how long does traffic course usually take

by Dora Ziemann 9 min read

Here’s how long each state requires you to complete traffic school according to their state law. In California, traffic school is 8 hours. However, if you take it online there are no timers, so actual course time will depend on the individual. It could take one to two hours or the entire eight.

So, how long does traffic school take? From around one or two to more than eight hours, depending on the state you're in. Knowing the laws and regulations for DMV approved traffic school in your state is important, make sure you are getting the right program for your needs.

Full Answer

How long does online traffic school take to complete?

In California, it will take 8 long hours to complete a traffic school or a defensive driving course. The good news is that you can complete it in one or two hours because California does not require course timers. You can either breeze through the course in one sitting or take your time in answering all the quizzes – it’s totally up to you!

How long do you have to do traffic school after a ticket?

Online traffic school is generally intended to take about eight hours. However, it will usually only take you that long if you read every word of the material, thoroughly digest it, and carefully ...

How many hours is traffic school in Nevada?

How long does online traffic school take also depends upon the fact that how quickly, one grasps the online traffic school course and how that person identifies the basic rules applied while driving in a lot of traffic as well. However, the DMV has made it mandatory for all the people that online traffic school courses should be of 400 minutes.

Do you have to pay to take a traffic school course?

May 14, 2020 · How Long is Traffic School? Classroom-based traffic schools normally require 8 hours of your time over the weekend. However, online traffic schools are MUCH faster. How long does traffic school take online? If you’re sitting down to start traffic school from scratch you can expect to finish in 1-3 hours. That means you can finish in a single session from the comfort of …

What is the easiest and fastest online traffic school?

iDriveSafely Online Traffic SchoolFastest Online Traffic School #1 – iDriveSafely Online Traffic School. The iDriveSafely online traffic school program has been around for literally decades and they have it down to a science. This is the fastest online traffic school you can take and it has made this list every year including now in 2019.

What is the quickest online traffic school in California?

iDriveSafelyiDriveSafely is arguably the fastest online traffic school in California as they do not have a course timer. That means you can just skip through each page over and over again until you get to one of the quizzes. Since the quizzes are so simple, you should breeze right through it without having to read anything.May 11, 2019

How long is traffic school in California?

8 hourThe California traffic school course is approved as an 8 hour course. Your course material is broken down into single-subject units, which you can complete at your own pace. Therefore, how long the course takes is up to you!

How long is online traffic school Illinois?

about four hoursThe online course takes about four hours to complete. You do not have to finish the course in one sitting.

How many points is a speeding ticket in California?

one pointMost speeding tickets in California will result in one point on your license, with a few exceptions: If you are speeding over 100 mph, the first offense will result in 2 points. If you are convicted of speeding while driving under the influence, your license will be immediately suspending regardless of point history.Oct 1, 2021

Is it worth going to traffic school in California?

Going to traffic school means that your insurance company will not find out about your traffic ticket and your rates will be unaffected. Because of this you'll save yourself from paying hundreds or thousands of extra dollars, keep your California Good Driver discount, and more.Jun 12, 2020

How long do I have to take traffic school after a ticket in California?

60 daysHow Long Do You Have To Do Traffic School After You Get A Ticket? In California, most courts allow you up to 60 days from the date of payment to the court to complete traffic school. However, some courts may allow 90 days so you should check with your county court to be sure.May 14, 2020

How long does online traffic school take in California?

8 hoursCalifornia. In California, traffic school is 8 hours. However, if you take it online there are no timers, so actual course time will depend on the individual. It could take one to two hours or the entire eight.

How long does a speeding ticket stay on your record in California?

three years and three monthsSo, if you live in California, the state will add just one point to your driving record after you get a speeding ticket. That point stays on your record for 39 months — or three years and three months. In Nevada, however, you'll have between one and five points added to your record after a speeding ticket.Feb 14, 2022

How long does the on driving school take in Illinois?

Illinois law requires the six-hour course only. However, you are encouraged to have at least 50 hours of practice behind-the-wheel training, including at least 10 hours of night driving, before obtaining your Illinois driver's license.

How does traffic school work in Illinois?

In Illinois, many insurance companies offer discounts when you complete a traffic safety course. You'll receive a Certificate of Completion to provide to your insurance carrier. It is always the responsibility of the student to ensure insurance carrier acceptance for completing a traffic safety course.

Can you take traffic school online Illinois?

