DPS driving record guide

Do You Need a Driving Record for Texas Defensive Driving?

Learn when Texas courts use a driving record for defensive-driving dismissal, why DPS Type 3A matters, and when a judge may retrieve the record directly.

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Quick answer

The Type 3A record is the key record to know.

Many Texas courts require a driving record as part of ticket dismissal, and DPS identifies Type 3A as the record used for defensive driving. Confirm the exact record and submission instructions with your court.

Course certificate

Issued by the driving safety provider after successful course completion.

DPS Type 3A record

Certified driving history that DPS identifies for defensive-driving use.

Court submission

Follow the court order for who obtains the record and how the documents must be submitted.

Why the court wants a driving record

The driving record is not the same thing as your course certificate. Its purpose in the dismissal process is to help verify prior driving-safety-course activity and eligibility. Article 45A.356 generally requires the defendant's DPS driving record showing whether an approved course was completed during the 12 months before the offense, unless the judge uses the alternative retrieval process in Article 45A.359.

Driving-record checks

4 driving-record details to confirm before you submit

The certificate and driving record serve different purposes. Confirm these details so you order and submit the right documents.

Which Texas driver record should you order?

The Texas Department of Public Safety identifies several record types. DPS specifically states that Type 3A — Certified List of All Crashes and Violations is the only record type that can be used for a defensive driving course. DPS also advises drivers to confirm the exact record requirement with their court.

The court may retrieve the record instead

Article 45A.359 allows a judge, as an alternative to receiving the record from the defendant, to collect the applicable reimbursement/portal fee and request the record electronically from DPS. That means not every court will tell every defendant to order the record personally.

Certificate and driving record are different documents

Your course completion certificate proves that you successfully completed the approved driving safety course. Your DPS driving record is a state record used to verify driving history and prior course activity. Many dismissal cases involve both documents, but follow your court's exact instructions.

Order early enough to avoid a deadline problem

DPS offers an online driver-record service, while mailed requests can take longer. If your court tells you to provide the record yourself, order the correct record early and save the file in a safe place. If you are unsure which type the court wants, ask before paying.

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