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Texas defensive driving and ticket dismissal rules

In Texas a 6 hour driving safety course dismisses an eligible ticket. It applies up to 24 mph over, once a year.

Rules checked

Texas law gives a driver the right to have an eligible ticket dismissed by taking a state approved 6 hour driving safety course, once per 12 months, if the driver makes the request by the answer date on the citation. Speeding 25 mph or more over the limit, or 95 mph or more, is excluded, and so is any driver who holds a commercial license. Each justice or municipal court sets its own request steps and may charge a fee of up to $10 on top of court costs, and a court may still allow the course after the answer date at its discretion.

What a course does
Dismissal of the ticket
Speed limit for the course
Up to 24 mph over
How often
Once a year
Deadline to ask
By the appearance date
Speeding points
No point system
Points count for
No point system

The Texas rule

Every field of the rule. The number points to its source at the foot of the page.

The program
Driving safety course dismissal
Source 1
What it does
Dismissal of the ticket
Source 1
Set by each court
YesEach court decides part of the rule.
Source 1
Speed limit for the course
Up to 24 mph over
Source 1
Bar at double the posted limit
No bar
Source 1
Open to CDL holders
No
Source 1
Open to tickets in a commercial vehicle
Not published
Open to learner and provisional licenses
Yes
Source 1
Open to drivers licensed in another state
No
Source 1
How often
Once a year, counted from the ticket date
Source 1
Lifetime limit
Not published
Deadline to ask
By the appearance dateAsk before the appearance date printed on your citation.
Source 1
Court fee for the course
$10reimbursement fee in an amount of not more than $10, plus an optional driving record fee; court costs still apply
Source 1
Course length
6 hours
Source 2
Course price the rule publishes
Not published
Crashes
Not published

Who qualifies

  • CDL holders do not qualify, in any vehicle.
  • Not published for tickets written in a commercial vehicle.
  • Learner, permit and provisional license holders can qualify.
  • Only drivers licensed in Texas qualify.
  • Speeding tickets up to 24 mph over the limit qualify.
  • Speeding at 95 mph or more does not qualify, whatever the limit.
  • Not published for tickets with a crash.
  • Once a year, counted from the ticket date.

Left out of the program, in the words of the rule

  • speeding 25 mph or more over the posted limit
  • speeding at 95 mph or more
  • passing a school bus (Transportation Code 545.066)
  • collision involving damage to a vehicle, duty to give information and render aid (550.022, 550.023)
  • a serious traffic violation
  • an offense in a construction or maintenance work zone with workers present (542.404)
  • any offense by a person who holds or held a commercial driver's license

Deadline and how to ask

  1. Ticket writtenDay 0
  2. Deadline to askBy the appearance date

Ask before the appearance date printed on your citation.

Ask in person, by mail or online.

Get the date for your ticket

Courts with their own deadline wording are in the court list below.

Points in Texas

Texas keeps no point record for drivers.

Source: H.B. No. 2048, 86th Legislature, enrolled version (repeal of the driver responsibility program) (opens in a new tab)

Fees as published

Court fee for the course
$10State, in its own words: reimbursement fee in an amount of not more than $10, plus an optional driving record fee; court costs still applyCode of Criminal Procedure Chapter 45A. Justice and Municipal Courts (Subchapter H, Art. 45A.351 to 45A.359) (opens in a new tab)

Insurance

A voluntary course is published here for an insurance discount. Insurers set their own rates; ask yours.

Source: Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 45A. Justice and Municipal Courts (Subchapter H, Art. 45A.351 to 45A.359) (opens in a new tab)

Courts in Texas with their own rules

These courts publish fees, deadlines or limits of their own. A court not listed here follows the state rule above.

  • Austin Municipal Court$144 to $169Own page
    Court
    Austin Municipal CourtCovers Austin
    Fee, in its words
    $144, or $169 if the offense happened in a school zone
    Deadline, in its words
    Request before your initial appearance date.
    How to ask
    Ask online.

    The Austin Municipal Court pageAustin Municipal Court traffic page (opens in a new tab)

  • Arlington Municipal Court$144 to $169
    Court
    City of Arlington Municipal CourtCovers Arlington
    Fee, in its words
    administrative fee and court costs total $144.00; $169.00 if the citation occurred in a school zone
    Deadline, in its words
    No later than your 30-day appearance date.
    How to ask
    Ask online, by mail or in person.

    Arlington Municipal Court traffic page (opens in a new tab)

  • Corpus Christi Municipal Court$144 to $169Own page
    Court
    City of Corpus Christi Municipal CourtCovers Corpus Christi
    Fee, in its words
    court costs and reimbursement fee: $144.00 moving violation, $169.00 school zone moving violation
    Deadline, in its words
    On or before the appearance date on your citation, 14 days from the date of the violation.
    How to ask
    Ask online.
    Differs from the Texas rule
    The court page lists fewer exclusions than the statute. The Texas statute on the state record lists the full set. The checker applies both lists together, so no statute bar drops out.

