How to Request Defensive Driving From Houston Municipal Courts

The request, the court cost and the paperwork for a City of Houston ticket, taken from the court's own rules

The short answer

At Houston Municipal Courts 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: on or before the arraignment court date printed on the citation, to avoid a failure-to-appear warrant. 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.

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Answer a few questions about your ticket to see whether it qualifies at Houston Municipal Courts, and get your deadline and a plan for this court.

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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 Houston Municipal Courts before the deadline The court takes the request at the clerk's window, by mail or by email. Deadline: on or before the arraignment court date printed on the citation, to avoid a failure-to-appear warrant; citations are usually entered into the case system within 10 business days, so call the Help Line at 713-837-0311 to confirm yours is available before applying. In person: Herbert W. Gee Municipal Courthouse, 1400 Lubbock Street, Houston, TX 77002. If the date is close, read the deadlines guide.
Bring or attach these with the request
- Completed and signed DSC/MOTC Application (PDF)
- Copy of your Texas driver license, front side, valid at the time of application (active military exempt with ID and orders, including spouses and dependents)
- Copy of your auto insurance listing you as the insured
- The DSC court cost
Pay the court Mandatory DSC (requested on or before the arraignment date): $144 for a moving violation, $169 in a school zone. Discretionary DSC (if you missed the mandatory request, or took a mandatory course within the past year): $184 or $209. 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 Houston Municipal Courts the court copy of your certificate, your Type 3A driving record and the notarized affidavit, at the clerk's window or by mail. The affidavit must be notarized. How to get the record is on the Type 3A record page. Keep copies.

Houston Municipal Courts at a glance

How to ask	At the clerk's window, by mail or by email.
Deadline to ask	On or before the arraignment court date printed on the citation, to avoid a failure-to-appear warrant; citations are usually entered into the case system within 10 business days, so call the Help Line at 713-837-0311 to confirm yours is available before applying.
Court fee	Mandatory DSC (requested on or before the arraignment date): $144 for a moving violation, $169 in a school zone. Discretionary DSC (if you missed the mandatory request, or took a mandatory course within the past year): $184 or $209.
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 or by mail.
Address	Herbert W. Gee Municipal Courthouse, 1400 Lubbock Street, Houston, TX 77002
Phone	713-247-5479

Good to know

DSC is this court's short name for a driving safety course, which is the legal name for defensive driving. MOTC is a motorcycle operator training course.
The court cites CCP Art. 45A.354 and offers two request types.
Mandatory DSC must be requested on or before the arraignment date.
Discretionary DSC applies if that window was missed, or a mandatory DSC was used within the past year.
Request by mail (City of Houston Municipal Courts, P.O. Box 4996, Houston, TX 77210-4996), by email (mcd@houstontx.gov, card payment by phone), or in person at any of the six locations; there is no online portal.
If the application is postmarked on or before your court date, you do not have to appear in court.
Make a check or money order payable to City of Houston Municipal Courts.
Juveniles must appear in person with a parent.
Deliver completion paperwork in person or by mail only, never by email.
Mandatory DSC needs a notarized affidavit (a clerk certifies it in person for $10 instead); Discretionary DSC needs only the certificate.
A missed document deadline brings a Show Cause Hearing about 30 days later.

Official Houston Municipal Courts links

The court's defensive driving page

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 Houston Municipal Courts?

Mandatory DSC (requested on or before the arraignment date): $144 for a moving violation, $169 in a school zone. Discretionary DSC (if you missed the mandatory request, or took a mandatory course within the past year): $184 or $209. 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 Houston Municipal Courts?

You get 90 days at Houston Municipal Courts 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 Houston Municipal Courts?

Yes. At Houston Municipal Courts 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 Houston Municipal Courts?

Not through an online portal, as far as the court's own pages show. At Houston Municipal Courts 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: on or before the arraignment court date printed on the citation, to avoid a failure-to-appear warrant.

What do I turn in to Houston Municipal Courts after the course?

The court copy of your certificate, your Type 3A driving record and the notarized affidavit, delivered at the clerk's window or by mail. Keep copies of everything.

What if I missed the deadline at Houston Municipal Courts?

Contact the court right away at 713-247-5479. 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.

Checked Oct 13, 2026 against the court's own pages. Courts change their forms and fees, and the clerk has the final word.

Ticket from another court in Harris County? Tickets from the sheriff, a constable or DPS troopers go to a Justice of the Peace court instead. See every court we cover on the Harris County defensive driving page.

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.