Defensive driving course in Minot, ND: classroom, online, and how to elect it at court

Which court has my Minot ticket?

The one on the citation. Minot Municipal Court hears "Traffic cases and adult criminal charges involving class B misdemeanors and Criminal Infractions" from the city. A citation that names Ward County District Court goes to that clerk instead. It is part of the North Central Judicial District.

	Minot Municipal Court	Ward County District Court
Address	420 3rd Ave SW (west side, door 4)	315 3rd St SE
Mail	PO Box 5006, Minot, ND 58702	P.O. Box 5005, Minot, ND 58702-5005
Phone	701-857-4759	(701) 857-6600
Hours	Clerk, Mon to Fri, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.	8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Municipal court sessions run Monday through Thursday, starting at 8:30 a.m.

How long do I have?

Fourteen days. The city says traffic and parking citations "need to be paid within 14 days of the issuance of the citation." If you post a cash bond and are found not guilty, the court says the bond is refunded in full.

How do I pay in Minot, and does it matter for the course?

It matters. Minot's court page lists no online payment link. You pay in person, by mail, through the drop box at the police department, or by phone with a credit card at 701-857-4759.

The state self-help guide names two ways to give the clerk your election: in the same envelope as the citation when you pay by mail, or by hand when you pay in person. The drop box and the phone aren't mentioned. If you'd rather use either, call the clerk first and ask how they record the election.

How do I elect the course in lieu of points in Minot?

Minot's court publishes nothing on the election. The steps come from state law and the state courts' guide.

1. Check that the ticket qualifies. It must be a non-criminal violation worth 5 points or fewer, and you can't have made this election in the 12 months before the citation (NDCC 39-06.1-10.1). Which tickets qualify.
2. Don't pay online. The state courts' payment page says: "STOP! DO NOT MAKE A PAYMENT if you are requesting a hearing for a traffic case" or "have questions regarding taking a defensive driving course." The state's guide describes no online way to make the election.
3. Write a short notice saying you elect a driver training course in lieu of points. The ND Legal Self Help Center guide has a notice form on its last page.
4. Within 14 days of the citation, post the bond and give the clerk the notice at the same time. For a municipal ticket, mail the bond and notice together to PO Box 5006, Minot, ND 58702, or hand the notice to the clerk when you pay in person. For a district court ticket, use P.O. Box 5005 or the clerk's counter at 315 3rd St SE.
5. The clerk notifies NDDOT. You finish an NDDOT-approved course and get the certificate to NDDOT within 30 days of notifying the clerk. Email it to drs@nd.gov. The guide is blunt about this: the clerk and the course instructor "aren't responsible for submitting your certificate to the NDDOT."

Posting the bond admits the violation, and the bond is forfeited even though you elect the course. If you don't finish, you lose the course fee and the points go on your record. Electing also gives up the separate 3-point reduction under 39-06.1-13. How the election works.

Where can I take a classroom course in Minot?

The North Dakota Safety Council's Minot office, 308 40th Ave. NE, Suite A, Minot, ND 58703, open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. NDSC names Minot as a training location for its 4-hour Defensive Driving Course, at $60 for members, $65 for non-members and $85 at the court or DOT rate on October 5, 2026.

When we checked NDSC's class calendar that day, no Minot sessions were scheduled; the calendar said "No classes scheduled - Please call." With a 30-day deadline, find out the next date before you rely on a classroom.

Can I take it online instead?

Yes, and from Minot that may be the only option that fits 30 days. Apart from NDSC and TrainND in Williston, every course on NDDOT's list is online. All 21 compared.

Ours is 4 hours, $24.99 with the certificate included, and works on a phone. The certificate is ready to download when you pass the 25-question quiz (18 correct passes, unlimited free retakes). It's NDDOT-approved; NDDOT's public list hasn't been updated to show it yet. Start the course.

Do I need a course for this ticket?

Check the points first. Up to 10 over on a road posted 65 or less is 0 points (NDCC 39-06.1-10), and one point falls off after three months with no new points. Neither is worth a course.

For paying or contesting, see Minot traffic ticket.

Last reviewed October 5, 2026 against NDCC chapter 39-06.1 and NDDOT's points reduction page.