Texas defensive driving›Speeding ticket guide›Cell phone tickets
Got a Texting Ticket in Texas? Defensive Driving Usually Erases It
Texas's statewide texting ban (Transp. Code §545.4251 — reading, writing, or sending an electronic message while driving) and the school-zone handheld ban (§545.425) are both rules-of-the-road offenses — which means both are generally dismissible with a defensive driving course under the normal conditions. No special exclusion applies to phone offenses.
Here's how the dismissal works for this ticket, plus the local-ordinance wrinkle that confuses people.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Procedures vary by court and judge — confirm with the court listed on your citation.
The dismissal play, applied to a phone ticket
Standard sequence: request the course from the court on your citation by the answer date, with your plea, license copy, insurance proof, and the court's fee. After the court's order, complete the 6-hour course, then submit the certificate and your Type 3A record within 90 days. Dismissed — and by law the charge "may not be part of a person's driving record or used for any purpose."
First-offense texting fines are modest ($25–$99; repeat offenses $100–$200), which tempts people to just pay. The math says otherwise: paying is a conviction that insurers increasingly rate as distracted driving — one of the fastest-hardening categories in underwriting — for about three years. The dismissal path costs more upfront (court fee plus $28 course) and saves multiples of that at renewal.
The wrinkle: city ordinances and school zones
Dozens of Texas cities (Austin, San Antonio, and others) run their own hands-free ordinances stricter than state law — banning all handheld use, not just messaging. An ordinance ticket is still a fine-only offense in municipal court, and courts commonly extend the same dismissal and deferred options; but because it's a city ordinance rather than a Subtitle C state offense, confirm with that court which tools it offers. Our court directory has the contacts.
In a school zone, the state handheld ban (§545.425) applies statewide — and a school-crossing-zone offense adds the $25 child safety fund fine in municipal courts, which is why school-zone totals run $25 higher. Same eligibility, slightly higher check.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take defensive driving for a texting ticket in Texas?
Yes — the statewide texting offense (§545.4251) is a rules-of-the-road moving violation with no special exclusion, so it's dismissible with a driving safety course under the normal conditions: valid Texas license, timely request, no course used for dismissal in the prior 12 months.
How much is a texting while driving ticket in Texas?
First offense: $25–$99. Repeat offenses: $100–$200. Court costs ride on top. The bigger number is the conviction's insurance impact — distracted-driving convictions are rated increasingly hard, for about three years — which is what the dismissal path avoids.
Is a hands-free city ordinance ticket the same as the state texting ticket?
Not exactly. City hands-free ordinances (Austin, San Antonio, and many others) ban all handheld use and are prosecuted as city-ordinance violations in municipal court. Courts commonly allow the same dismissal and deferred tools, but confirm with the specific court — the statutory hook differs from a state-law moving violation.
Does a phone ticket in a school zone cost more?
Yes, two ways: the school-zone handheld offense itself, and the $25 municipal child safety fund fine for offenses in a school crossing zone — the reason dismissal totals run $169 instead of $144 at most courts. Eligibility for the course is unchanged.
Will a texting ticket raise my insurance?
A texting conviction will — insurers have moved distracted driving toward the top of their rating concerns, and a conviction typically affects pricing for about three years. A dismissed charge never reaches your record, which is the entire argument for the course.
I was using GPS, not texting — should I fight it instead?
The statute targets reading, writing, and sending electronic messages; navigation use is a recognized defense, and these cases are genuinely winnable when the facts support it. Weigh trial against the certain outcome of dismissal-by-course — and remember a not-guilty plea and a course request can't both be your opening move. Ask the clerk about your court's process before choosing.
Six hours now, or three years of distracted-driver pricing
If your phone ticket qualifies, the course removes it from existence: $28 all-in, online, free instant certificate — finished the same day you start.
Road Ready Safety is a TDLR-licensed Texas driving safety provider (CP#1234). This page is informational and not legal advice; confirm requirements with the court on your citation.
Last updated June 11, 2026 — verified by the Road Ready Safety editorial team against Tex. Transp. Code §§545.425 & 545.4251, Tex. Code Crim. Proc. arts. 45A.351–.353 & 102.014.