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Driving Safety Course Requirements

You may be eligible to take a Driving Safety Course (DSC) on any one of the moving violations shown on the ticket you were issued. If you were cited while operating a motorcycle, you may be eligible to take a Motorcycle Operators Training Course (MOTC) instead of the DSC. You may not take more than one DSC or MOTC per year anywhere in the State of Texas to get a ticket dismissed. However, if one of the violations for which you were cited is for not having a child safety seat or not having a child properly in the seat, you may be eligible to take a Child Seat Belt Safety Course in addition to the DSC or MOTC.

If you were cited for any of the following, you are not eligible to take a Driving Safety Course for that violation.

  • Speeding 25 mph or more above the posted speed limit
  • No insurance or failure to maintain financial responsibility
  • Leaving the scene of a collision
  • Passing a School Bus, or
  • Cited while driving in a Construction Zone when worker's were present.

Note: If you had a commercial driver's license at the time of the violation, you are not eligible to take Driving Safety even if you were driving a non-commercial vehicle.

Please note that you can only take Driving Safety for ticket dismissal once per year. Additionally you MUST request permission to take this course for purposes of ticket dismissal by the appearance date shown on your ticket. Your driving record must reflect that you have not completed a Driver Safety Course or Motorcycle Operator's Training Course, as applicable, within the last 12 months preceding the date of this offense.

If you are eligible, you will have 90 days from your request date to complete the Driver Safety Course or Motorcycle Operator's Training Course, if applicable. Note: It may take up to two (2) weeks to receive your certificate from the driving school. You will also need to obtain a certified copy of your driving record from the Texas Department of Public Safety. If you request your driving record by mail, allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

**Please note that you do not have to set up a docket appearance and talk to a prosecutor for permission to take the course. You may come to a court location within 10 days of the citation and request permission.

Request Driving Safety

You may request a Driving Safety course in person or by mail. Follow the instructions on the green sheet the police officer gave you when your ticket was issued. Only the person who was issued the ticket may request permission to complete a Driving Safety course.

On or before the appearance date on your ticket, you must submit the following:

  1. A completed and notarized signature on the Affidavit form.
  2. Proof that you have a valid non-commercial Texas Drivers License. Note: If you are an active member of the U.S. military, proof of a current military I.D. may be substituted for the current Texas driver's license. If you are currently attending a Texas college or university but your permanent address in another state, a copy of your current college I.D. and a copy of your current out-of-state driver's license may be substituted for the copy of the Texas driver's license.
  3. The Court administrative fee: $136 for speeding in a school zone or $111 for all other violations.
  4. Proof that any of the following forms of insurance were in effect on the day your request for a Driving Safety course was requested:
    • A copy of a valid vehicle insurance policy listing you as a covered driver.
    • Your insurance card.
    • A certificate of self-insurance.
If all of the above criteria for Driving Safety are met, your permission to take the Driver's Safety Court or Motorcycle Operators Training Court or Child Seat Belt Safety Course, as applicable, will be automatically granted. You will receive notice from the Court

Time to Complete the Course

You will have 90 days from the date the affidavit is notarized to complete the driving safety course and obtain a copy of your driving record. Proof of course completion and your driving record must be submitted on or before the 90th day. If you fail to show proof and submit your driving record, you will be scheduled for a hearing before a Municipal Court Judge. A notice of the hearing will be mailed to you at the address listed on your citation, unless you notify the Court of a change of address. You may also exercise the option to appear in person at Downtown location, 700 East 7th Street, Monday-Thursday from 8:30am to 11 am or 1:30 pm to 3:30pm to speak to a judge.

Note: If you submitted a current military I.D. or current college I.D. with an out-of-state driver's license to request a driving safety course, you do NOT have to submit a driving record unless you have one in the State of Texas.


Class Locations

For a list of class locations visit the website of the Texas Education Agency at : www.tea.state.tx.us/drive.

Driving Record

Texas driving records are available online at the Texas Department of Public Safety website, www.txdps.state.tx.us, choose "Driver's License and Online Services". They are also available at the Texas Department of Public Safety, 108 Denson St. (corner of Denson and Airport Blvd.) Austin, TX 78752, (512)424-2600. The cost for a certified driving record is $10.00.


Proof of Completion

You may either bring in or mail the original certificate of court completion and your driving record (if applicable). The proof and record (if applicable) must be presented at one of the court's locations, placed in the drop box, or postmarked no later than the 90th day after the date that your Driving Safety Court Request Affidavit was notarized. The due date is also available by checking the status of your case online at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/public/.


Getting Driving Safety Course Information Specific to Your Ticket

You can find out if you've been approved to take driving safety or to find out your deadline for showing proof of completion by accessing our website at https://www.ci.austin.tx.us/public/. May also speak to a customer service representative by calling (512) 974-4800.

You will need to know your ticket number to get this information. The ticket number is the number in the upper right corner of your citation.







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