Driver Education Course
4-hour court-ordered traffic school; also used to remove points for a speeding conviction
Overseen by Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS)
- What it does
A driver may be eligible to remove up to five points for a speeding conviction from the driving record by taking an approved Driver Education Course.
What the source says
“You may be eligible to remove up to five (5) points for a speeding conviction from your driving record by taking an approved Driver Education Course.”
TDOSHS: Remove Speeding Points (4-hour traffic school) and available course locations, read October 7, 2026
Only the points are removed; the conviction stays on the record.
What the source says
“Only the points will be removed, the conviction will remain.”
TDOSHS: Remove Speeding Points (4-hour traffic school) and available course locations, read October 7, 2026
- Who can take it
A driver ordered by a court to attend a 4-hour or 8-hour Driver Education Course, or told to attend by the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, chooses from the Department's list of approved courses and contacts the provider directly.
What the source says
“If you have been ordered by a court to attend a 4‐hour or 8‐hour Driver Education Course or received correspondence instructing you to attend a course from the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, please see the list of all approved courses below and contact them directly.”
TDOSHS: Court Ordered Traffic Schools, read October 7, 2026
- Course length
Court-ordered Driver Education Courses must provide at least four hours of classroom or on-line driver safety training.
What the source says
“These courses must provide a minimum of four (4) hours of classroom or on-line driver safety training”
TDOSHS: Becoming a Court Ordered Driver Education Course Provider and/or Instructor, read October 7, 2026
- Taking it online
A driver ordered by a court to take the course should confirm that the court will accept an online course before registering for one.
What the source says
“If you were ordered by a court to attend the Driver Education Course, prior to registering for an online course, please confirm that the course will be accepted by the court.”
TDOSHS: Court Ordered Traffic Schools, read October 7, 2026
- How often
Point removal may be applied to only one speeding conviction in a four-year period.
What the source says
“This may be applied to only one (1) speeding conviction in a four-year period.”
TDOSHS: Remove Speeding Points (4-hour traffic school) and available course locations, read October 7, 2026
- Deadline
To remove speeding points, the 4-hour course must be completed within ninety days of the speeding conviction.
What the source says
“The 4-hour course must be completed within ninety (90) days from the date of your speeding conviction.”
TDOSHS: Remove Speeding Points (4-hour traffic school) and available course locations, read October 7, 2026
- Certificate
Course providers must send certificates of completion to the Department within 30 days of course completion.
What the source says
“Course providers are required to submit certificates of completion to the Department within 30 days of course completion”
TDOSHS: Remove Speeding Points (4-hour traffic school) and available course locations, read October 7, 2026
- Who approves it
The Department of Safety and Homeland Security does not teach the course itself; drivers register with an approved course provider.
What the source says
“The Department of Safety and Homeland Security DOES NOT offer a Driver Education Course. You must contact an approved course provider to register for attendance.”
TDOSHS: Court Ordered Traffic Schools, read October 7, 2026
- Good to know
A provider may charge between $50 and $175 for the course, and nobody may be refused admittance for inability to pay.
What the source says
“A provider may assess a reasonable fee between fifty dollars ($50.00) or one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175.00) for the Driver Education Course, provided that no person shall be refused admittance for inability to pay.”
Rules of the Tennessee Department of Safety, Chapter 1340-03-07: Driver Education Courses (Tennessee Secretary of State, revised September 2023), read October 7, 2026