Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte
To take the Indiana Driver Safety Program online, pick a provider from the BMV’s approved list, sign up with it directly, and complete at least four hours of course work. When you finish, the provider notifies the BMV, which applies a 4-point credit within 7 to 14 business days. Before you start, note why you are taking the course, because a BMV notice and a court order set different deadlines.
Key Facts
- First step: know your reason and your deadline. See step 1.
- Provider: choose one from the BMV’s approved list and contact it directly. See step 2.
- Course: at least four hours, in English or Spanish, for no more than $55. See step 3.
- Credit: the provider notifies the BMV; credit follows in 7 to 14 business days. See step 5.
- Fallback: if the credit is late, email the certificate to BMVDSP@bmv.IN.gov. See step 6.
Before You Start: What You Need
Gather a few things before you enroll:
- Your reason. A BMV notice, a court order, or your own choice.
- Your paperwork. The BMV notice or the court order, if you have one.
- Your deadline. Write the date down.
- A provider name. One you found on the BMV’s approved list.
- A way to pay. The BMV says the driver pays, and the cap is $55.
You also need to choose a language. The BMV says every course is offered in English and Spanish.
Taking the Indiana Driver Safety Program Online in Seven Steps
These steps follow the BMV Driver Safety Program page and Indiana law. Steps 6 and 7 apply only in some cases.
Step 1: Know Why You Are Taking It
Your reason sets your deadline and your proof steps.
- BMV notice. Under IC 9-30-3-12, the BMV must require a DSP after two traffic misdemeanor convictions, two traffic judgments, or one of each, for moving violations within 12 months. It also applies to a driver under 21 after two pointable incidents while under 21. The BMV mails the notice, and you have 90 days.
- Court order. The order sets its own deadline and proof.
- Your choice. There is no deadline.
Step 2: Pick a Provider From the BMV List
Only a listed provider earns the BMV credit. The BMV FAQ says credit applies “only if the course was completed by a BMV-approved” provider.
Find the provider on the BMV page. Then follow the BMV’s own instruction: “call or email the provider directly.” Our guide to checking BMV approval shows how to match the name.
Step 3: Complete the Course
Every approved course is “a minimum of four hours in duration.” The online course follows the same curriculum standards as the DVD and classroom versions.
How the site tracks your time is up to the provider. The BMV sets no rules on devices, timers or pausing.
Ask the provider about its setup before you start. Our guide to how the online format works explains what the BMV sets and what it leaves to providers.
Step 4: Save Your Certificate
Keep a copy of your completion certificate. You may need it later in two cases: if the BMV credit does not appear, or if a court asks for proof.
Store it where you can find it later.
Step 5: Let the Provider Notify the BMV
In the normal case, you do not send anything to the BMV. The provider does. The BMV FAQ says credit is applied “within 7-14 business days of the BMV receiving notification of completion from the vendor.”
The credit is 4 points on your Official Driver Record. It can be entered once every three years.
Step 6: Email the BMV if the Credit Is Late
Check your record after 7 to 14 business days. If the credit is not there, the BMV says to email a copy of your certificate to BMVDSP@bmv.IN.gov.
This is a fallback, not a normal step. Use it only after the 7 to 14 business days have passed.
Step 7: Give the Court Its Proof
If a court ordered the course, read the order again. It tells you how and when to show proof. The BMV’s notice from the provider does not replace what the court asks for.
The BMV says a court order “may not specifically require participation in a BMV-approved DSP.” Even so, a listed provider is the one that earns the BMV credit.
Deadlines and Proof by Reason
Who gets your proof depends on why you took the course:
| Your reason | Your deadline | Where proof goes |
|---|---|---|
| BMV notice | 90 days from the notice date | The BMV, through the provider’s notice |
| Court order | The date in the order | The court, as its order says |
| Your own choice | None | The BMV, through the provider’s notice |
If you have both a BMV notice and a court order, follow both. Our guide to course length and deadlines covers timing in more depth.
What the Course Costs
The BMV says “The maximum cost for any of the BMV-approved DSP courses is $55.” It also says “All drivers taking a DSP must pay any fees associated with the course.” That holds for a BMV-ordered course too.
A court case can bring one more money rule. The court may, under IC 9-30-3-12(d), set aside half of the court costs for a driver who completes a DSP.
That choice belongs to the court. Our cost guide has more.
What the Credit Does After You Finish
Rule 140 IAC 1-4.5-7 gives the credit to a person who “successfully completed and paid for” an approved course. The BMV then counts your active points after that credit.
For example, a driver with 10 active points has 6 counted after the credit. The BMV says another course extends the credit period three years from the new completion date. It does not add a second credit inside three years.
The credit does not erase anything. The BMV says completion “will not remove a citation from your driver history.”
Point Rules to Know While You Wait
The BMV’s driver record points page and rule 140 IAC 1-4.5-4 set the point limits. They count active points after any DSP credit:
- Inactive date. Points go inactive 24 months after the conviction date.
- Warning. 14 to 18 active points brings a warning notice.
- Suspension. 20 or more active points within 24 months brings a suspension, starting at one month.
- Hearing. The BMV may require a hearing after three moving offenses in 12 months.
