Texas defensive driving course›Ticket dismissal›Dallas
Got a Dallas ticket? Don't pay it yet.
You can likely get it dismissed and kept off your record with a 6-hour defensive driving course. But you have to ask the court first, and some Dallas-area courts give you as little as 10 days.
So the first question isn't how. It's which court has your ticket, and how long do you have?
By Road Ready Safety, TDLR-licensed provider CP1234 · Court rules checked August 4, 2026
Which court has your ticket, and how long do you have?
It's the court printed on your citation, and mostDallas-area tickets aren't handled by the City of Dallas. Each of these 25 courts sets its own deadline and fee; 9 of them give you three weeks or less.
Stopped outside city limits by a constable or sheriff's deputy? Your ticket goes to a Dallas County Justice of the Peace court instead. Find your JP court.
Short deadlines: act this week
- Sachse10 daysCourt fee: $144Wait for the permission letter before you start.Full court steps →
- Seagoville15 daysCourt fee: $144One of the shortest windows in Texas.Full court steps →
- Balch Springs20 daysCourt fee: $144Texas license required.Full court steps →
- Glenn Heights20 daysCourt fee: $144Your 90 days start when you pay, not when you’re approved.Full court steps →
- Highland Park20 daysCourt fee: $144Paying online counts as a conviction.Full court steps →
- Hutchins20 daysCourt fee: $144 ($169 school zone)Get court permission before you enroll.Full court steps →
- Lancaster20 daysCourt fee: $139Count 20 days from the citation date.Full court steps →
- University Park20 daysCourt fee: $144Notarized affidavit and written notice.Full court steps →
- Irving21 daysCourt fee: $144 ($169 school zone)Notarized affidavit required.Full court steps →
Everyone else: by the appearance date on your citation
- Dallas MunicipalAppearance dateCourt fee: $144Certified Type 3A record required with your certificate.Full court steps →
- AddisonAppearance dateCourt fee: Varies by offense dateApply online; call the clerk for your fee.Full court steps →
- CarrolltonCall the clerkCourt fee: Call the clerkWe’re still confirming this court’s steps.Full court steps →
- Cedar HillAppearance dateCourt fee: $144Signed affidavit before you enroll.Full court steps →
- Cockrell HillAppearance dateCourt fee: Call first (option 2)Plea and payment due before your appearance date.Full court steps →
- CoppellAppearance dateCourt fee: $144Request online. 90 days, no extensions.Full court steps →
- DesotoAppearance dateCourt fee: $144Certified Type 3A record required.Full court steps →
- DuncanvilleAppearance dateCourt fee: Call the clerkCertified Type 3A record required.Full court steps →
- Farmers BranchAppearance dateCourt fee: $144–$169Wait for the court’s order before you start.Full court steps →
- GarlandAppearance dateCourt fee: $144Certified Type 3A record required.Full court steps →
- Grand PrairieAppearance dateCourt fee: $144 ($169 school zone, any offense)Request online, by mail or in person.Full court steps →
- MesquiteAppearance dateCourt fee: $144Certified Type 3A record required.Full court steps →
- RichardsonAppearance dateCourt fee: $144Certified Type 3A record required.Full court steps →
- RowlettAppearance dateCourt fee: Call the clerkNotarized affidavit before you enroll.Full court steps →
- SunnyvaleAppearance dateCourt fee: $144Finish the course within 90 days.Full court steps →
- WilmerAppearance dateCourt fee: $144 ($169 school zone)Online form; the clerk emails your fee.Full court steps →
Not one of these 25? Search every Texas court in our directory.
How do you get a Dallas ticket dismissed?
Four steps, the same at every Dallas-area court. Only the deadlines and fees change.
- 1Ask the courtRequest defensive driving instead of paying.By your court's deadline
- 2Pay the court feeUsually $144, or $169 in a school zone.When the court approves you
- 3Take a 6-hour courseAny TDLR-approved course, fully online. Ours is $25.Within 90 days
- 4Send in your proofYour certificate plus a certified DPS Type 3A driving record.Before day 90
Can you take defensive driving for your ticket?
Most drivers can, once every 12 months. Four situations rule it out.
You're likely eligible if you have
- A valid Texas driver license
- Proof of insurance
- No dismissal in the last 12 months
- A plea of guilty or no contest
It's off the table if you were
- Going 25+ mph over (or 95+ mph)
- Driving on a CDL
- Passing a stopped school bus
- In a work zone with workers present
How much does it cost to dismiss a Dallas ticket?
Usually about $144 to the court, plus the DPS record and the course. The court fee is the same whichever course you pick. The course is the only part you shop for.
What does Road Ready Safety charge?
$25, and that's the only number you'll see at checkout.
- The 6-hour TDLR-approved course (CP1234) Verify on TDLR ↗
- Certificate the moment you finish, court and insurance copies
- Unlimited quiz retakes
- No delivery, rush or record fees
- Full refund if you request it before you complete the course or get your certificate
- Two costs we can't include: the court's fee and the DPS record, because the court and DPS collect those. Our full pricing policy
Quick answers
My ticket says Irving, not Dallas. Does that matter?
Yes. You deal with Irving’s court, which has a 21-day deadline and needs a notarized affidavit. Every court is in the finder above.
Can I take the course online?
Yes. Once your court approves you, any TDLR-approved online course counts at every Dallas-area court.
How long do I have to finish?
Usually 90 days after the court approves you. In Glenn Heights the clock starts when you pay.
Will this keep the ticket off my insurance?
Yes. A dismissal keeps the charge off your driving record. Paying the ticket doesn’t.
Can a course website approve me for defensive driving?
No. Only the court on your citation can. Course providers, including us, and directory sites cannot grant it; they can only tell you how to ask.
Keep reading
General information, not legal advice. Courts set their own fees and deadlines, so confirm with the court on your citation. Sources: Tex. Code Crim. Proc. ch. 45A; each court's published procedures. Road Ready Safety is a TDLR-licensed course provider (CP1234), not a court. Last updated August 4, 2026.