Arizona defensive driving school rules
In Arizona a defensive driving class dismisses an eligible ticket and keeps it off your MVD record. It applies once a year.
Rules checked
In Arizona a Supreme Court certified defensive driving class dismisses one eligible civil moving violation, and the citation stays off your MVD record. You can use it once per 12 months, counted from violation date to violation date. You finish the class at least 7 days before the court date on your ticket. The fee is each court's diversion fee plus state fees and the school's own fee, so the total differs by court. Criminal speeding (more than 20 mph over) is eligible only where the court allows it. CDL holders qualify only when driving a regular, non-commercial vehicle.
- What a course does
- Dismissal of the ticket
- Speed limit for the course
- Not published
- How often
- Once a year
- Deadline to ask
- By the appearance date
- Speeding points
- 3 points
- Points count for
- Not published
The Arizona rule
Every field of the rule. The number points to its source at the foot of the page.
- The program
- Defensive Driving Program (defensive driving school diversion)
- What it does
- Dismissal of the ticket
- Set by each court
- YesEach court decides part of the rule.
- Speed limit for the course
- Not published
- Bar at double the posted limit
- Not published
- Open to CDL holders
- Yes
- Open to tickets in a commercial vehicle
- No
- Open to learner and provisional licenses
- Not published
- Open to drivers licensed in another state
- Yes
- How often
- Once a year, counted from the ticket date
- Lifetime limit
- Not published
- Deadline to ask
- By the appearance dateAsk before the appearance date printed on your citation.
- Court fee for the course
- No dollar figureCourt diversion fee set by each court's presiding judge, plus a state fee and a $45 state surcharge; the Supreme Court publishes each court's total
- Course length
- 4 hours
- Course price the rule publishes
- Not published
- Crashes
- Closed when someone was hurt
Who qualifies
- CDL holders may take the course. Federal law (49 CFR 384.226) still keeps the conviction on a CDL record.
- Tickets written in a commercial vehicle do not qualify.
- Drivers licensed in another state can qualify.
- Speed limit for the course: not published. Your court decides.
- Tickets for equipment or registration and other non-moving violation do not qualify.
- Closed when someone was hurt.
- Once a year, counted from the ticket date.
Left out of the program, in the words of the rule
- civil or criminal traffic violation resulting in death or serious physical injury
- violations not on the Supreme Court list of eligible violations (non-moving violations such as registration, insurance or parking)
- criminal excessive speed under A.R.S. 28-701.02 (more than 20 mph over, or over 35 mph approaching a school crossing) unless the court allows it
- moving violation while driving a commercial motor vehicle that requires a CDL
Deadline and how to ask
- Ticket writtenDay 0
- Deadline to askBy the appearance date
Ask before the appearance date printed on your citation.
Courts with their own deadline wording are in the court list below.
Points in Arizona
| Violation, as the state lists it | Type | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding | Speeding | 3points |
| Failure to stop for a traffic signal or stop sign with no death or serious injury, counted under all other moving violations | Red light or stop sign | 2points |
| Failure to stop for a traffic signal, stop sign or to yield the right-of-way, causing serious injury | Red light or stop sign | 4points |
| Failure to stop for a traffic signal, stop sign or to yield the right-of-way, causing death | Red light or stop sign | 6points |
| All other moving violations | Lane change or turn | 2points |
| All other moving violations | Following too closely | 2points |
| All other moving violations | Other moving violation | 2points |
| Driving over or parking in a gore area | Other moving violation | 3points |
| Leaving the scene of accident, hit-and-run | Other moving violation | 6points |
| DUI, extreme DUI, reckless driving or aggressive driving | Other moving violation | 8points |
Fees as published
- Court fee for the course
- No dollar figure publishedState, in its own words: Court diversion fee set by each court's presiding judge, plus a state fee and a $45 state surcharge; the Supreme Court publishes each court's totalA.R.S. 28-3396, Court diversion fee (opens in a new tab)
Courts in Arizona with their own rules
These courts publish fees, deadlines or limits of their own. A court not listed here follows the state rule above.
Maricopa County Justice Courts$179
- Court
- Maricopa County Justice CourtsCovers Maricopa County
- Fee, in its words
- $110.00 court fee + $24.00 state fee + $45.00 state surcharge = $179.00 sub total, plus school fee (each of the 26 Maricopa justice courts, effective October 1, 2026)
- Deadline, in its words
- Complete the class, or ask for more time, at least one week before the court date; certified schools may grant one 60-day extension if asked at least seven days ahead.
