Driving Safety Course

If you are charged with a traffic offense, you may be eligible to take a Driving Safety Course to dismiss the charge. However, you are required to make your request to take a Driving Safety Course before your appearance date.  If you fail to make a request for a Driving Safety Course before your appearance date, you will lose your right to seek it.  

Eligibility

To be eligible for the dismissal of your ticket with a Driving Safety Course, you must meet the following conditions:

  • You must have a valid Texas Driving License (A valid driver’s license from another state will only be accepted if you are part of an active military family.)
  • You must enter a plea of guilty or nolo contendere (a/k/a “no contest”).
  • You must NOT have taken a driving safety course or motorcycle operator course for a traffic offense within the last 12 months preceding the citation date.
  • You must NOT be currently taking a driving safety course for another traffic violation.
  • You do NOT currently hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
  • The citation you received is NOT for any Ineligible Offenses (listed below).

Ineligible Offenses

  • Failure to give information at accident scene
  • Leaving the scene of an accident
  • Failure to control speed resulting in personal injury or property damage to the other vehicle*
  • Fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer
  • Passing a school bus while loading or unloading
  • An offense in a construction maintenance zone when workers are present
  • Speeding 25 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit
  • Speeding 95 miles per hour or more

Requirements for Submitting Request

You must check the eligibility criteria above to see if you are eligible for a Driving Safety Course.  You must apply for Driving Safety Course on or before your appearance date.  You may request the Court approve a Driving Safety Course in lieu of paying the fine by downloading and completing the Driving Safety Course Request form from the “Forms” section of our website.  You can provide the completed Driving Safety Course Request form to us before your scheduled appearance date in person, by fax, or by email – however, the Court must receive your form before your appearance date.  All of the Court’s contact information is included at the top of the Driving Safety Course Request form.

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

  • Present a copy of a valid driver’s license (CDL holders are not eligible)
  • Present a copy of a valid vehicle liability insurance card
  • Present an executed affidavit confirming your eligibility and stating your plea of guilty or nolo contendere (this affidavit is included in the Driving Safety Court Request form.)
  • Present a copy of your certified driver’s record from the Texas Department of Public Safety.  

You can request a copy of your certified driving record electronically at the Texas Department of Public Safety’s website or you can download the Texas DPS Application for Copy of Driver Record from the “Forms” section of our website and mail a completed copy of it to the Texas Department of Public Safety with the required fee.

NOTE: Juveniles are not able to set up a driving safety course prior to their initial appearance date.   Juveniles must appear in open court with a parent or guardian.  You can find an explanation about which defendants are considered “Juveniles” under the “Juvenile” portion of our webpage.

Approved Requests

If the Court approves your request, you will receive a copy of the Court’s Driving Safety Course Order by mail.  After receiving the Court’s approval, you will be required to do the following:

Court Costs

  • Violations outside a School Zone:  $144.00
  • Violations in a School Zone:  $169.00

Requirements for Dismissal

Within 90 days after the Driving Safety Course order, you must complete the following:

  • Submit an original court copy of a Driving Safety Course completion certificate from a course provider certified by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.  The certificate must be signed and must have City of Kerrville Municipal Court listed as the court.

Not Taking the Course

Your request for a Driving Safety Course does not preclude you from deciding to pay the balance of your citation instead of taking the Driving Safety Course.  If you choose to pay the balance of your citation after you have been granted the opportunity to take a Driving Safety Course, the Court must receive your payment within the 90 days you have been allowed to complete the Driving Safety Course.  However, if you opt to pay your citation instead of completing the Driving Safety Course, the citation will appear as a conviction on your driving record.

If you do not pay the balance of your citation, take the Driving Safety Course and/or fail to present the court with a certificate of completion of the Driving Safety Course within 90 days, the Court will notify you to return to court and show cause as to why you failed to complete the course or pay your citation.  If you have a good reason why you were unable to present your proof or pay within the time required, the Judge may, but is not required to, grant you an extension.  Your failure to appear at the show cause hearing will result in judgment being entered against you.  

Helpful Resources

NOTE:  You DO NOT have 90 days to take the course.  You must complete the course AND submit all required documents on or before the 90th day following the date of the Court’s Driving Safety Court Order.  Failure to comply with the requirements of your Driving Safety Course Order will result in a show-cause hearing.

* This offense is only ineligible for a Driving Safety Course when the option to grant a Driving Safety Course is left to the discretion of the prosecutor.