    The Corpus Christi Municipal Court pageCorpus Christi Municipal Court traffic page (opens in a new tab)

  • Fort Worth Municipal CourtFee not publishedOwn page
    Court
    City of Fort Worth Municipal CourtCovers Fort Worth
    Deadline, in its words
    Within 21 calendar days of the citation date; after 21 days a judge must approve.
    How to ask
    Ask online, in person or by mail.

    The Fort Worth Municipal Court pageFort Worth Municipal Court traffic page (opens in a new tab)

  • Houston Municipal Courts$144 to $209Own page
    Court
    City of Houston Municipal CourtsCovers Houston
    Fee, in its words
    Mandatory DSC: $144.00 moving violation, $169.00 school zone moving violation. Discretionary DSC: $184.00 moving violation, $209.00 school zone moving violation
    Deadline, in its words
    On or before your arraignment court date; a discretionary course may still be requested after that date at a higher fee.
    How to ask
    Ask by mail or in person.

    The Houston Municipal Courts pageHouston Municipal Courts traffic page (opens in a new tab)

  • Dallas Municipal Court$144 to $169
    Court
    Dallas Municipal CourtCovers Dallas
    Fee, in its words
    $144.00 for offenses NOT in a school zone; $169.00 for offenses IN a school zone (State and Administrative Fees)
    Deadline, in its words
    Once past 21 days the amount may be higher or the option may no longer be available; the page does not say what the 21 days count from.
    How to ask
    Ask online, by mail or in person.

    Dallas Municipal Court traffic page (opens in a new tab)

  • El Paso Municipal CourtsFee not published
    Court
    El Paso Municipal CourtsCovers El Paso
    Deadline, in its words
    Before your scheduled court hearing, or before the judge on your day of court.
    How to ask
    Ask in person, online or by mail.
    Differs from the Texas rule
    The court page lists fewer exclusions than the statute. The Texas statute on the state record lists the full set. The checker applies both lists together, so no statute bar drops out.

    El Paso Municipal Courts traffic page (opens in a new tab)

  • Harris County Justice Courts$144
    Court
    Harris County Justice CourtsCovers Harris County
    Fee, in its words
    $144 (if the offense was committed January 1, 2020 or later)
    Deadline, in its words
    The court must receive the request before the appearance date on the citation; mailed requests by certified mail postmarked by the answer date.
    How to ask
    Ask online, by mail or in person.

    Harris County Justice Courts traffic page (opens in a new tab)

  • Travis County Justices of the PeaceFee not published
    Court
    Travis County Justices of the PeaceCovers Travis County
    Fee, in its words
    Court Costs (call the Court for the amount) + $10.00 non-refundable DSC Reimbursement Fee
    Deadline, in its words
    Plead before the appearance date on the citation; mailed requests postmarked on or before that date.
    How to ask
    Ask by mail or in person.

    Travis County Justices of the Peace traffic page (opens in a new tab)

Courses that serve Texas

Listed by name. The order never changes with price or commission.

Points Clear may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never changes the verdict or the order.

What we could not confirm

  • Courts we could not readWe could not read the pages of Plano Municipal Court or the Bexar County, Collin County and Dallas County justice courts. San Antonio Municipal Court and the Tarrant County justice courts publish nothing beyond the statute. A ticket there gets the state rule on this page.

Check a Texas ticket

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Texas traffic school questions

Can traffic school dismiss a ticket in Texas?

In Texas a 6 hour driving safety course dismisses an eligible ticket. It applies up to 24 mph over, once a year. The program: Driving safety course dismissal. Each court decides part of the rule, so confirm with the court on your citation.

How many mph over can you be for traffic school in Texas?

Up to 24 mph over the limit under the state rule. Speeding at 95 mph or more does not qualify at all. Some courts set their own limit; the court table on this page lists them.

How often can you take traffic school in Texas?

Once a year, counted from the ticket date.

When do you have to ask for traffic school in Texas?

By the appearance date. Ask before the appearance date printed on your citation.

Can CDL holders take traffic school in Texas?

No. The published rule closes the course to CDL holders, in any vehicle.

Does Texas use a point system for traffic tickets?

No. Texas keeps no point record for drivers.

Does a defensive driving course lower car insurance in Texas?

A voluntary course is published here for an insurance discount. Insurers set their own rates; ask yours.

Sources

Checked against these pages in .

  1. Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 45A. Justice and Municipal Courts (Subchapter H, Art. 45A.351 to 45A.359) (opens in a new tab)Statute, read
  2. TDLR Driving Safety: Taking a course (opens in a new tab)Government page, read
  3. Transportation Code Chapter 542 (Sec. 542.404 work zone fines) (opens in a new tab)Statute, read
  4. H.B. No. 2048, 86th Legislature, enrolled version (repeal of the driver responsibility program) (opens in a new tab)Statute, read
  5. Transportation Code Chapter 521 (Sec. 521.292 habitual violator suspension) (opens in a new tab)Statute, read