Washington deferred finding and traffic school rules
In Washington a judge can defer a ticket at a hearing and dismiss it later; a course may be one of the conditions. It applies once every 7 years.
Rules checked
Washington has no statewide traffic school. A judge at a contested or mitigation hearing may defer the finding on a traffic infraction for up to a year, set conditions such as a course, and dismiss the ticket if you meet them and get no new infraction. You can receive one deferral for a moving violation every seven years. Commercial license holders cannot use it. You must ask for a hearing within 30 days of the notice. Each court decides whether to grant it, the conditions and the fee. Drivers 55 and over earn an insurance premium reduction for an eight hour accident prevention course.
- What a course does
- Deferred finding, then dismissal
- Speed limit for the course
- Not published
- How often
- Once every 7 years
- Deadline to ask
- 30 days
- Speeding points
- No point system
- Points count for
- No point system
The Washington rule
Every field of the rule. The number points to its source at the foot of the page.
- The program
- Deferred finding
- What it does
- Deferred finding, then dismissal
- 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
- No
- Open to tickets in a commercial vehicle
- No
- Open to learner and provisional licenses
- Not published
- Open to drivers licensed in another state
- Not published
- How often
- Once every 7 years, the rule does not say what the window counts from
- Lifetime limit
- Not published
- Deadline to ask
- 30 daysCounted from the ticket date. Ask within 30 days of the date the ticket was written.
- Court fee for the course
- No dollar figurethe court may assess costs as the court deems appropriate for administrative processing
- Course length
- Not published
- Course price the rule publishes
- Not published
- Crashes
- Not published
Who qualifies
- CDL holders do not qualify, in any vehicle.
- Tickets written in a commercial vehicle do not qualify.
- Not published for drivers licensed in another state.
- Speed limit for the course: not published. Your court decides.
- Not published for tickets with a crash.
- Once every 7 years, the rule does not say what the window counts from.
Left out of the program, in the words of the rule
- negligent driving in the second degree with a vulnerable user victim
Deadline and how to ask
- Ticket writtenDay 0
- Deadline to ask30 days
Counted from the ticket date. Ask within 30 days of the date the ticket was written.
Ask by mail or in person.
Points in Washington
Source: WAC 308-104-160 Moving and nonmoving violations defined (opens in a new tab)
Fees as published
- Court fee for the course
- No dollar figure publishedState, in its own words: the court may assess costs as the court deems appropriate for administrative processingRCW 46.63.070 Response to notice, contesting determination, hearing (deferred findings) (opens in a new tab)
Insurance
A voluntary course is published here for an insurance discount. Insurers set their own rates; ask yours.
Your court
Courts in this state set part of the rule, and we hold no court records here. The court named on your citation decides.
Courses that serve Washington
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.
Aceable
- Price
- $59
- Length
- 4 hours
- Format
- Online, mixed
Aceable's own figures, as of October 2026. The provider's claim, not confirmed on a state source. The record names I Drive Safely as the school that runs this course.
Check with your court that it accepts this course.
See the Aceable course for Washington (opens in a new tab)
Check a Washington ticket
The form opens the checker with Washington filled in. Add the violation and the date from your ticket.
Washington traffic school questions
Can traffic school dismiss a ticket in Washington?
In Washington a judge can defer a ticket at a hearing and dismiss it later; a course may be one of the conditions. It applies once every 7 years. The program: Deferred finding. Each court decides part of the rule, so confirm with the court on your citation.
How often can you take traffic school in Washington?
Once every 7 years, the rule does not say what the window counts from.
When do you have to ask for traffic school in Washington?
30 days. Counted from the ticket date. Ask within 30 days of the date the ticket was written.
Can CDL holders take traffic school in Washington?
No. The published rule closes the course to CDL holders, in any vehicle.
Does Washington use a point system for traffic tickets?
No. Washington keeps no point record. It counts offenses instead.
Does a defensive driving course lower car insurance in Washington?
A voluntary course is published here for an insurance discount. Insurers set their own rates; ask yours.
Sources
Checked against these pages in .
- RCW 46.63.070 Response to notice, contesting determination, hearing (deferred findings) (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 48.19.460 Premium reductions for older insureds completing accident prevention course (opens in a new tab)
- WAC 308-104-025 Effect of accumulation of traffic offenses (opens in a new tab)
- WAC 308-104-160 Moving and nonmoving violations defined (opens in a new tab)