Defensive Driving in Georgia

What is a Georgia Defensive Driving Course?

You may have the option OR requirement of taking a Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) approved defensive driving course, if you:

  • Received a traffic ticket and have a court order.
  • Want to reduce your driving record points.
  • Need to reinstate your driver's license.
  • Want to earn a car insurance discount.

Defensive driving courses, or traffic school, can help you develop safer driving habits and may reduce your risk of receiving traffic tickets and being involved in accidents in the future.

Even if you are not eligible to take a driver improvement course voluntarily to earn a discount on your insurance or deduct points from your record, completing a defensive driving or traffic school course in Georgia can still provide you with valuable driving benefits.

On this page you'll find information about Georgia traffic schools and defensive driving programs.

How to Take Defensive Driving in Georgia

A Georgia DDS driver improvement course may be required if:

  • You've received a traffic citation and have been ordered by your court to complete the course.
    OR
  • You need to reinstate your driver's license after having it suspended.

Defensive driving/traffic school may be taken voluntarily to:

  • Deduct points from your Georgia DMV driving record.
    OR
  • Reduce your car insurance rates.

You can find a complete list of DMV-approved defensive driving/driver improvement schools on the Georgia DDS website.

NOTE: At this time, the Georgia Department of Driver Services DOES NOT ACCEPT online defensive driving courses or online traffic school for traffic citations or point removal.

Court-Ordered Defensive Driving

If you've received a traffic citation, your Georgia traffic court may require completion of a driver improvement course as part of your sentence.

Depending on your specific circumstances and your driving history, your GA traffic court may allow you to complete a defensive driving program to dismiss your traffic ticket all together.

Contact the court handling your ticket for more information.

Point Reduction with Georgia Traffic School

When you are convicted of traffic violations, the Georgia DDS will assess points to your DMV driving record.

If you receive 15 points on your driving record within 24 months, your driver's license will be suspended.

For more information about your driving record and suspended driver's licenses, please visit our pages on those topics:

However, once every 5 years, you'll be eligible to complete a GA defensive driving course to deduct 7 points from your driving record and possibly avoid a suspended driver's license.

After you complete the course, you can submit your defensive driving completion certificate in person at your local Georgia DMV office or by mail to:

Georgia Department of Driver Services
P.O. Box 80447
Conyers, GA 30013

NOTE: The Georgia DDS will require you to complete a driver improvement course to reinstate a suspended driver's license. If you want to receive a point reduction with your reinstatement, you must notify the Georgia DDS in person.

Car Insurance Discount

Defensive driving/driver improvement school may also be used to earn a safe driver discount on your car insurance premiums.

While often only available to elderly and teen drivers, drivers of all ages may be eligible.

For specific details about your eligibility and Georgia defensive driving course requirements, please contact your auto insurance provider directly.

How Long is a Georgia Defensive Driving Course?

Regardless of your reason for completing traffic school in Georgia, your program will cover topics including:

  • Defensive driving techniques.
  • Good driving behaviors.
  • Georgia traffic laws and violations.
  • Sharing the road with other drivers and motorcyclists.
  • Alcohol/drug abuse, consequences and violations.
  • Rules of the road.

Your course will last at least 6 hours and will cost up to $95.

Generally, you must pass a final exam at the end of your defensive driving program. Once you pass, you should receive a driver improvement completion certificate.

To satisfy your reinstatement requirements or receive a driving record point reduction, you'll need to submit your completion certificate to the Georgia DDS.

Completion certificates for a Georgia defensive driving course taken to satisfy a court order or to get an insurance discount may need to be submitted to your court or insurance provider.

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