Does a defensive driving course lower your insurance in North Dakota?
By Road Ready Safety · Checked against North Dakota law on
Short answer
It depends on which course you take. North Dakota approves courses for two separate purposes. NDDOT approves courses for point reduction. The Highway Patrol approves courses for insurance premium reduction. Our course is approved for points and is not on the Highway Patrol's insurance list, so take it for your record, not your premium.
- Point reduction courses
- Approved by NDDOT
- Insurance premium courses
- Approved by the Highway Patrol
- Our course
- For points
- Before you enroll anywhere
- Ask your insurer
Are there two kinds of approved course?
Yes. NDDOT lists the courses approved for a 3-point reduction on its points page. The North Dakota Highway Patrol keeps a separate list of courses approved for insurance premium reduction, and says its online courses are approved through August 31, 2027.
Some providers are on both lists. Being on one doesn't put a course on the other.
Which list is our course on?
NDDOT's, for points. We checked the Highway Patrol's list of online insurance courses on September 29, 2026, and we're not on it.
If a lower premium is your only reason for taking a course, choose one from the Highway Patrol's list, and confirm with your insurer first.
What should I ask my insurer?
- Do you lower my premium for a defensive driving course?
- Does the course have to be on the Highway Patrol's list?
- How long does the reduction last?
- Do you look at my points, my violations, or both?
Can fewer points help my insurance?
We can't promise it. Insurers set their own rules, and the violation stays on your driving record even when points are reduced or kept off.
Fewer points do keep you away from a suspension. Twelve points suspends your license, and a suspension on your record is something most drivers want to avoid for reasons beyond the premium.
Will keeping a ticket's points off hide the ticket?
No. Electing a course in lieu of points keeps the points from being assessed. The law doesn't say the violation is removed.
So who should take our course?
A driver who has points and wants 3 of them gone, or a driver with a new ticket worth 5 points or fewer who elected the course at court. For those two jobs it's four hours and $24.99. How the course works.
Quick answers
Does a defensive driving course lower insurance in North Dakota?
It can, if the course is on the North Dakota Highway Patrol list of courses approved for insurance premium reduction and your insurer offers the reduction. That list is separate from the NDDOT list for points.
Who approves defensive driving courses in North Dakota?
NDDOT approves courses for point reduction. The North Dakota Highway Patrol approves courses for insurance premium reduction.
Does in lieu of points remove the ticket from my record?
No. It keeps the points from being assessed. The law does not say the violation is removed from the record.
Sources
- North Dakota Highway Patrol: Insurance Premium Reduction Online Courses
- NDDOT: Driver License Points Reduction and Points Schedule
- North Dakota Century Code 39-06.1-13: reduction of point total
- North Dakota Century Code 39-06.1-10.1: driver training course in lieu of points
- North Dakota Century Code 39-06.1-10: point schedule and suspension
We read each source on September 29, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. NDDOT applies any point reduction, and your court handles an election in lieu of points. See a mistake? Email info@roadreadysafety.com.
More North Dakota guides
- North Dakota defensive driving course for points: how it works
- Point reduction or in lieu of points: which one in North Dakota?
- North Dakota license suspended for points: how long, and how to get it back
- What's in the North Dakota defensive driving course?