- How to ask
- Not published
Maricopa County Justice Courts traffic page (opens in a new tab)
Phoenix Municipal Court$214
- Court
- Phoenix Municipal CourtCovers Phoenix
- Fee, in its words
- $145.00 court fee + $24.00 state fee + $45.00 state surcharge = $214.00 sub total, plus school fee (effective October 1, 2026)
- Deadline, in its words
- Complete the class at least 7 calendar days before your scheduled court appearance; the violation must not already be paid or set for trial or hearing.
- How to ask
- Not published
Pima County Consolidated Justice Court$219
- Court
- Pima County Consolidated Justice CourtCovers Pima County
- Fee, in its words
- $150.00 court fee + $24.00 state fee + $45.00 state surcharge = $219.00 sub total, plus school fee (effective October 1, 2026; paid to the school, not the court)
- Deadline, in its words
- One 30-day extension from the initial arraignment date can be requested online; more time needs a motion to a hearing officer.
- How to ask
- Not published
Pima County Consolidated Justice Court traffic page (opens in a new tab)
Tucson City Court$219
- Court
- Tucson City CourtCovers Tucson
- Fee, in its words
- $150.00 court fee + $24.00 state fee + $45.00 state surcharge = $219.00 sub total, plus school fee (effective October 1, 2026); a $17 DDS Extension Fee applies if you ask for more time
- Deadline, in its words
- Complete the course no later than 7 days before the court date on the citation, or the extension date; an extension request on or before the appearance date costs a $17 DDS Extension Fee.
- How to ask
- Not published
What we could not confirm
- Sources that disagreeArizona court fee tables list a $24 state fee, while A.R.S. 28-3397 caps that fee at $15. The court table shows the fees as the courts publish them. Next check due by .
Check a Arizona ticket
The form opens the checker with Arizona filled in. Add the violation and the date from your ticket.
Arizona traffic school questions
Can traffic school dismiss a ticket in Arizona?
In Arizona a defensive driving class dismisses an eligible ticket and keeps it off your MVD record. It applies once a year. The program: Defensive Driving Program (defensive driving school diversion). Each court decides part of the rule, so confirm with the court on your citation.
How often can you take traffic school in Arizona?
Once a year, counted from the ticket date.
When do you have to ask for traffic school in Arizona?
By the appearance date. Ask before the appearance date printed on your citation.
Can CDL holders take traffic school in Arizona?
Yes, the state opens the course to CDL holders, but federal law (49 CFR 384.226) keeps the conviction on a CDL record, so the course takes points off at most.
How many points does a traffic ticket carry in Arizona?
Speeding: 3 points. Failure to stop for a traffic signal or stop sign with no death or serious injury, counted under all other moving violations: 2 points. Failure to stop for a traffic signal, stop sign or to yield the right-of-way, causing serious injury: 4 points. Failure to stop for a traffic signal, stop sign or to yield the right-of-way, causing death: 6 points. The points table on this page lists every violation the state publishes.
Sources
Checked against these pages in .
- A.R.S. 28-3392, Defensive driving school; eligibility (opens in a new tab)
- A.R.S. 28-3394, Successful course completion (opens in a new tab)
- A.R.S. 28-3396, Court diversion fee (opens in a new tab)
- Frequently Asked Questions for Defensive Driving School Students, Arizona Judicial Branch (opens in a new tab)
- List of Eligible Violations, Arizona Judicial Branch Defensive Driving (opens in a new tab)
- Cost to Attend School, Arizona Judicial Branch Defensive Driving (opens in a new tab)
- A.R.S. 28-701.02, Excessive speeds; classification (opens in a new tab)
- A.R.S. 28-3395, Supreme court authority and duties; rules; record (opens in a new tab)
- Points Assessment, ADOT Motor Vehicle Division (Internet Archive capture of 2026-05-29) (opens in a new tab)
- Arizona Administrative Code Title 17 Chapter 4, R17-4-404 and Table 1 Driver Point Valuation (Supp. 22-3; Internet Archive capture of the Secretary of State PDF) (opens in a new tab)