Out-of-state drivers and the Missouri Driver Improvement Program

I'm from another state and got a ticket in Missouri. Can I take the course?

Not to keep points off. The Missouri Safety Center's process sheet says the program "does not apply to out-of-state licensed drivers receiving a Missouri ticket."

What happens to my Missouri ticket, then?

Missouri reports it to your home state. The Department of Revenue says that when a driver from another state is convicted of a point-assessable violation in Missouri, the conviction "will then be forwarded to the driver licensing agency in that person's home state for any necessary processing."

What your home state does with it depends on that state's rules. Call your own licensing agency and ask.

I have a Missouri license and got a ticket in another state. Can I take the course?

No. The Safety Center's sheet also rules out "Missouri licensed drivers receiving a ticket in another state." A Missouri court has to order and verify the course, and there's no Missouri court in an out-of-state case.

Will an out-of-state ticket put points on my Missouri license?

It can. The Department of Revenue says that when it's notified of a Missouri driver's conviction in another state or on federal property, "our staff will post the ticket to that person's Missouri driver record. The point value is determined by the violation conviction code."

Should I buy the Missouri course in either case?

No. It won't change your record, and we'd rather not sell it to you.

Ask the court in the state where you got the ticket what it offers. Some states run their own programs for drivers ticketed there.

I still have to respond to the Missouri ticket, right?

Yes. The Missouri courts say you must respond by the court date on the citation, either by pleading guilty and paying or by appearing and pleading not guilty. Not responding can lead to a suspension and a warrant.

I just moved to Missouri. Which license counts?

The one you held when you were ticketed decides how the ticket is handled. If you've since switched to a Missouri license and the ticket is in a Missouri court, ask the clerk whether the court will approve the program. The court decides each case.