Can You Do Defensive Driving In One Day?
You Can—But Registering Now Means You Won't Have To!
- First Published —
- August 16, 2022
- Last Updated —
- November 6, 2022
How Long Does It Take to Complete a Defensive Driving Course in Texas?
A Texas defensive driving course must be six hours long to get approval from the TDLR. Since days tend to be 24 hours long, you can absolutely get a course done in one day! And there’s even better news. Your course’s actual “course part” is only five hours long. This is because the state understands that the brain can only absorb as much as the backside can stand; courses are also required to have an hour of built-in breaks. BTW, this is another reason why an online course beats one in a classroom.
When you attend a classroom course, you’re stuck there on-site during these state-required breaks. That may be all well and good if your classmates are pleasant, but if they’re jerks…what then?
Let me tell you a little secret about taking an online course. When you come across that first timed break period, take it but DON’T log out. If you stretch your break for an hour, the break timers will all expire. That means you’ll never be interrupted by another required break when you get back at it.
Bottom line?
A Texas defensive driving course can absolutely be finished in one day. So even if you’ve waited until the last minute, as long as you have at least six more hours, you’re good. An online course (like the one offered by ApprovedCourseTexas) can save even the worst procrastinator!
How Long Does it Take to Get My Completion Certificate?
When Texas first introduced defensive driving, the required delivery window for completion certificates was 21 days. 21 days?!? That’s nearly 30% of the time the court gives to complete the course! Not that YOU’D wait until the last minute or anything, but still.
When online defensive driving was approved in the 90s, that 21-day standard was still in effect, but most course providers offered some form of expedited delivery, usually via FedEx or UPS. After all, what’s the point of finishing a course in one day if you have to wait 21 days to prove that you did?
After much waiting for the state to drag itself into the 21st century, the electronic delivery of certificates was finally approved. Nearly every course provider (including us) offers electronic delivery. With some, that means via email. Others (also including us) offer the ability to print your certificate immediately after completing your course.
Is Getting Your Course Done in One Day the Best Plan for You?
If you have just checked your calendar for your court date and have experienced an “Oh crap” moment, you really don’t have much choice. But isn’t plowing through at a break-neck pace just a recipe for making a potentially unpleasant experience even more so?
We recommend getting going on a course as soon as the court gives its OK. That way, you can get this elephant eaten the way one should—a bite at a time.
Got More Texas Defensive Driving Questions?
If you didn’t get the answer you needed here, we have even more ways to quench your quandaries:
- Talk to a Human
- Check out our FAQ page
- Check out our additional FAQ post (with videos!)
- Jump to our YouTube Channel
