Wichita County Defensive Driving

If you've recently received a ticket in Wichita County, whether in Wichita Falls, Burkburnett, Iowa Park, or another city, you may be able to have it dismissed by taking a defensive driving course (which is also referred to as a driving safety course). Here's what you need to know and how to start the process:

First, make sure you are eligible to have the ticket dismissed. It is up to the Wichita County Court to determine whether you can take a defensive driving course/driver safety course to dismiss the ticket. You must contact the Court to ask if your ticket is eligible for dismissal. If the Court approves you to take a course, you are eligible to take our 100% online, easy and simple Texas Defensive Driving course.

State law allows drivers licensed in Texas the opportunity to take a driving safety course (DSC) once a year to dismiss certain types of traffic citations.

You may be eligible to take DSC in Wichita County if:

  • You have a valid Texas Class C driver's license (any other driver license is allowed for military personnel and their families.)
  • You do not have a commercial driver's license
  • You have current insurance
  • You have not taken DSC to have a citation dismissed in the year prior to the date of your citation
  • Your citation is for a "Rules of the Road" violation (including, for example, speeding, stop signs, red lights and seat belts), for violating a warning sign or a barricade, or if you are under 17 and accused of most any violation of the Transportation Code
  • You enter a plea of guilty or no contest and request DSC on or before the appearance date (usually the 14th day after the date of your citation)
  • You pay the DSC fee (instead of the price of the citation) of $109.10, or $134.10 for a violation in a school zone

You cannot take a DSC course for the following:

  • Speeding 25 mph or more above the posted speed limit or speeds greater than 94 mph
  • No insurance or failure to maintain financial responsibility
  • Leaving the scene of a collision
  • Passing a school bus
  • Cited while driving in a construction zone when workers were present

Requesting a DSC

A DSC course can be requested by mail or in person at the Court. By mail, send the DSC fee along with a copy of your driver's license and your insurance to the Court at 611 Bluff Street, Wichita Falls, TX, 76301. Please be sure to include your citation number on any documents submitted to the Court.

After you have signed up for a course, you will have 90 days to submit to the Wichita County Court your DSC completion certificate and a certified copy of your driving record (Certified List of All Accidents and Violations in Record — Type 3A).

Failing to Comply with DSC Terms

If you fail to comply with any of the requirements of the DSC, your case will be set for a show cause hearing. The hearing is your opportunity to speak with a judge regarding why you failed to comply with terms of your DSC. If you fail to appear at your hearing, a conviction will be entered, the conviction will be placed on your record, and, if there is still a balance on the case, a warrant for your arrest will be issued.

The Wichita Court staff will provide detailed information regarding these submissions to you when you sign up.

You may register for our Texas Defensive Driving course. Make sure it is the person who got the traffic ticket that registers, not another family member or friend, as this will also be the name on the Certificate of Completion.

You'll need to order your Certified Texas Driving Record, which all Texas courts will require in addition to your DSC Certificate of Completion.

Once you've registered, you can begin the Texas Defensive Driving course. Log in and out as much as you like, the test will pick back up where you left off, however the course must be completed within three months of registering. The course is user-friendly and section quizzes can be taken multiple times. The American Safety Council also provides customer assistance via live chat and email.

After you've completed the easy and painless course, we will process your Certificate of Completion. The certificate will be available for download in your account within 7 days of graduation. Expedited mailed options are also available during checkout. If an expedited mailed option is selected, it is very important that you provide a valid address. Failure to do so can result in your ticket not getting dismissed, even if you have completed the course.

Once you have received both the Certificate of Completion and your Certified Texas Driving Record, submit them to the Wichita County Court, per their instruction.