Checking Your Record Online
You can watch for the credit yourself. The BMV driver record page offers two records:
- Viewable Driver Record. Free to view on myBMV.
- Official Driver Record. A certified copy for $4.
Check once before you enroll and again after 7 to 14 business days. That shows you the change.
If You Are Under a BMV Notice
A BMV notice has a hard limit. The course must be done within 90 days, or driving privileges are suspended. The suspension lasts until the course is completed and processed by the BMV.
The 90 days run from the date on the notice. Write that date on your calendar, then count forward. Leave room for the provider’s notice and the BMV’s 7 to 14 business days of processing.
Points alone do not trigger a notice. It follows convictions or judgments. See the BMV-ordered DSP guide for the details.
What the BMV Does Not Set
The BMV page is short on course details. It sets the length, the curriculum standards, the languages, the formats and the price cap.
It does not set rules for quizzes, tests, timers, devices or pausing. Those are provider choices. Our page on the DSP quiz and test explains this.
Questions to Ask the Provider
Since the BMV leaves course mechanics to providers, ask before you pay:
- How does your course track the four hours?
- Can I stop and come back later?
- Which devices and browsers work?
- How will I get my certificate?
- Is the course offered in Spanish as well as English?
The answers come from the provider, not the BMV. Compare them against the BMV’s rules on length, language and price.
What the Online Course Is Not
It is not driver education. The BMV FAQ says DSP courses do not teach a person how to drive.
It is also not an insurance program. The BMV pages do not address insurance discounts, so ask your insurer. See our insurance discount guide.
What We Found on the Official Pages
When we looked at the BMV’s DSP page on October 26, 2026, its FAQ asked what to do if more than 7 to 14 business days have passed and the BMV has not been notified. Its answer was to email the certificate to BMVDSP@bmv.IN.gov.
The same page told drivers to contact a provider directly to sign up. It listed 17 approved providers.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Each item comes from the BMV page or Indiana law:
- Skipping step 1. Your deadline depends on your reason.
- Signing up through a site not on the list. It cannot earn the credit.
- Losing the certificate. You need it for the email fallback or a court.
- Emailing the BMV on day one. The provider reports first; email only if the credit is late.
- Assuming the BMV tells the court. Follow the court’s own proof steps.
- Taking a second course for more credit. The credit is entered once every three years.
- Paying above the cap. No approved course may cost more than $55.
- Treating site features as BMV rules. Timers and pausing are set by each provider.
How Requirements Can Vary
Indiana’s point rules, the 4-point credit and the BMV’s Driver Safety Program order come from state law and BMV rules, and they apply statewide. What you must do still depends on whether you take the course by choice, because of a BMV notice, or under a court order. A court order sets its own deadline and proof steps.
Laws, fees and court practice can change. Check your BMV notice, your court order and the Indiana BMV website for current rules before you enroll or file anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I take the Indiana Driver Safety Program online?
Pick a provider from the BMV’s approved list and sign up with it directly. Complete at least four hours of course work. The provider then notifies the BMV.
What do I need before I start?
Know your reason and deadline, and have any BMV notice or court order handy. Choose a listed provider and a language. The fee is at most $55.
Do I have to send my certificate to the BMV?
Not in the normal case, because the provider notifies the BMV. If 7 to 14 business days pass with no credit, email the certificate to BMVDSP@bmv.IN.gov.
How do I prove completion to a court?
Follow your court order. It sets the proof steps and the deadline. The provider’s notice to the BMV is a separate process.
How long do I have under a BMV notice?
90 days from the notice. If the course is not done in time, driving privileges are suspended until it is completed and processed.
Can I take the online course in Spanish?
Yes. The BMV says every approved course is offered in English and Spanish.
Can I take a break during the online course?
The BMV sets no rule on breaks or pausing. Each provider decides how its course works, so ask before you enroll.
Will the course remove my ticket?
No. The BMV says completion will not remove a citation from your driver history. It adds a 4-point credit to your record.
Conclusion
Taking the Indiana DSP online comes down to seven steps: know your reason, pick a listed provider, finish at least four hours, save the certificate, and let the provider report. Watch your record for the credit, and use the BMV email only if it is late.
If a court ordered your course, check that the order allows an online course. You can begin with Driving Logic’s online Indiana Driver Safety Program.
Related Articles
- Indiana Driver Safety Program: The Complete Guide
- Indiana Defensive Driving Course Online: How the DSP Works
- Indiana Driver Safety Program Certificate: What It Is and How to Submit It
- Indiana BMV-Approved Driver Safety Program: What It Means and How to Verify
Sources
- Indiana BMV — Citation Points & Driver Safety Program
- Indiana Code § 9-30-3-12 — Driver safety program
- 140 IAC 1-4.5 — BMV point system rules
- Indiana BMV — Driver Record
- Indiana BMV — myBMV
Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, a state-approved driver improvement course provider serving Indiana and other U.S. states.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Indiana BMV rules, court orders, fines and penalties depend on your notice, citation, court and case facts, and they can change. Use official Indiana BMV and court sources, and consult a qualified Indiana attorney for advice about your own case.