With Safe Motorist's Illinois Online Traffic School You Can: Access the course any time 24/7. Take your time to complete the course (up to 90 days) Log on and off as many times as you need to without losing work you've already completed.

A List Of The Quickest Online Traffic Schools You Can Sign Up For

iDriveSafely – This online traffic school has been around for a few decades with more than 5 million people who have already taken their course. I’ve actually had a personal tour of their office based in California where they have a fully staffed 24/7/365 customer support team (read: NOT outsourced to India like many other online traffic schools).

A Few Tips And Tricks To Complete Online Traffic School Faster

How long online traffic school takes really depends a lot on you. If you want to take the course seriously, which I actually highly recommend, it may take you a while. If you don’t care and just want to blow through it as quickly as possible, that can be done, too. In all honesty, the tests and quizzes really aren’t that difficult.

How Long is Traffic School?

Classroom-based traffic schools normally require 8 hours of your time over the weekend. However, online traffic schools are MUCH faster.

What Is The California DMV Time Requirement for Online Traffic Schools?

In California, there is no official time requirement for online traffic schools. However, classroom traffic school courses have an 8-hour requirement. According to the California DMV’s Outline of Required Topics and Standards for Approved Traffic Violator School Course OL 613:

Best Online Traffic School Course Overview

Wondering what’s inside our course? Below is a snapshot of what you can expect once you register:

can I request traffic school after paying ticket?

Should I take traffic school before or after I pay my ticket? You will need to pay your ticket and request the option to take traffic school from the court before you complete a traffic school course. After you do this, the court will give you a new due date that you’ll have to complete your traffic school course by.

Does traffic school reduce fine?

Attending traffic school does not do away with the fine or fees; it is a separate issue related only to eliminating the point from your DMV record. If you decide to go to traffic school without going to court, you have to request permission from the court by the due date on your traffic ticket.

Should I pay my ticket or go to traffic school?

Should I Go to Traffic School? When you get stopped for a traffic violation, you may want to fight the ticket or just pay it off to make it go away, but think twice before you do that. In most situations, if you go to traffic school, you can avoid stiff fines and increased insurance rates, and keep your record clean.

How do I know if my traffic school went through?

Check on the Web Select the county where you were cited for the traffic infraction. Enter the information about your traffic violation court case including your first and last name, date of birth, driver’s license number and case number. Click the “check status” option.

How do I know if Im eligible for traffic school?

To verify your California traffic school eligibility, you can check the courtesy notice you received from the court. This notice should indicate whether or not you are eligible for traffic school. You may also be able to obtain this information by looking up your ticket information on your court’s website.

How long does it take for traffic school to process?

Online traffic school is generally intended to take about eight hours. However, it will usually only take you that long if you read every word of the material, thoroughly digest it, and carefully answer the questions at the end of each chapter.

Is traffic school better online or in person?

When taking a Traffic School Course a person has the option of taking it online or in a classroom. Either option will get the person the same result, a 1-point traffic citation removed from his or her driving record.

What is a traffic court?

As you might've guessed by the name, traffic courts deal with traffic infractions and other minor offenses. In addition to speeding, traffic court commonly handles issues such as expired licenses, parking tickets, expired registration, driving uninsured, running a red light, running a stop sign, or automobile components in need of repair (like that broken taillight you got pulled over for, other defective lights, faulty exhaust parts, no windshield wipers or mirrors, or even lacking a horn). So while traffic court extends beyond just speeding tickets, it only hears infractions, which are the violations you receive as a ticket, or citation.

What is a traffic attorney?

Traffic attorneys are an option, as they specialize in fighting tickets, DUIs and related offenses. On the day of your traffic court trial, the clerk calls your case, sometimes issuing a brief description of the facts, before you and any witnesses are sworn in as a group. (Swearing in sometimes happens earlier, though.)

Is there a jury in traffic court?

In traffic court, there is no jury – decisions boil down to the judge's assessment of your testimony, and it's the judge's authority that determines your punishment. Most states give traffic court judges the authority to reduce the fines associated with traffic violations.

What happens if you are found guilty of a traffic violation?

If the judge determines that you're guilty of the traffic violation in question, you'll have to pay the fine as shown on the citation. Your driving record may also be taken into consideration, though, which could result in license suspension, per the judge's assessment – especially in the case of repeated offenses.

Is ignorance a defense?

Ignorance of the law is not a legal defense, nor is claiming that your actions didn't hurt anyone. Likewise, telling the judge that other people were speeding or otherwise violating traffic laws, but you were the only one who got a ticket will not hold up in court.

