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Overview

Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic

Earn 5 Safe Driver Points and satisfy a court or DMV requirement.

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What is the Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic?

The Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic is an eight-hour course regulated by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Drivers take this course to satisfy a court requirement, satisfy a DMV notice, earn 5 Safe Driver points, or obtain a discount on their auto insurance premium. Schools approved by the VA DMV offer the course in a classroom setting or online. Drivers who choose the classroom setting spend either one 8-hour day or two 4-hour periods across two days in a physical classroom. Drivers who choose the online setting complete the course on a computer that has internet access. Online courses afford drivers the opportunity to complete the course at their convenience. Whether classroom or online, drivers typically must sign up and pay before getting started. A certificate of completion is issued upon completion of the course. Drivers submit this completion to the court if they are taking it to satisfy a court requirement. They submit it to their insurance company for a discount on their insurance premium. Schools are also required to electronically submit the completion notices to the DMV.

The course covers traffic laws and techniques for driving safely on Virginia roads. The specific topics are regulated by the DMV and include:

  • Safe Driving Strategies
  • Driving Behaviors
  • Driving Conditions
  • Turns, Passing, Intersections, Lanes
  • Protecting Yourself While Driving
  • Adult and Child Safety Equipment
  • Impaired Driving
  • Distracted Driving
  • City, Rural, Suburban, Expressway Driving
  • Truck, Motorcycle, and Bicycle Awareness

Why Drivers Take the Course

Virginia drivers take a driver improvement clinic for one of four reasons: to satisfy a court order, to satisfy a DMV requirement, to get an insurance discount, or voluntarily to earn 5 safe driving points. You can learn more about the different reasons for taking the course below or by reading the Virginia DMV's list of reasons here.


Take the Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic to Satisfy a Court Order

You may take our course to satisfy a court order to complete a driver improvement clinic (a.k.a., traffic school). The Virginia District Court may direct you to complete a driver improvement program in addition to other penalties in response to a guilty plea. The judge also has the option to keep points from being added to your record or granting a reduction in fines.

Each court specifies its own procedures for taking a driver improvement course. You must check with your court to understand your options. In many cases an attorney may be prudent.

When you complete our driver improvement course, you will take your Certificate of Completion to your court to prove that you have completed a driver improvement clinic.

We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.


Take the Virginia Driver Improvement Course Voluntarily

About a quarter of the drivers who take our course do so voluntarily. During registration, choose "voluntary" to choose this reason. You may want to choose this reason if:

  • You want 5 Safe Driver points added to your record.
  • You simply want to refresh your knowledge of driving laws and good driving behavior.

We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.


Take the Virginia Driver Improvement Course to Satisfy a DMV Requirement

About 10% of drivers take our course to satisfy a DMV requirement. During registration, choose "DMV Required" to choose this reason. The DMV will direct you to complete a driver improvement course if you have accumulated too many demerit ("bad") points:

  • Twelve (12) points in twelve (12) months if you are eighteen years old or older.
  • Eighteen (18) points in twenty-four (24) months if you are eighteen years old or older.

The point threshold is stricter for drivers under eighteen:

  • Nine (9) points in twelve (12) months if you are under eighteen years old.
  • Twelve (12) points in twenty-four (24) months if you are under eighteen years old.

We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.


Take the Virginia Driver Improvement Course to Get an Insurance Discount

Many insurance companies offer insurance discounts to drivers who complete a driver improvement clinic. Check with your insurance provider to see if they offer this discount. Usually a two-year discount on a portion of the premium is available.

If your insurance provider offers this discount, select the "Insurance Discount" option when you register. When you complete the course, we will email you your Certificate of Completion and you will deliver it to your insurance company.


We Notify the DMV of Your Completion

We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.


How Does the Virginia Driver Improvement Course Work?

Our course is quick and easy. Get everything done in three simple steps!

Step One: Register for the course.

Create a username and password and fill out your contact information.

Step Two: Take the course.

Our course consists of 12 short online lessons. You must pass a short quiz at the end of each lesson to proceed to the next lesson. An online final exam must be passed at the end to be awarded a certificate. We offer a handy study sheet for the final exam. Most people pass the exam on the first try. However, you are permitted to take the exam an unlimited number of times at no extra charge.

You may log in and out of the course as often as you like. Complete it in one sitting or come and go on your own schedule. It's completely up to you! We take you back to where you left off each time you return.

Step Three: Get your Certificate of Completion.

When you complete the course, we will immediately email you your Certificate of Completion. You must deliver the certificate to your court or insurance provider if you are taking the course for a court-ordered requirement or to obtain an insurance discount. Those who are taking the course to satisfy a DMV requirement may simply keep a copy for their records. We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.


Information from the Virginia DMV

Below are statements regarding the course from the Virginia DMV:

To benefit from the course, you must be able to work independently and be comfortable with using a computer. The online driver improvement course and final test must be completed through a DMV-licensed online driver improvement clinic. No paper test is permitted.

The online driver improvement clinic course is an eight-hour course, including the final test, and is designed to rehabilitate problem drivers. The course must be completed in its entirety prior to the issuance of a certificate of completion. Student identification will be verified through-out training and prior to taking the final test to ensure that the person taking the course is the same person taking the final test.

Customers directed by the Court must provide documentation from the court before safe driving points can be awarded.

