Texas defensive driving›Speeding ticket guide›Motorcycle tickets
Motorcycle Ticket in Texas: You Get a Choice the Car Drivers Don't
Cited while riding? Texas gives motorcyclists an option car drivers don't have: you can elect a motorcycle operator training course — the Chapter 662 safety program — instead of the standard 6-hour defensive driving course, and once you elect it, the judge is required to order it for your dismissal (CCP art. 45A.352). Same dismissal effect, same paperwork, but training actually built for two wheels.
Here's how the election works, which course makes sense for whom, and what doesn't change.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Procedures vary by court and judge — confirm with the court listed on your citation.
The election: standard course or motorcycle course
The statute reads that the judge "shall require" completion of a driving safety course or a motorcycle operator training course "if the defendant elects" the dismissal — meaning the choice of which course belongs to you, and the mandate kicks in once you choose. The motorcycle option is the state-approved rider training program under Transportation Code chapter 662 (the courses run through DPS-approved rider training providers).
Which to pick? The standard 6-hour online course is cheaper and finishes tonight — $28, on your phone, instant certificate. The motorcycle course costs more and takes a weekend, but it's range time on a bike, and for newer riders it's genuinely worth taking regardless of any ticket. Both produce a completion document your court accepts for the same dismissal. Most riders with a deadline pick the online course; riders who wanted the range course anyway use the ticket as the excuse.
Everything else stays the same
The eligibility rules don't care about your vehicle: request by the answer date, valid Texas license (a Class M endorsement situation doesn't change the analysis), no course used for dismissal in the 12 months before the offense — and note the lookback counts both kinds: a motorcycle operator course used for dismissal last spring blocks a standard course this winter, and vice versa.
The exclusions also apply on two wheels: 25+ mph over or 95+ mph, work zones with workers present, school bus passing, and CDL holders. And the documents are identical — completion certificate plus Type 3A record to the court within 90 days. If the speed on your citation kills eligibility, the 25-over playbook applies to riders too.
Frequently asked questions
Can I dismiss a motorcycle ticket with defensive driving in Texas?
Yes — a rider cited for an eligible moving violation can use the standard 6-hour driving safety course, or elect a motorcycle operator training course under Transportation Code chapter 662 instead. Once you elect, the judge orders the course you chose, and completion dismisses the charge the same way.
Is the motorcycle course required, or can I take the regular online course?
Your choice — the statute makes the course you elect the one the judge orders. The standard online course is cheaper ($28) and faster (finish the same day); the motorcycle course is range-based training that costs more and takes longer but teaches actual riding skills. Both satisfy the dismissal.
Does a motorcycle ticket follow the same eligibility rules?
Identical: request by the answer date on your citation, valid Texas license, no dismissal course completed in the 12 months before the offense (motorcycle and standard courses both count against the lookback), and the usual exclusions — 25+ mph over, 95+, work zones with workers, CDL holders.
How much does the motorcycle safety course cost versus the online course?
DPS-approved rider courses typically run well north of $200 and require scheduling range sessions; the standard online driving safety course has a statutory floor of $28 and finishes in an evening. For pure ticket-dismissal economics, the online course wins; for riding skill, the range course is the real thing.
I ride but the ticket came in my car — which course applies?
The election language is tied to the dismissal generally; practically, courts expect the standard driving safety course for a car citation, and the motorcycle-course option matters when you were operating a motorcycle. Either way, ask your court which it will order — and the online course is accepted everywhere.
Does my motorcycle insurance drop after the course?
Possibly — Texas insurers set their own discounts, and several offer them for completed safety courses (especially the range-based rider courses). It's insurer-by-insurer: ask yours, and see our insurance discount guide for how the voluntary-course discount works.
Deadline this month? The online course finishes tonight
If you've elected the standard course — or your court expects it — ours is $28 all-in, fully online, with the certificate downloadable the moment you finish. TDLR CP1234.
Road Ready Safety is a TDLR-licensed Texas driving safety provider (CP#1234). This page is informational and not legal advice; confirm requirements with the court on your citation.
Last updated June 11, 2026 — verified by the Road Ready Safety editorial team against Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 45A.352, Tex. Transp. Code ch. 662, and Tex. Code Crim. Proc. arts. 45A.351–.353.