Taking Defensive Driving for an Austin Municipal Court Ticket
How to ask the court, what it charges and what to send back once you finish the course
The short answer
At Austin Municipal Court you can make the defensive driving request at the clerk's window, by mail or by email, and it has to reach the court in time: submitted or postmarked no later than the appearance date on the citation. The court charges $144 in court costs (details below), and once it approves you have 90 days to finish the course and turn in the court copy of your certificate, your Type 3A driving record and the notarized affidavit.
How to request it, step by step
- Check that your ticket qualifies The eligibility rules are the same at every Texas court: your license, your insurance, the offense and whether you took a course in the past 12 months. Read who is eligible before you pay the court anything.
- Ask Austin Municipal Court before the deadline The court takes the request at the clerk's window, by mail or by email. Deadline: submitted or postmarked no later than the appearance date on the citation. In person: 6800 Burleson Road, Building 310, Suite 175, Austin, TX 78744. If the date is close, read the deadlines guide.
- Bring or attach these with the request
- Driver Safety Request form (Traffic Deferral 02 form, revised October 2025), completed and notarized, or brought to a court location; it carries the plea of no contest, the jury waiver and the affidavit
- Proof of a valid vehicle insurance policy or other financial responsibility
- Copy of a valid non-commercial Texas driver license (unless in the military)
- Check or money order for $144, or $169 if the offense was in a school zone
- Pay the court $144, or $169 in a school zone. A moving-violation deferral without the course costs $50 more. This money goes to the court, not to the course provider.
- Take the course within 90 days Once the court approves your request, take a TDLR-approved 6-hour driving safety course. Ours is online and self-paced, and you pay $27.99 only after you pass.
- Turn in your paperwork Send Austin Municipal Court the court copy of your certificate, your Type 3A driving record and the notarized affidavit, at the clerk's window, by fax, by mail or by email. The affidavit must be notarized. How to get the record is on the Type 3A record page. Keep copies.
- Confirm the dismissal Courts do not always send a letter. Use the court's case lookup to check that your case shows as dismissed.
Austin Municipal Court at a glance
| How to ask | At the clerk's window, by mail or by email. |
| Deadline to ask | Submitted or postmarked no later than the appearance date on the citation. |
| Court fee | $144, or $169 in a school zone. A moving-violation deferral without the course costs $50 more. |
| Time to finish | 90 days to finish the course and turn in your paperwork. |
| Driving record | Yes, a certified Type 3A driving record from Texas DPS. |
| Affidavit and notary | Yes, the affidavit must be notarized. Ask the clerk whether you can sign it in front of a clerk instead. |
| Turning in paperwork | At the clerk's window, by fax, by mail or by email. |
| Address | 6800 Burleson Road, Building 310, Suite 175, Austin, TX 78744 |
| Phone | 512-974-4800 |
Good to know
- The driving record may be version 3 or 3A.
- The affidavit on the request form is sworn before a deputy court clerk or a notary (bring it to a court location to avoid the notary).
- The 90 days run from the date the court processes the request (the deferral page counts from the postmark or in-person submission); the processing date is visible in the online case portal.
- The certificate must say it is for Austin Municipal Court and can go in person, by fax 512-974-4882, by mail to P.O. Box 2135, Austin, TX 78768-2135, or by email to court@austintexas.gov; locations are the main courthouse and the North Customer Service Center at 2121 West Parmer Lane, Suite 116.
- Do not take the course before submitting the request.
- This request is not available to drivers who were under 17 at the time of the violation.
Official Austin Municipal Court links
TDLR Licensed #CP1094. Nothing to pay until you pass. Certificate reported to TDLR the moment you finish.
Common questions
What does defensive driving cost at Austin Municipal Court?
$144, or $169 in a school zone. A moving-violation deferral without the course costs $50 more. That money goes to the court. The course is a separate fee paid to the course provider, and with us you pay it only after you pass.
How long do I have to finish the course at Austin Municipal Court?
You get 90 days at Austin Municipal Court to finish the course and turn in your paperwork. The court tells you the exact due date when it grants your request, so write it down and start early.
Do I need a notary at Austin Municipal Court?
Yes. At Austin Municipal Court the affidavit must be notarized. Ask the clerk whether you can sign it in front of a clerk instead, and read the court's notes on this page first.
Can I request defensive driving online at Austin Municipal Court?
Not through an online portal, as far as the court's own pages show. At Austin Municipal Court you can make the request at the clerk's window, by mail or by email. However you send it, it must reach the court in time: submitted or postmarked no later than the appearance date on the citation.
What do I turn in to Austin Municipal Court after the course?
The court copy of your certificate, your Type 3A driving record and the notarized affidavit, delivered at the clerk's window, by fax, by mail or by email. Keep copies of everything.
What if I missed the deadline at Austin Municipal Court?
Contact the court right away at 512-974-4800. The deadline on this page is the court's published rule, and only the court can say what options are left for your case. Our Texas defensive driving deadlines guide explains how the answer date works.
Please note: this guide explains Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 45A, Subchapter H (Articles 45A.351 to 45A.358) in general terms. It is not legal advice. Each court applies the rules to your case, sets its own fees and forms, and makes the final decision. When in doubt, the clerk of the court named on your citation is the authority.