- Home
- Departments
- Municipal Court
- Driver Safety Course
Driver Safety Course
Please allow the court up to three (3) business days to respond to application for Driving Safety Course. If you have not heard from the court in that time, please call 817-985-2140.
The State of Texas has a program that enables drivers to attend a six (6) hour course for the dismissal of certain moving violations, which is designed to keep it from being reported on your driving record. Drivers are eligible to attend a state-approved course once every twelve (12) months.
If you are charged with a traffic offense under the State of Texas Transportation Code, you must request permission from the court (on or before your appearance date) to be eligible for dismissal of the citation via completion of a Driver Safety Course (DSC). Do not enroll in a DSC before receiving permission from the court as not all citations or defendants are eligible for the program.
To request permission to have the charges dismissed via completion of a DSC, you must:
- Plead guilty or no contest;
- Present a valid Class C Texas Driver License;
- Present proof of financial responsibility (which is usually valid liability insurance); and
- Submit an affidavit via a Request For Driver Safety Course (PDF) stating that you are not completing or have not completed a DSC within the past twelve (12) months.
- NOTE: If the Court approves your request, you must pay the state costs, state traffic fine, and an administrative fee in advance.*
If you complete all of the above and have been approved by the City of Kennedale Municipal Court to take a DSC, judgment will be deferred for ninety (90) days to allow you time to complete the course and present a "Uniform Certificate of Completion" from your DSC along with a certified copy of your driver record (select record type 3A; $10.00*) from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) in Austin. If you do not wish to request your driver record online, complete an Application For Copy Of Driver Record (PDF) and mail it to the address on the form. You must return these forms to the court within ninety (90) days for your charge to be dismissed.
* All costs and fees are subject to change without notice.
Choosing a State-Approved Driver Safety Course (DSC)
The court is not allowed to recommend a driving school. You may refer to the yellow pages under "Driving Instruction" or find one online using your search engine of choice. It is your responsibility to make certain that the class is approved by the Texas Education Agency (6 credit hours) for the dismissal of a traffic citation in Texas.
Order Your Type 3A Driver Record
Certified List of All Accidents and Violations on Record (Type 3A) is a certified version of Type 3, which has your name, date of birth, license status, and a list of all accidents and violations on your record. This is the only record that is acceptable for Defensive Driving Course (DDC). Texas driver records cannot be obtained in driver license offices any longer. There are two options to request driver records with Texas Department of Public Safety:
- Online ($12.00)
Visit Texas.gov, and click on 'Driver Record'. You'll need a credit card (or a debit card that does not require a PIN), your most current Driver License, your date of birth, the last 4 digits of Social Security number, and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) audit number (from your license). Once you've submitted all your information, you will be able to print out the driver record right away. - By Mail ($10.00)
Visit Texas.gov, and click on 'Driver Records'. Print out the Application For Copy Of Driver Record (DR-1 Form) (PDF), and mail it (along with payment) to the address at the top of the application.
Failure to Complete a Driver Safety Course
If you fail to complete any one of the requirements by your due date, your case will be set for a show cause hearing, which is a court date that is set after a person has violated the conditions of a deferred adjudication agreement.
A letter with your hearing date will be mailed to the address on your citation. You may waive this hearing by appearing before the hearing date in person at City Hall (405 Municipal Drive, Kennedale, TX 76060) or by writing to the court to waive your show cause hearing, and paying the remaining balance of the fine. There are no resets for a show cause hearing, except in the event of an emergency that can be verified by the court. If you fail to appear at the hearing, a final judgment and a $200.00 fine will be imposed. You will have ten (10) days from the hearing date to either pay or appeal the total judgment. If you fail to do so, a capias pro fine warrant will be issued for your arrest.
Am I Eligible for Dismissal via a Driver Safety Course (DSC)?
Most minor citations can be dismissed with a defensive driving course, but a DSC may NOT be taken to dismiss any of the following violations:
- Speeding at 95+ MPH; or 25+ MPH over the posted speed limit
- Operating a vehicle without liability insurance
- Failure to give information at the accident scene
- Leaving the scene of an accident (hit and run)
- Fleeing or attempting to elude police officers
- Passing a school bus
- Reckless driving
- Any serious traffic violation;
You can take a DSC if you meet the following conditions:
- Have not completed a defensive driving course within the past twelve (12) months;
- Do not currently have (or did not have at the time of the citation) a commercial driver license (CDL)**; and
- Are not currently taking a defensive driving course for a different violation.
**As of September 1, 2003 you are not eligible for a Driver Safety Course (DSC) if you possess a Class A or B driver's license, even if you are in a personal vehicle (refer to Article 45.051 (B) of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure).