Driving Safety Course

If you are charged with a traffic offense, you may request permission to take a driving safety course to dismiss the offense and prevent it from being reported as a conviction on your driving record if all requirements are successfully met. 

The request must be made on or before the appearance date noted on your citation, the request must be made in person, by counsel or certified mail.  Do NOT take the driving safety course until you contact the court, you MUST get permission from the court BEFORE taking the course.  

Eligibility

1. You are not currently taking or have completed a driving safety course within the last 12-months prior to the date of your current citation; 
2. You have a valid Texas Driver's license, CDL holders are not eligible;
3. You have current liability insurance;
4. You have not been charged with one of the following offenses: 
   • Speeding 25 mph over the posted limit
   • Speeding at a speed of 95 mph or more
   • Passing a School Bus
   • Leaving Scene of an Accident
   • An offense in a construction zone when workers were present
   • Failure to Give Information at the Accident Scene

Ways to Make Your Request

If making your request in person at the court window, you MUST; 

1. Present your valid Texas Driver's License;
2. Present your current liability insurance;
3. Enter a plea of No Contest or Guilty and complete the driving safety request form and affidavit;  
4. Pay a total of $144.00; this amount includes the $134.00 court costs and the $10.00 administrative fee.  Payments can be paid in cash, with a money order or a cashier's check made payable to the City of Venus (personal checks are not accepted) or paying with a debit or credit card.

1. Provide a copy of your valid Texas Driver's License;
2. Provide a copy of your current liability insurance card;
3. Enter a plea of No Contest or Guilty and complete the driving safety request form and affidavit, please note that the affidavit MUST to be notarized; 
4. Enclose the $144.00 payment in the form of a money order or a cashier's check made payable to the City of Venus.  Personal checks are not accepted.

 *** Late or incomplete requests will be rejected***

Compliance Requirements:

1. You must complete a driving safety course that has been approved by the Texas Education Agency, after successful completion of the course, you must submit the "court copy" certificate of completion to the Court.  The certificate must be signed by you, the date of completion of the course must reflect that the class was taken on or before the 90-day deadline and the court listed on the certificate must state that the class was completed for the Venus Municipal court.  Certificates not meeting these requirements will not be accepted.
2. You must submit a certified copy (form 3A) of your driving record, this record can be obtained from the Texas Depart of Public Safety.  http://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/how-order-driver-record

If you submit the driving safety course certificate and driving record on or before the 90-day deadline, the offense will be dismissed, you will pay no further fines and the offense will not be reported as a conviction on your driving record. 

If you fail to complete the requirements described above, you will be scheduled for a Show Cause hearing to appear before the Judge.  At the show cause hearing you will have the opportunity to explain the reason(s) as to why the outlined requirements were not met.  The Court will notify you in writing of your hearing date and time, failure to appear for the hearing will result in additional fees being owed, a conviction being reported on your driving record and a hold being placed on your driver's license denying your renewal.