Do I Need to Print My Type 3A Driving Record?
Short answer
Only if your court takes paperwork on paper. The Type 3A you buy online from Texas DPS comes as a PDF. If your court accepts email or an online upload, send the PDF. If it only takes filings in person or by mail, print it, every page. In our research, 444 of the 792 Texas courts that require a Type 3A (56%) take paperwork electronically.
Print or send: how to decide in 30 seconds
| Your court takes paperwork by… | What to do with the Type 3A |
|---|---|
| Attach the original PDF from DPS. Don't screenshot or convert it. | |
| Online portal or upload | Upload the original PDF. |
| Print every page. Mail it with your certificate and affidavit. | |
| In person or drop box | Print every page and bring it with the rest of your paperwork. |
| Fax | Print it to fax it. Keep the printout. |
Not sure how your court takes filings? Look it up in our Texas court directory, or check the letter the court sent when it granted defensive driving.
What the numbers show
56%
of courts requiring a Type 3A take paperwork by email or online (444 of 792). You can send the PDF.
44%
list only in-person, mail or fax (348 of 792). You'll need to print it.
From Road Ready Safety's research of 1,235 Texas municipal and justice courts. "Electronic" means the court lists email or an online portal for filings; payment-only portals are not counted.
Get it right the first time
- Order it online from DPS: $12 total, instant PDF. Step-by-step ordering guide.
- Order it around the time you finish the course and send it with your certificate.
- Send everything together: course certificate, Type 3A, and the affidavit if your court asks for one.
- Keep the original PDF even if you mail a printout, in case the court asks again.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to print my Type 3A driving record for court?
Only if your court takes paperwork on paper. The Type 3A you buy online from Texas DPS is a PDF. If your court accepts email or an online upload, send the PDF. If it only takes filings in person or by mail, print it. Of the 792 Texas courts we have researched that require a Type 3A, 444 (56%) take paperwork electronically and 348 (44%) list only in-person, mail or fax.
Can I email my Type 3A driving record to the court?
Yes, if the court accepts email filings. Send the unaltered PDF from DPS, attached alongside your defensive driving certificate and anything else the court lists. Do not screenshot it or re-save it as an image, because the court may need to see the original certified document.
Is a printed copy of the online Type 3A accepted?
The PDF you buy from DPS is the certified record, and a printout of it is what paper-filing courts expect to receive. Print the whole document, every page, and do not write on it. If your court says it needs a different form of certification, ask the clerk before you file.
Do all Texas courts require a Type 3A?
No. In our research, about a third of Texas courts do not require one for defensive driving. Check your court's instructions before you buy it; if you are unsure, get it, because it costs $12 and a missing record is a common reason a dismissal gets delayed.
How much is a Type 3A driving record and how fast do I get it?
Ordered online from Texas DPS it is $12 (a $10 DPS fee plus a $2 Texas.gov fee) and arrives as an instant PDF. By mail it takes weeks, so order online if you are on a deadline.
When should I order the Type 3A?
Around the time you finish the course, and well before your court's deadline. Many people order it the same day they download their certificate and send both together.
Last updated September 25, 2026. Court figures computed at build time from Road Ready Safety's research of Texas municipal and justice courts. Type 3A price and delivery per Texas DPS and Texas.gov. Court procedures change; confirm with your court.