7 points; High Risk, 8 or more points.   

A Conditional driving record means that there are multiple moving violations on the driver’s record, but the total number of points accrued is less than the High Risk level. Conditional drivers are required to complete (or repeat) defensive driving training. Their motor vehicle record is reviewed every six months until their Conditional status has become Acceptable. Additionally, drivers with Conditional driving records must obtain written authorization from their departmental leadership to drive on NAU business.  

High Risk means that the number of moving violations accrued during a 39-month period exceeds 7 points. An individual with a High Risk driving record will be suspended from driving on university business. However, if departmental leadership feels the Authorized Driver should be allowed to drive on university business, then they shall immediately contact the Driver Authorization Program Manager to discuss the reason(s) in which the Authorized Driver should be allowed to drive, as well as the limitations and the duration of the authorization to drive. Final determinations in allowing a High Risk driver to continue as an Authorized Driver will be made in consultation with NAU Human Resources, legal council, and the applicable Vice President. If it is determined that the High-Risk driver can continue as an Authorized Driver, then departmental leadership will be notified in writing of the limitations and duration of the authorization to drive.     

There is no minimum threshold of driving frequency that exempts a driver from the registration and approval process. If you operate a state vehicle you must register as an Authorized Driver, regardless of often you drive. If you seek vehicle expense reimbursement for the use of your personal vehicle, you must register as an Authorized Driver before traveling. In the event you are involved in an accident while on NAU business, and you are not registered as an Authorized Driver, the state will not supplement your personal vehicle insurance. While driving a personal vehicle on NAU business, the driver’s insurance is primary for all claims. If the dollar amount of the liability for an accident while driving on NAU business exceeds an Authorized Driver’s personal insurance limits, the excess financial liability shifts to NAU through state insurance coverage if and only if you are registered as an Authorized Driver.   

Per Arizona law (ARS 28-2001.1b), individuals who work in Arizona and have a need to drive are required to obtain an Arizona driver’s license. There are exemptions to this requirement for full-time non-resident students, as well as military personnel and their spouses. Drivers who hold an out of state license must request their driving record from their issuing state and submit it to NAU HR and/or AuthorizedDriver@nau.edu for review as part of the authorization process. Out of state license holders are responsible for obtaining their own driving records.

NAU has no mechanism to obtain driving records from foreign countries, therefore review of driving records for persons new to the U.S. is not performed. These persons may only be authorized as High-Risk drivers with the approval of their departmental leadership after they have received a valid U.S. driver’s license. Their status will be upgraded as their driving record accumulates as long as their license remains in good standing.

If you seek reimbursement for the use of your personal vehicle, you must register as an Authorized Driver. Additionally, you must have prior written approval from your departmental leadership to drive your personal vehicle on NAU business, and you must provide a current copy of your insurance card to your departmental leadership upon request. Your insurance must meet the statutory requirements for liability, which are $15,000 (per person)/$30,000 (per accident). In the event you are involved in an accident while operating your personal vehicle on NAU business, and you are not registered as an Authorized Driver, the state will not supplement your personal vehicle insurance. While driving a personal vehicle on NAU business, the driver’s insurance is primary for all claims. If the dollar amount of the liability for an accident while driving on NAU business exceeds an Authorized Driver’s personal insurance limits, the excess financial liability shifts to NAU through state insurance coverage if and only if you are registered as an Authorized Driver.   

While driving a personal vehicle on NAU business, the driver’s insurance is primary for all claims. If the dollar amount of the liability for an accident while driving on NAU business exceeds an Authorized Driver’s personal insurance limits, the excess financial liability shifts to NAU through state insurance coverage. A person who is driving their personal vehicle on NAU business but is not an Authorized Driver has no excess coverage from NAU. Because of this exposure NAU requires that drivers of personal vehicles carry the statutorily required minimum liability insurance.  

No. There is no NAU or state insurance coverage for damage to personal property or vehicles used on NAU business. Drivers are responsible for determining their own insurance needs for potential damage to their vehicle or other personal property. Any deductible or other expense associated with a claim against a personal insurance policy is the driver’s responsibility and is not paid by NAU.  

There is no minimum threshold of driving frequency that exempts a driver from the registration and approval process. If you seek vehicle expense reimbursement for the use of your personal vehicle, you must register as an Authorized Driver prior to traveling. Additionally, you must have prior written approval from your departmental leadership to drive your personal vehicle on NAU business and you must provide a current copy of your insurance card to your departmental leadership upon request.

Your insurance must meet the statutory requirements for liability, which are $15,000 (per person)/$30,000 (per accident). If you do not seek vehicle expense reimbursement for the use of your personal vehicle, then you do not have to register as an Authorized Driver. However, in the event you are involved in an accident while operating your personal vehicle on NAU business, and you are not registered as an Authorized Driver, the state will not supplement your personal vehicle insurance. While driving a personal vehicle on NAU business, the driver’s insurance is primary for all claims. If the dollar amount of the liability for an accident while driving on NAU business exceeds an Authorized Driver’s personal insurance limits, the excess financial liability shifts to NAU through state insurance coverage if and only if you are registered as an Authorized Driver.   

The training can take up to an hour and a half.

• Motor Vehicle Use for University Business Policies and Procedures
  
• NAU Travel Policies

As long as you have a current AZ license, your record pull will be performed automatically and you do not need to submit records from your prior state. If you do not hold an AZ license, you will need to obtain and submit records from the state that issued your license.

Please email the Driver Authorization Program Manager  for assistance if you have any questions or need further assistance.