Frequently Asked Questions – Defensive Driving in New Jersey
Course Information
- Is this course approved?
- Are there any age restrictions on who can take a NJ defensive driving Course?
- I'm not sure if I'm eligible to take a New Jersey defensive driving course. How do I find out?
- How long will this course take?
- How often can I take a defensive driving course for point reduction or for an insurance discount?
- What types of things will I study?
- Do I have to take a final exam?
- What is the testing and grading policy?
- What will happen if I fail the final exam?
- Why does this course have timers?
- Is there a time limit to complete this course?
- How often will my information be reported to the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC)?
- How do I earn my state-mandated 5% insurance discount?
Course Information
Yes! Your New Jersey Point and Insurance Reduction course is state-approved by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to meet all requirements for point reduction, and to receive your state-mandated 5% insurance reduction.
No. Any driver may take the course.
If you’re taking this course to receive the state-mandated insurance reduction, the only requirement you must meet is NOT having taken a course within the past 3 years. If you’re coming up on your 3-year renewal date, you may enroll in the course again to maintain your discount.
To take this course for point reduction, you must meet these general eligibility requirements:
- You hold a valid non-commercial New Jersey driver’s license
- You have at least 2 points on your driving record
- You have NOT completed a defensive driving course in the last 5 years for point reduction.
We have all of the eligibility requirements and steps to take for your New Jersey Point and Insurance Reduction course listed on our How It Works page.
Your New Jersey Point and Insurance Reduction course meets the state-required 6-hour time length. You may finish your entire course in one day if you choose, or you may spread it out over a longer period of time. How long you take to complete the course is entirely up to you!
You may take this course once every 5 years to remove 2 points from your driving record. You may take it once every 3 years to maintain your insurance discount.
Each of your 8 course chapters focuses on a single topic that pertains to New Jersey driving and traffic laws. These topics include:
- Highway safety
- Alcohol- and drug-impaired driving
- State traffic laws
- Driving emergencies
- Vehicle maintenance
Yes, your final exam consists of 25 multiple-choice questions. You need to score an 80% or higher to pass, and you may retake the exam a total of 3 times.
Each of the 8 chapters contains a quiz that reviews important content from that chapter. There are 10 questions per quiz, and you need to obtain an 80% or higher to pass onto the next chapter. The quizzes will provide you with an excellent opportunity to master the course material and prepare for your final exam. You will be provided with feedback on any incorrect answers, and you may retake your quizzes an unlimited amount of times.
Once you get to your final exam, you will encounter 25 multiple-choice questions, requiring a passing score of 80% or higher. You may retake the exam a total of three (3) times; if you do not pass after 3 attempts, you must retake your course.
You may retake your final exam a total of three (3) times if you do not obtain a passing score of 80% or higher on your first try. If you do not pass after 3 attempts, you must retake your course.
This course is required by New Jersey law to span 6 hours in length. To comply with this law, we (and all other online defensive driving schools) are required to place timers on each page of the course. We realize that some students may read faster than the timer will permit you to advance, but state regulations prohibit us from changing this function. The timers cannot be disabled for any reason.
Deadlines for point reduction are typically determined by the New Jersey courts. While we allow you 180 days to complete your course before your account is suspended, the court may require you to finish your course much sooner than that. Make sure to determine your court’s deadline before beginning the course.
If you are taking the course for an insurance discount, you do not have a court-mandated deadline.
Regardless of court deadlines, you MUST complete the course within 180 days of registration. Any student who has not successfully completed the course within 180 days will be terminated without notice and will not be eligible for a refund.
When you complete your course, we process your information that same day and report it directly to the MVC. We also send you a copy of your certificate of completion, which you can use to get an insurance discount. Call your insurance provider to find out if they offer a discount to drivers that complete a New Jersey defensive driving course.
After you complete your New Jersey Point and Insurance Reduction course, simply take your certificate of completion to your insurance company. They will process your course completion and apply your predetermined discount to your premium!
Check with your insurance provider to determine whether they offer a discount for driver improvement, how much you will save, and how long your discount will stay in effect. For more information, please visit our How It Works page.