Why is it important to show up early for traffic court?

Showing up early can help you get a seat closer to the front so that your case gets heard sooner rather than later in the day. Plus, if the courtroom doors close, you may be turned away. That’s not good.

What percentage of drivers get moving violation tickets?

If you’ve gotten a speeding ticket you are not alone. A study from Princeton Survey Research Associates International found that within a five-year period 20% of drivers get moving violation traffic tickets. Speeding is by far the most common reason for getting ticketed. In most situations, drivers pay the ticket and are happy to be done with ...

What happens if you don't show up in court?

No-shows at court can result in serious consequences, and it’s definitely going to result in a guilty verdict. Wages can be garnished. Court time can be fined to you in addition to your ticket. And, your license can be suspended.

What to do if you fight a speeding ticket?

If you are going to fight a speeding ticket or other lesser charge, be prepared when it’s your turn. When your name is called, you will be asked to step forward to face charges. You will already have been sworn in so this part goes fast. If you have evidence, get it out and ready while you are waiting.

How to lose a court case?

It’s the quickest way to lose, your case. This should be a no-brainer, but emotions can be high when fighting costly tickets, but they must be kept in check. Always call the judge, "your honor.". Call officers of the court "sir" or "ma'am". Follow all directions.

Is waiting in a line worse than waiting in a line forever?

There’s nothing worse than waiting in a line forever only to have the person up front wasting time because they aren’t prepared. In traffic court, it annoys everyone - the judge, the officers and the other defendants.

Why is it important to get a certificate of completion?

It's important that the Certificate of Completion issued by a traffic school reaches the court in the prescribed manner, so you can benefit by having citations removed from your driving record. This can also prevent insurance premiums from increasing.

Can a speeding ticket be removed from your record?

However, if you complete traffic school, obtain a traffic school certificate and properly submit it to the traffic court or Department of Motor Vehicles, whichever your jurisdiction requires, that speeding ticket will be removed from your record and your insurance company won't be informed of the ticket. This means your insurance premiums won't go ...

Is a certificate of completion invalid?

Unsigned certificates are invalid. Confirm that the court has received the Certificate of Completion. If the certificate is handed over in person, get a receipt from the court clerk. If the certificate is mailed, it should be sent by certified mail.

Does Escape close the window?

Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. Before registering with a traffic school, you have to pay the necessary fine to the court. You have to then obtain permission from the court that issued the citation to take a traffic school course.

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New York

  • Traffic school in New York is best known as a defensive driving course. It can stop points from being added to your driving record due to a recent traffic ticket and it can also get NY residents a 3-year auto insurance discount. It will take six hours to complete online. You can finish the cour…
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Texas

  • When you receive a traffic ticket in Texas you can take a Driving Safety Course which is very similar to traffic school. The course is 6-hours, but the online version includes 60 minutes in mandatory breaks, so you only have to spend a total of 5 hours taking it.
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Florida

  • Most FL traffic violators can attend a 4-hour online traffic schoolor basic driver improvement (BDI) course instead of receiving points on their driving record. However, due to allowance for breaks, students will only have to spend 3 hours and 15 minutes in the BDI online version. Offenders who have taken the 4-hour course in the last 12 months or are habitual traffic offende…
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Arizona

  • It could take up to 48 hours for an online traffic school to verify your eligibility to take the online course, but once you are deemed eligible, you are required to spend a minimum of 4 hours in the traffic school/defensive driving program.
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Kentucky

  • Once you receive an eligibility letter from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet you can sign up for an online KY traffic schoolor 4-hour Aware Driver Course. You must spend a minimum of four hours in the course to obtain your proof of completion certificate and point reduction from the state.
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Indiana

  • Online Indiana defensive drivingschool is also four hours long. You can do the entire course in one sitting or log off and back on as often as you like until the four hours have been accumulated.
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Nevada

  • In Nevada, you are required to spend at least five hours in traffic school online. There is also an 8-hour online DUI course available to those who were ordered by a NV court to take a “Driving Under the Influence” course. The online requirement for this course is six hours.
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Virginia

  • Virginia traffic schoolis one of the longest online driver improvement courses in the country. It is an 8-hour course, but actual online course time allows for an 80-minute break, which means there is a 6-hour and 40-minutes study time requirement.
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Georgia

  • Like many states, Georgia has a self-paced online traffic school. You can take it at a time that works for you, complete it all at once, or do it in stages. You will however, must spend a minimum of 6 hours in the course.
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