Texas Defensive Driving Course

To dismiss a traffic ticket and/or remove points from your driving record:

• Request court permission to take a Defensive Driving course
• Once approved, enroll and complete our 6 Hour Driver Safety course
• Submit your Certificate of Completion and an official copy of your TX driving records to the court

To get an insurance discount:

• Contact your insurance provider to confirm eligibility
• Enroll in our online driving course
• Submit your Certificate of Completion to your insurance company

Why Should You Take a Driver Safety Course in Texas?

In the great state of Texas, driving is something of a rite of passage. With so much state to explore, the ability to hop in your car and get out matters quite a bit. But there might be some obstacles standing in your way. 

For starters, if you recently got a ticket, you might be worried about getting cited with another violation and adding more points to your license. Even if you weren't recently pulled over, high insurance costs might keep you from driving.

Fortunately, there's a way you can solve both of those problems. It's called a driver safety course. Also referred to as a driving safety course or a defensive driving course, this is a relatively short, affordable course you can take to get certain tickets dismissed or to score an insurance discount. These courses are approved by the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR) and you have the option to take your course online. 

Should you, though? Really, there are two reason why you would want to take a driver safety course in Texas. We'll look at both of them. But first, let's outline the basics of these driver safety courses so you know what you'd be getting yourself into. (Spoiler: they're easy and cheap.)

Texas driver safety course 101

The TDLR approves Texas defensive driving classes throughout the state. These are six-hour, $25 courses that you can take in person or online. 

During your Texas driver safety course, you learn things like factors that influence your driving performance, defensive driving strategies, and special skills you can use when driving is difficult, like in inclement weather. 

Generally, your Texas driving safety course will be divided into parts with quizzes in between to make sure you're retaining what you're learning. 

If you choose to take your driver safety course online, you can knock out the six hours from the comfort of your home.

But that returns us to the question: why should you take a driver safety course in Texas? Here are the two main reasons. 

Take a driver safety course to get a TX traffic ticket dismissed

In some cases, you can get a traffic ticket dismissed by completing a TLDR-approved driver safety course. Find the info for the court listed on the back of your ticket. Contact that court to find out if you're eligible for ticket dismissal if you finish a driving safety course. 

Assuming they give you the go-ahead, you need to do two things. First, of course, you need to complete the six hours of driving safety training. Then, you need to submit your Certificate of Completion ? which your provider will issue you within 15 days of finishing the course ? and your driver record to the court. 

This is just a quick overview. If you want to learn more about getting a Texas traffic ticket dismissed with a driver safety course, check out our guide here. 

Take a driver safety course to get an insurance discount

If you're a safer driver, you hit the road with a reduced risk of getting into an accident. Insurance providers know this. In fact, they might even reward you for taking steps to shrink your risk on the road. 

Ask your insurance provider if they offer a discount for completing a driving safety course. Many insurance providers throughout Texas do. These discounts range from around 2% to a fairly impressive 10%. And since the driver safety course itself costs just $25, it might quickly pay for itself through the savings you get. 

Generally, to get this discount, you'll need to submit your Certificate of Completion to your insurer. Ask them about the specifics, though, because the process varies from insurer to insurer. 

One important caveat here: many insurers will only offer you this discount if you take your driver safety course voluntarily. If you take the course because it's court-ordered, you may have a hard time landing an insurance discount with your Certificate of Completion. 

Ultimately, whether you're looking to get a traffic ticket dismissed or you're hunting for insurance discounts, a Texas driver safety course can deliver. And because it's just six hours and costs only $25, the commitment on your part is minimal. 

If you're ready to get started with your Texas driver safety course, head here. 

FAQs

How long does the defensive driving online course take?

The course itself is just six hours. But that doesn't mean the entire process is over in that time. State law requires that the course provider mails or electronically sends you your Certificate of Completion. That means that even if you take an in-person course, you shouldn't expect to leave the classroom with your certificate in hand.

The waiting period shouldn't be too long here. Providers are required to send your certificate within 15 days. Still, though, expect it to take about three weeks to finish your course, get your certificate, and submit it to either the court or your insurance provider.

How long does the defensive driving discount last in Texas?

Generally, your insurance provider will keep your defensive driving discount in place for three years. Ask your insurer to confirm, but you can usually expect to get at least a couple of years of savings out of it. 

Once the discount expires, you can simply take the driver safety course again to keep the discount in place. 

Can I take a defensive driving course online in Texas?

Absolutely! The TDLR has approved a number of online driver safety courses. Usually, these digital courses mean watching instructor videos and completing online quizzes. Ultimately, most people find it a lot easier and more convenient to take their course online. 

And, if you're looking at online defensive driving courses, you can choose on-demand courses. Choosing this options means you don't have to sit in a classroom ? or even at your computer ? at any specific time. Instead, you can chip away at your hours whenever it's convenient for you. Our courses are even mobile-friendly so you can complete your hours from your phone.