It is your responsibility to determine if your court accepts this computer-based driver improvement course to satisfy a court required driver improvement course.

The certificate of completion will be electronically transmitted to all individuals upon successful completion of the course within 24 hours.

Your completion information will be electronically submitted to the DMV within 24 hours.

DMV is committed to promoting transportation safety through the certification of quality driver training programs. If you have any comments or concerns about this course, call our toll-free number: (1-877-885-5790). The DMV standardized certificate, "Online Driver Improvement Clinic Certificate of Completion (DIC 552B)", is the only document that will be accepted by the Department and the Courts as proof of completion of an online driver improvement clinic. As part of its validation and security log-on screen sequence, the online clinic provider shall display a facsimile of its DMV certificate to operate an online driver improvement clinic in Virginia. If the certificate is presented to DMV, it must be printed on 8½" x 11 plain white bonded paper. DMV will not accept certificates printed on color or special designed paper or paper with any form of advertisement on the front or back of the certificate. DMV will not accept any certificates that have been altered in any way.


Why Safe2Drive?

At Safe2Drive, we put our customers above everything else. We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service and top-notch courses at low prices. We're constantly updating our courses to make sure they have the most up-to-date information and use the best technology available.

Best of all, our courses are easy to complete and extremely convenient. Skip the hassle of the classroom and take your course online from the comfort of your own home (or on the go!).

Approved in all counties.

So what are you waiting for? Get started today!

Register Now

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Frequently Asked Questions

General Note

We have made every attempt to answer the most commonly asked Virginia Driver Improvement questions. Please call or email us if your question is not here. In Virginia, driving school is also commonly called Driver Improvement. The two programs are one and the same.

What is the Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic?

Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic is an online program approved by the Virginia DMV that will award you 5 safe driving points upon completion or allow you to receive an insurance discount depending on your insurance provider.

How do I know my county or court will accept Safe2Drive programs?

We are approved in all counties, cities, and courts in Virginia.

virginia certificate

Why should I take the Virginia Driver Improvement course?

Drivers take this course for one of four reasons.

Attendance Reason
Description
Safe Driver Points

Court Required
Drivers required by the court to complete the course
It is up to the court whether safe driving points will be awarded

DMV Required
Drivers required by the DMV to complete the course
Safe driving points are awarded (excludes drivers under age 18)

Insurance
Drivers completing the course receive an insurance discount; you must verify eligibility with your insurance company
No safe driving points awarded

Volunteer
Drivers completing the course voluntarily
Safe driving points are awarded

Take this course if you are required by the court or DMV to attend an 8-hr Virginia driver improvement clinic. Courts usually require drivers to attend a driver improvement clinic as a result of a traffic ticket. The DMV usually requires drivers who accumulate too many points to attend driver improvement. You may also take this course voluntarily to earn 5 safe driver points or obtain an insurance discount.

How long does the Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic take?

This course satisfies the Virginia Driver Improvement 8-hour requirement. We understand that some people may read and retain information faster than others, so this course is not timed and is self-paced; you can take the course at your leisure. Simply log in and out as often as you wish and we will bring you back to where you last left off each time.

Must I finish the Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic in one sitting?

No, you can come and go as often as you like. We provide an unlimited number of logins. Just use your username and password to login. We take you back to where you left off each time you return.

How does the Virginia Driver Improvement course work?

Our course consists of 12 lessons and an online final exam. The lessons are made up of reading material, videos, animations, and interactive exercises. A short quiz is given at the end of each lesson. The online final exam consists of multiple-choice questions. You can take the exam as many times as necessary to pass at no extra charge.

What happens if I do not pass the exam?

Most people pass the exam the first time. However, you can take the exam as often as necessary without any additional charge. You may take an exam once every 24 hours.

Upon passing the exam, we immediately email your certificate to you. You must send your certificate to your court or your insurance provider if you are taking the course for a court-ordered reason or for an insurance discount. There is no need to send your certificate to the DMV. We notify the DMV of your completion automatically within 24 hours.

What happens if I do not pass a lesson quiz?

Most people pass each quiz the first time. However, if you fail a lesson quiz, you will have to retake it as many times as necessary to pass before moving on to the next lesson.

Do you send the certificate straight to the court?

No. We will send the certificate to you. You must send it to your court.

Those who are taking the course to satisfy a DMV requirement may simply print a copy of the certificate for their records. We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.

How soon will I get my Virginia Driver Improvement certificate?

We immediately email you your Certificate of Completion as soon as you pass the final exam. If you are taking the course to satisfy a court-ordered requirement or for an insurance discount, you must send your certificate to your court or insurance provider. Those who are taking the course to satisfy a DMV requirement may simply keep a copy for their records. If you have a Virginia driver’s license, we will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete to make sure they have processed it.

What is the cost of the Virginia Driver Improvement course?

The VA Driver Improvement course price is $33.95.

What is the difference between a Driver Improvement Course and Driving School?

The short answer: none. They are the same thing. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles uses the term Driver Improvement Clinic. For unknown reasons most Virginia residents use the term Driving School.

The course is 8 hours long and is offered by schools who have been approved by the DMV to offer it. You can tell if a school is approved by looking for its Clinic Code. Safe2Drive's clinic code is 0541. This shows we are approved by the DMV.

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