Court & Detention Services - Overview of Driver's Safety Course

When a Defendant successfully completes Driver's Safety Course by paying the required fee and complying with all terms, his or her case will be dismissed and there will be no conviction entered. However, if any term of Driver's Safety Course is not met by a Defendant, a judgment of “Guilty” may be entered and a conviction may be entered.

Defendants are eligible to request Driver's Safety Course by mail within 21 days of receiving a citation.

REQUEST DRIVING SAFETY COURSE BY MAIL

For traffic violations only, you may request that this charge be dismissed by entering a plea of guilty or no contest and successfully completing a Driver's Safety Course (or if applicable, a motorcycle operator course.)

If you desire to complete the Driver's Safety Course, under Article 45.0511, Code of Criminal Procedure, you must not have completed a driver safety course within 12 months preceding the date of the citation, you must not hold a commercial driver’s license, you must not have exceeded the speed limit by 25 miles per hour, and you must provide the Court the following:

1. Proof of financial responsibility, usually consisting of a copy of your motor vehicle liability insurance documents including the declarations page of your policy;
2. A copy of your valid Texas driver’s license; and
3. A non-refundable money order or cashier’s check made payable to the "City of Dallas" in the amount that corresponds to the following Driver’s Safety Fee schedule below. Please include the case number(s) on the cashier's check or money order to ensure proper processing.
4. The back of your citation Plea Option #2 (see highlighted example), fill out this section completely and write in your citation number and address at the bottom of the citation. The Court will accept your plea and request to complete a driving safety course and will enter a judgment finding you guilty and assess a fine and court costs, but will defer imposition of the judgment and allow you 90 days to complete a driving safety course. Terms and conditions of defensive driving will be mailed to the address that you indicate on the back of your citation.

Driver's Safety Fee Schedule

Mail the documents 1 – 4 listed above to:
Clerk of the Court
2014 Main Street Room 101
Dallas, Texas 75201

You must not currently be on probation from a previous request for Deferred Disposition. Defendants who are 25 years of age or younger must complete a driving safety course as a condition of probation.

Ineligible Offenses

Request for Driver's Safety Course by mail will not be accepted for:

1. 26 miles or more over the posted speed limit;
2. Any offense by a holder of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL);
3. Passing a school bus;
4. Any traffic violation that occurred in a construction zone with workers present;
5. Any juvenile case (must appear in person with parent or legal guardian); or
6. Class C misdemeanor assault, theft, or reckless damage offenses.
7. Out of State Driver's License. 
8. Out of State Driver's Safety Course.

Other offenses may not be approved for deferred disposition at the discretion of the judge.