Can my Defensive Driving Receipt Replace My Certificate?

This is another of the common questions  that we get.

If I don’t have my certificate, will the court accept
my defensive driving receipt instead as proof
that I’ve taken your class?

And it’s related to some other similar questions.

Can you fax my defensive driving certificate to me?

Can my  driving safety certificate be emailed?

Can I take your online course and
print my own certificate afterward?

 

The short answer is: no.

 

The longer answer is that a court must accept only your official certificate to dismiss your ticket and get it off your driving record. This certificate must be on a TDLR-approved form and delivered according to the regulations.

Your copy of the paperwork you filled out in our defensive driving class won’t do it.

A printout of your defensive driving receipt showing where signed up for the class isn’t enough.

A screen capture showing you passed the test in our online driving safety course won’t work.

Even the unofficial certificates that we sometimes email to people won’t satisfy the court’s requirements.

 

BUT

Every municipal and JP court in Texas is a little different. They are given some latitude to set their own policies. And some courts will be more flexible than others.

All of them are eventually going to want your official certificate. But some of them will look at your unofficial, emailed copy and grant you an extension. Some will accept these other proofs and give you extra time to get the real thing.

The policies and flexibility varies a lot from one court to the next.

All you can do is contact the court that issued your ticket and ask.

 

AS FOR PRINTING YOUR OWN CERTIFICATE

We keep waiting for TDLR to make that legal for Texas drivers.

And I’m sure it will be, someday.