How Much Is Defensive Driving in Texas? Cost Breakdown

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

How much is defensive driving in Texas comes down to three official numbers: a course price of at least $25, a court fee of up to $10 for each eligible charge, and $10 for a Type 3A driving record. Court costs come on top, and each court sets its own. Your total depends on your court, your provider and how many charges you have.

Key Facts

Course price: at least $25 under Education Code § 1001.352, with no $3 add-on since Sept. 1, 2025. See the course price.
Court fee: up to $10 for the request, and since SB 296 up to $10 for each eligible charge. See the court fee.
Court costs: added on top and set by each court. See court costs.
Driving record: a Type 3A record from DPS costs $10. See the driving record.
Late requests: if the court allows the course at its discretion, it may set a fine up to the offense maximum. See discretionary requests.

How Much Is Defensive Driving in Texas: The Cost Table

Each cost comes from a different source. This table lists them, who sets them and where the rule lives:

Cost	Amount	Who sets it	The rule
Course price	At least $25	The provider, above the state floor	Education Code § 1001.352
Court request fee	Up to $10 per eligible charge	Your court	CCP Art. 45A.358
Court costs	Varies	Your court, under state law	CCP Art. 45A.358
Type 3A driving record	$10	Texas DPS	DPS record fees
Record the judge orders	Certified record fee plus portal fee	Your court	CCP Art. 45A.359
Course allowed at the court’s discretion	A fine up to the offense maximum	Your court	CCP Art. 45A.358

The rest of this guide explains each line. Totals vary by court, so call the clerk for your own numbers.

The Course Price

Texas law sets a floor, not a ceiling. Education Code § 1001.352 now reads: “A driving safety provider shall charge each student at least $25 for a driving safety course.” You can read it in the official Education Code Chapter 1001.

That wording took effect Sept. 1, 2025. House Bill 3012 struck the old “$3 for course materials” part of the law. The enrolled bill shows the change.

TDLR posted a fee notice about it. Providers must charge the fee before they enroll a student. A provider that does not follow the rule may face penalties.

Providers may charge more than $25. The law does not cap the price. Prices can differ from one approved course to the next, but every approved course meets the same 360-minute minimum.

What the Course Price Covers

Some things come with every approved course by rule. Under 16 TAC 84.63, a duplicate certificate is free if you ask within 30 days because the original never came, could not be used, or had errors you did not cause.

Other copies may cost money. TDLR’s student page says that if you lose your certificate, the provider may charge a fee for another one. Ask about fees before you pay.

The Court Fee

The court may charge a fee for your course request. Article 45A.358 in Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 45A calls it a reimbursement fee “of not more than $10.” It is “in addition to court costs.”

One Fee per Eligible Charge

Senate Bill 296 changed how the fee works for more than one charge. Since Sept. 1, 2025, one course can dismiss each eligible charge from the same criminal transaction. The court “may require the defendant to pay a separate reimbursement fee” for each offense.

So the fee can grow with the number of charges. One eligible charge means a fee of up to $10.

Two eligible charges from the same stop mean up to $20. TDLR’s SB 296 notice explains the one-course rule.

No Refund if You Skip the Course

Article 45A.358 also says the fee is not refunded if you ask for the course and then do not take it. Decide before you ask. If you do not finish, the court can find you guilty and set a sentence, which can include a fine.

Court Costs

Court costs are separate from the DSC fee. The law adds the DSC fee “in addition to court costs and fees authorized or imposed by a law of this state.”

This guide does not list a court cost amount. Each court applies the law to your case, and amounts differ. The clerk can tell you the total for your citation before you plead.

When you call, ask these questions:

What are the court costs for my citation?
Does the court charge the DSC request fee, and how much?
Will the fee apply to each charge from my stop?
How can I pay, and by what date?

The Driving Record

For a ticket, the court needs your Texas DPS driving record, unless the judge gets it. The DPS ordering page says Type 3A costs $10. DPS calls it “the only record type that can be used for a defensive driving course (DDC).”

Other record types cost different amounts, but DPS says Type 2A “cannot be used” for this course. Ordering the wrong type can mean paying twice. Our Type 3A record guide explains the record.

When the Judge Gets the Record

Some judges pull the record from DPS themselves. Article 45A.359 lets the judge charge a fee equal to the certified record fee plus the state portal fee. Transportation Code § 521.048 sets the certified record fee at $10.

In that case, you do not order the record. You pay the court’s fee instead. Ask the court which way it works.

Five steps to build your own estimate of Texas driving safety course costs, from calling the clerk to adding the pieces

If the Court Uses Its Discretion

Some drivers miss a condition for the right to the course. Two examples are a request after the answer date and a course in the past 12 months. Under Article 45A.352(c), the court may still allow the course before the case is final.

