By the Ticket Dismissal HQ editorial teamReviewed Oct 21, 2026Sources cited at the endNot legal advice
Only a course approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) counts for ticket dismissal or an insurance discount in Texas. Hundreds of providers hold approval, most of them reselling a handful of underlying courses. Below is how to verify any provider in under a minute, followed by the online providers Texans actually use, and what separates them.
Quick answer
- Who approves courses: TDLR (Driver Education and Safety program). Older sites say “TEA-approved”; TEA handed the program to TDLR in 2018.
- How to verify: search the provider’s name or course number on TDLR’s driving safety course search, or look for the TDLR course/school number on the provider’s site and certificate.
- Approved Texas driving safety courses require at least six hours and a $28 minimum combined charge. TDLR specifies at least $25 for the course plus at least $3 for materials, supervision and administration. Verify provider approval and checkout pricing.
- Our pick: DefensiveDriving.com ($28), for price, instant certificate, and its dismissal guarantee.
How to verify a course is TDLR-approved
- Find the course number. Approved providers print their TDLR course or school number (formats like “CP###” or a license number) in the site footer, FAQ, or checkout page. No number is a red flag.
- Check it on TDLR’s site. Go to tdlr.texas.gov, open the Driver Education and Safety section, and use the course provider search. The listing shows the licensee name, which may differ from the brand name you saw advertised.
- Confirm it’s the Texas driving safety course. Some providers also sell national “defensive driving” or insurance-discount courses that are not the Texas DSC. The one you want is the 6-hour Texas driving safety course.
Online providers Texans commonly use
All of the following advertise TDLR approval for their Texas driving safety course. Prices are the providers’ listed base prices at the time of writing; verify approval and price on the provider’s site before paying, since both can change.
| Provider | Base price | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DefensiveDriving.com | $28 text / $38 video | Text or video | Instant certificate; free mail and FedEx; pays ticket up to $250 if rejected |
| Aceable | $29 / $39 audio | App-style, animated | Best mobile experience |
| iDriveSafely | $28 | Video/text | Large national brand |
| Comedy Defensive Driving | $28 with code | Comedy video | Most entertaining; Texas-only company |
| OnlineTxDefensiveDrivingCourse.com | $28 | Text | Bare-bones, lowest-price positioning |
| SafeDriver.com | $28 | Text/video | Long-running Texas provider |
| GetDefensive.com | $28 | Video | Texas-focused |
| MyImprov (Improv Comedy Traffic School) | $28+ | Comedy video | National comedy brand with a Texas course |
| Texas Driving School | $28 | Text | Also sells Type 3A records |
In-person classroom courses are also approved (many run on weekends through driving schools and community colleges) and cost the same $28 minimum, but court authorization is still required for ticket-dismissal use. An approved online course does not automatically make an ineligible ticket dismissible.
Before enrolling for ticket dismissal: Confirm court authorization for your citation. See Texas eligibility and deadlines.
DefensiveDriving.com Our pick
$28- TDLR-approved course; confirm court authorization before enrolling
- 6-hour text course $28 all-in ($25 + $3 minimum materials and administration charge), video $38
- Instant certificate download plus free mail or FedEx delivery
- Provider advertises a ticket-dismissal guarantee (up to $250); check written terms and eligibility
We may earn a commission if you enroll through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
What TDLR approval guarantees, and what it doesn’t
- Guaranteed: the course meets the state curriculum, runs the mandatory 6 hours, and issues the uniform TDLR completion certificate; courts separately determine dismissal eligibility, and insurers have their own discount criteria.
- Not guaranteed: certificate delivery speed, extra fees for mailing, refund terms, or customer support. Those vary a lot and are what our reviews compare.
- Also not guaranteed: that a court will accept a certificate earned without the court’s permission. Approval covers the course, not your paperwork order. Get the court’s permission first.
Courses that are not approved for Texas
- AAA’s defensive driving course. AAA’s national course is used for insurance discounts in some states but is not on the Texas DSC list; a Texas court will reject it. AAA Texas points members to approved third-party courses.
- National Safety Council’s DDC-4/DDC-8 as sold nationally (NSC-affiliated Texas providers do offer approved versions; check the number).
- “Free” defensive driving courses. The $28 minimum is set by statute, so no free course is TDLR-approved.
- Insurance-company courses. Geico, State Farm and others don’t run their own Texas course; they accept certificates from TDLR-approved providers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Aceable TDLR-approved?
Yes. Aceable’s Texas defensive driving course is TDLR-approved and accepted for ticket dismissal.
Is iDriveSafely approved in Texas?
Yes, iDriveSafely’s Texas driving safety course is TDLR-approved.
Is Comedy Defensive Driving legit?
Yes. It’s a Texas company with a TDLR-approved 6-hour course delivered as comedy video.
Does the court care which approved course I pick?
Approved providers issue certificates meeting TDLR requirements, but your court must authorize dismissal for your particular ticket.
Sources: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Driver Education and Safety program; providers’ own Texas course pages.