Report: DMVs Sell Your Personal Information For Millions Of Dollars

DURHAM, N.C. (CBS Local) -- North Carolina's DMV has reportedly made more than $4 million in the past five years from selling drivers' personal information.

It's all legal and drivers applying for a license and registration are not allowed to opt-out, WTVD reported Wednesday.

The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles, which charges three cents per record, sells personal information to three companies: Explore Info Services, Envision-Data Driven Safety and Lexis Nexis Corporation.

And while the 1994 Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) bans state DMVs from disclosing personal information, there are 14 exceptions, including for government agencies and insurance agencies.

If a company disclosing the personal information violates state and federal law, they can take action. But a representative told WTVD there have been no violations in the last five years.

Multiple DMVs across the country are selling driver's license data to private investigators and other third parties, a Motherboard investigation uncovered last year.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles, for example, is generating revenue of $50 million a year through selling drivers' personal information, CBS SF Bay Area reported in November.

The sold data included names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, vehicle and other personal information.