The cost rule changes for these requests. Article 45A.358 says the court may impose a fine up to the maximum fine for the offense. For a rules-of-the-road offense with no other penalty, Transportation Code § 542.401 sets a fine of $1 to $200.

The court does not have to grant a late or repeat request. If you are in this spot, call the court right away. See our guide on how often you can take the course.

Example Math for One and Two Charges

These examples use only the state minimum and caps. They leave out court costs, which vary.

One eligible charge:

Course: $25 or more.
Court fee: up to $10.
Type 3A record: $10.

Two eligible charges from the same stop:

Course: $25 or more, since one course covers both.
Court fees: up to $10 each, so up to $20.
Type 3A record: $10, since you file one record.

Add your court’s costs to either example. Your real total depends on your provider’s price and your court.

What Missing the Deadline Can Cost

The fee you pay to request the course does not end your costs if you fall behind. Under Article 45A.356, you have 90 days after the plea to finish and file. If you do not, the court mails a notice and you must appear and show cause.

If you do not appear, or have no good cause, the court finds you guilty and sets a sentence. That sentence can include the fine for the offense. Our guide to a missed deadline explains the steps.

Ways to Avoid Extra Costs

Each tip below comes from a state rule:

Ask the court about the record first. If the judge pulls it, you may not need to buy one.
Order Type 3A, not Type 2A. DPS says Type 2A cannot be used for this course.
Report certificate problems within 30 days. A duplicate is free in that window if the error was not yours.
Ask for the course on every eligible charge from the stop. One course can cover them all.
File within the 90 days. A missed deadline can lead to a finding of guilt.

Defensive Driving vs Paying the Ticket

Paying a ticket means a plea of guilty or no contest. The court then reports the conviction to DPS. With the course, the charge is dismissed and may not be part of your driving record.

The dollar comparison depends on your court’s fine and costs. Our guide to a Texas speeding ticket’s total cost lists what goes into a fine.

Insurance and Cost

The course may also matter for your insurance. The TDI auto insurance guide lists a defensive driving course as a possible discount. TDI says each company decides what discounts to offer and how much.

Texas law adds a protection. Under Article 45A.357, an insurer may not raise your premium or cancel your policy because you took the course for a dismissal. See our insurance discount guide.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the TDLR pages we checked on October 26, 2026, the fee notice from Aug. 27, 2025, was still posted. It said providers must charge at least $25 before enrolling a student.

The official compiled Education Code showed the same $25 floor with no materials fee. The TDLR student page said a lost certificate can cost a fee from the provider.

Texas driving safety course costs that depend on your situation: number of charges, who gets the record, late requests and lost certificates

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Each of these comes from Texas law or an official page:

Counting a $3 fee. It was repealed on Sept. 1, 2025.
Expecting one fee for several charges. The court may charge up to $10 for each eligible charge.
Asking for the course, then skipping it. The fee is not refunded.
Buying the wrong record. DPS says Type 2A cannot be used for this course.
Forgetting court costs. They come on top of the DSC fee.

How Requirements Can Vary

The driving safety course rules come from Texas law and TDLR and apply statewide. Each justice or municipal court still sets its own fees, filing steps and contact methods, and the facts of your citation decide which options you have.

Laws, fees and court procedures can change. Check your citation, ask the court that handles your case, and use the TDLR and Texas DPS websites for current rules before you act.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest a Texas defensive driving course can cost?

State law says a provider must charge each student at least $25. A course priced lower does not follow Education Code § 1001.352.

Is there still a $3 fee?

No. House Bill 3012 removed the $3 course materials fee on Sept. 1, 2025. The law now sets only the $25 minimum.

Do I still pay the court if I take the course?

Yes. Court costs still apply, and the court may charge up to $10 for each eligible charge. Ask the clerk for your total.

Does the course price include my driving record?

No. The Type 3A record comes from Texas DPS for $10, or the judge may get it and charge a fee. It is separate from the course price.

Why do prices differ between courses?

The law sets a floor of $25 but no ceiling. Each provider sets its own price above that floor.

Will the court refund the fee if I change my mind?

No. Article 45A.358 says the fee is not refunded if you request the course and do not take it.

Conclusion

The known pieces of the Texas course cost are a course price of at least $25, a court fee of up to $10 per eligible charge and a $10 Type 3A record. Court costs come on top and vary by court, so call the clerk before you plead.

Compare course prices knowing that every approved course meets the same rules. When you are ready, see Driving Logic’s online Texas driving safety course.

Sources

Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, a state-approved driver improvement course provider serving Texas and other U.S. states.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Texas traffic and driving safety course rules are set by Texas law, TDLR, Texas DPS and each court, and they can change. Check with the court on your citation and the official TDLR and DPS websites for current requirements, and talk to a Texas lawyer about your specific case.