Driver's Safety Course Information

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Dismissal for Driving Safety Course

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• If you are charged with an offense involving the operation of a motor vehicle or a motorcycle defined by Subtitle C of the Texas Transportation Code (Rules of the Road), you may require that your citation be dismissed by successfully completing a driving safety course or a motorcycle operator training course. You will lose that right if you do not provide the court with notice of your request to take the course on or before your appearance date.

 

• You do not have the right to take a course if you are currently taking a course, or have completed a course within the 12 months preceding the date of the offense and the course was taken to secure a dismissal of a traffic citation.   

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• You do not have the right to complete a course if you hold a commercial driver’s license or if you held a commercial driver’s license when the offense was committed.

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The Court Costs associated with the Driver's Safety Course option is $146.00.

You do not have the right to complete a course if you are charged with:
(i) passing a school bus, 
(ii) failing to stop and give information or render aid following an accident, or on striking an unattended vehicle or fixture or highway landscape, 
(iii) a traffic offense committed in a construction and maintenance work zone while workers were present, 
(iv) speeding 95 miles per hour or more, or
(v) speeding 25 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit, 

- You must have a valid Texas driver’s license or permit, or you must be a member of the United States military forces serving on active duty, or the spouse or a dependent child of a member of the United States military forces serving on active duty.
- You must have proof of financial responsibility (liability insurance).
- You may not take the course if you are taking the course at the time of this request, or if you have completed a course within the 12 months preceding the date of the offense.

 

Requesting Your Driving Record

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You may order your driving record by using the State electronic Internet portal here. You may also order your driving record from the Texas Department of Public Safety by sending an Application for Copy of Driver Record (DR-1) to:
 

Driver Records Bureau
Texas Department of Public Safety
Box 149246, Austin, TX, 78714-9246
 

Completing the Course and Dismissal

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If you are allowed to take a driving safety course or motorcycle operator training course, you have 90 days within which to complete the course and present to the court:

1.  a uniform certificate of driving safety course completion, or verification of completion of the motorcycle operator training course;

2. your driving record as maintained by the Department of Public Safety to show that no driving safety course or motorcycle operator training course was completed within the 12 months preceding the date of the offense; and

3. an Affidavit stating that you were not taking a driving safety course or motorcycle operator training course, as applicable, under Article 45.0511, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, on the date the request to take the course was made, and that you had not completed such a course that is not shown on your driving record within the 12 months preceding the date of the offense; or if you are a member, or the spouse or dependent child of a member of the United States military forces serving on active duty who does not have a valid Texas driver's license, an Affidavit stating that you were not taking a driving safety course or motorcycle operator training course, as applicable, in another state on the date the request to take the course was made and had not completed such a course within 12 months before the offense date.

 

• In some instances, you may be required to pay a fee not to exceed the maximum fine for the offense.

• If you successfully complete the driving safety course or motorcycle operator training course as required, the charge against you will be dismissed.

- The Driving Safety Course must be a course approved by the Texas Department of Education. Driver Training and Education Schools and Classroom Locations may be found at https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/driver/safety/students/taking-a-course.htm. TDLR approved Online Driving Safety Courses can also be found be searching the internet. The Motorcycle Safety Unit of the Department of Public Safety administers the Texas Motorcycle Operator and Safety Program. For information on locations of motorcycle training centers, visit the Motorcycle Safety Unit Website at https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/mot/find-schools.htm.

Failure to Comply

Failure to appear as required in the notice, or failure to show good cause, will result in the imposition of judgment requiring you to immediately pay the fine.
The court may, for good cause, extend the time during which you shall present a uniform certificate of course completion or a verification of completion of the motorcycle operator-training course. Failure to appear at this show cause hearing shall constitute an offense punishable by a maximum fine in the amount of $200.00.