Request to Take a Defensive Driving Course
If you got a ticket in the State of Texas, you have a few options when it comes to handling it.
You can:
- Admit guilt for the violation and pay the fine.
- Fight the ticket in court.
- Plead guilty or no contest and request to take a Texas defensive driving course to have your ticket dismissed.
Typically, your best bet is to opt to take a driving course (and even better, an online driving course). This way you can dismiss your ticket and avoid having points added to your driver record. And the cleaner your driver record, the better your auto insurance premium will be, and you won’t risk possible license suspension. Plus, your Texas defensive driving course will provide you with a great refresher course, so you can avoid tickets in the future!
Keep in mind that in Texas, ticket dismissal varies from county to county and court to court. Below are the general requirements and restrictions. Please speak with someone in your court/county for more specific information.
Click here to find your court
Ticket Dismissal
You can get your ticket dismissed by completing an online Texas defensive driving course. This means you also avoid having points added to your driver record.
Requirements to Request a Defensive Driving Course:
- Letter pleading "No Contest" and requesting to take traffic school in Texas.
- Any required forms and affidavits from the court.
- A copy of Your Texas driver license.
- A copy of Proof of Insurance: e.g., your insurance card.
- Fee-dependent on county, court, or infraction.
- A copy of the citation.
Am I Eligible?
You typically take a Texas defensive driving course (also called driver safety course) after you have been issued a citation. Your ticket will be dismissed upon successful course completion. Each court specifies its own eligibility requirements for defensive driving courses; therefore you must check with your court to find out if you qualify.
In general, you are eligible for a Texas defensive driving course if:
- You have a valid driver license (that is not a Commercial Driver License).
- You were ticketed for a moving violation (e.g., speeding, running a red light).
- You have not taken Texas traffic school for a ticket you got in the last 12 months.
You must request to take a defensive driving course for the violation shown on your citation. You will also pay a fee to the court for permission to take Texas defensive driving. Note this fee is separate from the fee you pay the defensive driving school. If the court grants you permission to take a driver safety course, you may be required by your court to obtain a copy of your Texas driver record. Save time and let Safe2Drive order it for you!
Your citation is the ticket the officer gave you. Each county in Texas has its own form of citation. You must read the ticket carefully to understand your options and if a Texas defensive driving course is one of them. In most cases, you must resolve your citation within 15 days of getting it.
Luckily, Safe2Drive’s online Texas defensive driving course is approved by the TDLR to fulfill your defensive driving requirements. Upon successful completion of your defensive driving program, you will take your Certificate of Completion to the court to prove that you have taken a course, and your ticket will be dismissed.
Please Note: If you are a non-Texas resident, you must download the student affidavit.
Restrictions
- You cannot be currently taking Texas traffic school or have taken it in the last 12 months.
- You cannot have a Commercial Driver License (CDL).
- You must have a Texas driver license and appropriate auto insurance.
You are ineligible to take a defensive driving course in Texas if your citation is for:
- Speeding more than 25 mph above the posted limit.
- Passing a school bus.
- Failure to stop or provide information after an accident.
- Traveling over 95 mph.
- A violation in a construction zone with workers present.
If you are eligible to complete a defensive driving course in Texas and you have received permission from your court/county, be sure to take advantage of it! Safe2Drive’s online Texas defensive driving course is the perfect solution: it’s approved by the Texas TDLR, it’s convenient, and it’s affordable.
Completing a driver safety course doesn’t just enable you to dismiss your ticket and prevent points from being added to your driver record, it also provides you with a comprehensive educational experience that will help keep you out of trouble in the future. Your online defensive driving course will refresh your memory of important driving techniques and will get you up-to-date on new Texas traffic laws that may have been put into place since you first earned your driver license. Understanding the skills required to be a safe driver and putting them into practice on the road is the best way to prevent tickets and car accidents later on down the road.
Register Now!
Request to Take a Defensive Driving Course
If you got a ticket in the State of Texas, you have a few options when it comes to handling it.
Typically, your best bet is to opt to take a driving course (and even better, an online driving course). This way you can dismiss your ticket and avoid having points added to your driver record. And the cleaner your driver record, the better your auto insurance premium will be, and you won’t risk possible license suspension. Plus, your Texas defensive driving course will provide you with a great refresher course, so you can avoid tickets in the future!