Driving Safety Course

A driving safety course may be used to dismiss one moving traffic offense. You must provide written notice to the court within 20 calendar days of the date of the citation. It must be made in person, by counsel, by certified mail, or online.  (If you are under the age of 17, you must appear in open court with a parent or guardian to make the request.)

Do not take a DSC course without first obtaining permission from the Court. Do not pay the citation online. Simply paying the citation will result in a conviction.

Requirements

At the time of the request, you must do the following:

  • Enter a plea of guilty or no contest
  • Pay court costs: $134.00 ($159.00, if offense was committed in a school zone)
  • Pay a $10.00 administrative fee
  • Present a Texas driver's license or permit
  • Present proof of financial responsibility (insurance), listing the driver

Eligibility 

To be eligible:

  • Cannot have taken a driving safety course or motorcycle operator course for a traffic offense within the last 12 months from the date of the current offense
  • Cannot be the holder of a commercial driver's license (CDL) or held a CDL at the time of the offense
  • Charged with a serious violation such as:
    • Failure to give information at an accident scene
    • In an accident involving damage to a vehicle 
    • Leaving scene of accident
    • Passing a school bus
    • An offense in a construction maintenance work zone when workers were present
    • Speeding 25 miles per hour (mph) or more over the speed limit and not more than 94 mph

Process

Once the court gives their approval, you will have 90 days to complete the DSC course. During that time period you must:

  • Complete a driving safety course approved by the Texas Department of License and Regulations 
  • Present a certified copy of your driving record from the Department of Public Safety that shows that you have not had a driving safety course within the preceding 12 months from the date of the current offense.
  • Swear to an affidavit that you were not taking a driving safety course at the time of the request for the current offense and that you have not taken 1 that is not shown on your driving record.

If you fail to present to the court any of the required documents on or before your due date, your case will be set for a show cause hearing. The judge may, but is not required to, allow you to file the proper papers at that time. Your failure to be present at that hearing will result in a conviction, a fine being assessed, and a warrant for your arrest being issued. Waiving your show cause hearing and paying the remaining balance will result in a final conviction.

Apply

To request Defensive Driving online, enter your citation number and date of birth, press the search tab, then select explore options.

To apply for Defensive Driving by mail, print the Defensive Driving Application (PDF) and mail it to:
University Park Municipal Court
3800 University Boulevard
University Park, TX 75205

View a list of approved online Driving Safety Courses. 

Paperwork due to the court on or before your assigned date, defensive driving certificate, driving record and affidavit.