Driving Safety Course

Eligibility

  • You may be eligible to have your charge dismissed for certain motor vehicle violations by taking a driving safety course if:
  • You have a valid Texas Driver's License or permit;
  • You provide proof of liability insurance;
  • You haven't taken a driving safety course for another ticket received in the past 12 months for the purpose of getting a violation dismissed;
  • You currently are not enrolled in such a course.

You may exercise this option by coming to court from Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, on or before your court date to request defensive driving. Please bring your driver's license and proof of insurance. You will lose the right to take defensive driving if you do not provide written notice of your desire to take defensive driving to the court on or before the due date shown on the ticket.

Not all offenses under the Texas Transportation Code are subject to dismissal upon completion of a driving safety course. A driver will not be eligible to have a charge dismissed by completing a driving safety course if:

  • A charge of speeding is 25 or more miles per hour over the posted limit;
  • A charge occurred in a Construction Zone;
  • The driver holds a Commercial Drivers License (CDL)

Fees & Procedures

The fees to be paid at the time you request DSC are as follows:

Violations issued before September 1, 2019

  • $109 for all traffic violations
  • $134 for Speeding in a School Zone violations

Violations issued on or after September 1, 2019

  • $129 for all traffic violations
  • $154 for Speeding in a School Zone violations

Violations issued on or after January 1, 2020

  • $144 for all traffic violations
  • $169 for Speeding in a School Zone violations

You will have 90 days to take the driving safety course approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. You must present a uniform certificate of driving safety course completion from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to the court. You will need to request a copy of your driving record issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Visit Texas.gov to request a driving record online or to download the form. Be sure to mark Box 3A as the type of record requested for defensive driving dismissal.