When you get a traffic ticket in Bexar county, or anywhere else in Texas, you’ll need the court's approval to take a Driving Safety course in order to have your ticket dismissed. The name of the court will be shown on your citation - contact them directly to request permission to attend.
In Bexar County and San Antonio defensive driving is also sometimes referred to as a Driver Safety Course. You must request to take this course before the date your ticket specifies you must appear in a Bexar County court, and the court must approve your request. You may only take defensive driving once in a 12-month period.
It is up to the county court where you received the ticket whether you can take the course to dismiss the ticket or reduce points on your license. If the court approves you to take a driving safety course, you are eligible to take our 100% online, easy and simple defensive driving course.
By following these easy steps, you can get your Texas traffic ticket dismissed and get back to driving. First make sure you are eligible to have the ticket dismissed. It is up to the county court where you received the ticket whether you can take the course to dismiss the ticket or reduce points on your license.
Safety-USA’s online Texas defensive driving course has been approved by TDLR for ticket dismissal and insurance discount purposes. This course will satisfy your court requirements that are a result of a traffic ticket. At only $25, this low-cost program is available in English and Spanish.
But if you specifically want to use defensive driving in Texas to dismiss your speeding ticket, you need to follow the rules.Rule #1: You Must Be Eligible. ... Rule #2: You Need Court Permission. ... Rule #3: You Must Pay All Court Fees. ... Rule #4: You Will Need to Provide Proof of Completion to the Court.More items...
Most minor traffic citations will be dismissed if you take defensive driving. However, more severe violations are not eligible for traffic ticket dismissal in this way.
Here are five steps to dismissing your Texas traffic ticket:You must have a non-commercial driver's license.You must admit guilt or plead no contest (nolo contendere)The citation must be for driving within 25 miles per hour of the posted limit.Your citation does not involve an infraction in a construction zone.More items...•
once every yearHow often can you take defensive driving in Texas? You can take a defensive driving course in Texas once every year for ticket dismissal. Insurance discounts for defensive driving courses expire every three years.
Drivers who wish to clear their driver's record in Texas may enroll in traffic school and complete a defensive driving course. This may not only help them remove points but may also result in the dismissal of their traffic ticket.
three yearsIn Texas, a traffic ticket stays on your driver's record for three years after your conviction. Along with a record of the violation, the points associated with the ticket also remain for three years.
Contact your court and request permission to take a defensive driving course. You may do this by phone, in writing (on the back of your citation), or in person. You have until the appearance date on your citation to request permission. At that time, you must plead guilty or no contest to your violation.
Can you take defensive driving online in Texas? Yes, and the benefit to taking an online course is that you can complete the six hour course all at once, or an hour or two at a time, based upon your schedule. It's also very convenient.
Possess a valid Texas drivers license or permit. Admit guilt to a traffic violation and wish to use defensive driving as an alternative, OR meet your insurance company's eligibility requirements for insurance reduction. Have not taken a course to dismiss a traffic ticket within the past 12 months.
If you do not want to appear in court, you have the option of paying your fine by mail or by paying in person at the Justice Court as directed on your citation or summons.
So, yes, you can take defensive driving twice in Texas, but you might not be able to if you lived in a different state. In Texas, you can go to traffic school once every 12 months in order to get out of a traffic infraction like a ticket, provided you don't have a commercial driver's license.
With defensive driving classes, individuals learn to improve their driving skills by reducing their driving risks. Driving risks are reduced by anticipating situations and making safe well-informed decisions. Defense driving courses involves a lot training on tactical decision making to avoid road accidents.
You must elect to take the driving safety course on or before your appearance date listed on your citation and enter a plea of no contest or guilty. If you get a ticket in Bexar County, you will be required to address it with one of the Bexar County Municipal Courts.
If you are a juvenile (under 18 years old), you must first appear in a Bexar County Court and be approved to sign up for a driving safety course.
You must NOT have taken the Driving Safety Course for purposes of having a citation dismissed within the 12 months prior to the date of your citation.
This means your insurance rates will not go up because of the citation. Of course, another reason to take a defensive driving course is to refresh your driving knowledge or to become a better driver.
Quite honestly, the main reason most people take traffic school is to keep points off their record. Your insurance company bases its premium on the number of tickets you have (in addition to other factors). By taking traffic school, your insurance company will not see your traffic ticket.
Present a request to take the driving safety course in writing on or before your appearance date on your citation. You must NOT have taken the Driving Safety Course for purposes of having a citation dismissed within the 12 months prior to the date of your citation.
You must pass the end-of-lesson quiz to proceed to the next lesson. Most people pass the lesson quiz on their first attempt, but you can retake a lesson quiz as many times as necessary to pass at no extra fee.
Expired Driver's License: Submit proof that driver's license was renewed within 20 days of offense by first court appearance and pay $22 dismissal fee. Fail to Produce Driver's License: Submit proof in court of valid driver's license and pay $12 dismissal fee.
Failure to appear or pay on or before your court date, may result in a warrant being issued for your arrest and a charge of “failure to appear” or “violate promise to appear” may also be filed against you with a possible fine amount of up to $ 500 for each offense.
Scheduled fines include mandatory state and county court costs. If your particular violation is not listed, or if you have any questions, call the court indicated on your ticket on or before the court date. Payments by mail are considered a guilty plea and waiver of trial by judge or jury.
You must send payment to, or appear at, the exact JP precinct and place number indicated on your ticket on or before the specified court date and time. Due to limited courtroom seating, crowded waiting areas and long service lines, please do not bring small children to court.
By following these easy steps, you can get your Texas traffic ticket dismissed and get back to driving. First make sure you are eligible to have the ticket dismissed. It is up to the county court where you received the ticket whether you can take the course to dismiss the ticket or reduce points on your license.
Factors that may make you ineligible for defensive driving include: You hold a Texas Commercial Driver's License. You have dismissed a traffic ticket within the last 12 months. You refuse to plead "no contest.". You cannot plead "not guilty" and still take the course.
Driver Safety Course certificate of completion. A copy of your driver record. An affidavit stating that you were not taking a Driver Safety Course at the time your request was granted by the Court or had taken such a course in the 12 months preceding the date your request was approved.
The judge will call your case, you will state your name, the judge will review the traffic ticket you received and may ask questions about the incident. They will review your plea and see that you’ve requested to take the driver safety course to get your ticket dismissed. The judge may ask if you are currently taking or have taken ...
If you send in your form by mail, make sure you use certified mail with return receipt. You can find your appearance date on your ticket. The second step is to submit to the court a Driver Safety Course Request Form. You can complete this form online or mail it in.
In two or three weeks after mailing, it is a good idea to call the Court and make sure they received your documents. The Court now has everything they need to dismiss your case. All you have to do is make sure you don’t get cited for any new traffic violations during the 6-month probation period.
These requirements include most drivers, however there are specific exclusions that are important to understand. You cannot request dismissal of your ticket if: You are currently enrolled in a defensive driving course. Or completed the course in the 12 months prior to receiving your ticket.
Harris County doesn’t allow you to have your case dismissed if: You were charged with passing a school bus that was stopped with lights flashing.
You can take a Texas defensive driving course if you meet the following conditions: 1 You have not taken a defensive driving course within the past 12 months. 2 Do not have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) 3 Are not currently taking a defensive driving course for a different violation.
A Texas defensive driving course may NOT be taken to dismiss any of the following violations: Speeding at or more than 25 MPH over the posted speed limit. No car insurance. Leaving the scene of an accident (hit and run) Passing a school bus. Construction zone violations.