Driving Safety Course

Under state law, a defendant charged with a moving traffic violation may be eligible to take a driving safety course in order to have the ticket dismissed. If a ticket is dismissed under this provision, it will not appear as a conviction on the driving record and should not affect insurance premiums.

Eligibility

In order to take a driving safety course, a defendant must:

  1. Request permission from the Court
  2. Not have taken a driving safety course 12 months prior to the date of the citation 
  3. Must enter a plea of no contest or guilty 
  4. Present a valid Texas driver’s license 
  5. Present valid insurance with the defendant’s name on the policy 
  6. Pay $144 in applicable state court costs and administrative fees ($169 if offense was in a school zone).

Defendants 16 years of age or younger must make a formal court appearance with a parent or legal guardian in order to request permission to take a driving safety course.
 

Not all Violations are Eligible

 A driver will not be eligible to have a charge dismissed by completing a driving safety course if:

  • The alleged moving violation occurred in a construction zone with workers present 
  • The alleged speed is 25 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit 
  • The alleged violation is passing a school bus while loading or unloading students 
  • The driver holds a commercial driver’s license 

How to Request a Driving Safety Course

The following documentation is required in order to request a driving safety course:

Online

 All documents must be uploaded at the Court Payments & Driving Safety Course Request page.
  

By Mail

 Copies of all documents must be sent to:
 
 Sugar Land Municipal Court
 P.O. Box 110
 Sugar Land, TX 77487-0110
 
 Documentation must be postmarked/receive by the court prior to the court date on the citation in order to be eligible.

 
In Person  

Present all documentation at the clerk’s window. If the request is not made by the court date, the defendant may lose the option to take the course.
 
The receipt, an application for a driving record, and the deadline for taking the course and turning in documents will be returned to the address on the citation. 


After Completing the Driving Safety Course

The original certificate of completion from the course and the defendant’s original driving record (type 3A) must be submitted together to the court in person, by mail, or drop box (located in the parking lot of the Court at the end of the sidewalk), by the due date provided on the driving safety order. The driving record may also be ordered online from Licensee Driver Records.
 
Failure to take the course and turn in the documents by the due date may result in a conviction being entered and payment of the remaining balance becoming due.