At Traffic Safety Institute, we provide:

• Very easy course – no final exams, unlimited retakes
• Instant electronic certificate
• FREE 24-hour submission of your certificate to the court and DMV
• Start the course for free – don’t pay until you pass (no credit card required)
• 100% compatibility – take our course on any device
• Free audio read-along

Our course includes:

• 12 easy-to-follow modules
• 4-question quizzes at the end of each module
• No final exam
• Unlimited retakes
• 24/7 live chat if you need help

If you received a ticket in Harris County, you will:

• Receive a notice from the court with information about your fine amount, payment due date, and defensive driving (driving safety course) eligibility.
• Request permission from the court before your appearance date, plead guilty/no contest, and pay your fine plus the court’s defensive driving administrative fee.
• Sign up for a Texas TDLR-approved defensive driving course – online or in person – and complete the 6-hour class.
• Order your Type 3A driving record from the Texas DPS. (The courts use this to verify you haven’t completed a defensive driving course in the past 12 months.)
• Submit both your driving safety course completion certificate and your Type 3A driving record to the court by your deadline (usually 90 days from approval).

If you get a traffic ticket in Harris County, you can request defensive driving for ticket dismissal by taking the following steps:

• Check Your Eligibility: You must have a valid non-commercial Texas driver’s license, not have taken defensive driving for dismissal in the past 12 months, and your citation must be for an eligible moving violation
• Contact the Court: Before the appearance date on your ticket, contact the court to plead guilty or no contest and request defensive driving. You’ll have to sign an affidavit stating you meet eligibility requirements.
• Pay the Fees: This includes your court fine and the administrative fee for defensive driving. In Harris County, the fee is $3.
• Wait: You must wait for court approval before starting your course.
• Complete Your Course: Complete a Texas TDLR-approved defensive driving course (6 hours) within 90 days of approval.
• Get Your Type 3A Record: Order your certified Type 3A driving record from the Texas DPS.
• Submit Completion to the Court: Submit both your course completion certificate and driving record to the court by your deadline to have your ticket dismissed.

If you get a ticket in Harris County, you should check with the court listed on your ticket to ensure you’re eligible for defensive driving. Typically, you are eligible if:

• You have a valid Texas driver’s license or permit.
• You do not hold a commercial driver’ license (CDL), and you weren’t driving a commercial vehicle when cited.
• Your ticket is for an eligible moving violation.
• You have not taken defensive driving for ticket dismissal in the past 12 months (measured from violation date to violation date).

You will likely be ineligible for defensive driving in Texas if your ticket is for:

• Speeding 25 mph or more over the posted limit.
• Speeding 95 mph or faster.
• Passing a school bus that’s loading/unloading.
• Leaving the scene of a collision (hit-and-run).
• A serious traffic offense in a construction zone with workers present.
• Certain other major violations defined by your court.

A TX TDLR defensive driving or driver safety course is 6 hours by Texas law. At Traffic Safety Institute, you can complete the course in your own time, at your own pace. You can complete it all at once, or over the course of several days – whatever works for you!

Most Texas courts give you 90 days from the date your course is approved to complete the course, submit your court copy of the completion certificate, and submit your Type 3A driving record from the Texas DPS.

If you’re taking the course for ticket dismissal, you can take a state-approved defensive driving (driver safety) course once every 12 months. This is measured from violation date to violation date, not from when you finish the course.

If you don’t have a ticket and are taking the course for an insurance discount, you can take it anytime, as often as your insurer allows. Most Texas insurance companies honor a defensive driving certificate for up to 3 years for discounts, after which you can retake it to renew the savings.

Learn more in How Often Can You Take Defensive Driving in Texas?

Defensive driving can cost up to $60 in Texas depending on your course provider, and whether you take the course online or in-person. At Traffic Safety Institute, we charge a flat fee of $31, which includes everything you need to complete the course. Learn more about the cost of Texas Defensive Driving.