Virginia Online Driver Improvement Course

Who Needs a Virginia Driver Improvement Course?

Discover the essentials of our 8 hour online Driver Improvement course:

• Learn accident prevention strategies
• Master defensive driving techniques
• Understand the risks of impaired driving

Whether you are a seasoned driver or a new license holder, our course equips you with the latest safety insights for confident driving. Want to learn more about driver improvement? Check out this driver improvement clinic.

Who Is Eligible for a Virginia Driver Improvement Course?

If the DMV is ordering you to complete a driver improvement course, you will receive notice in the mail. If a court is ordering you to complete one, you will receive a referral at your court date. If you need court permission to reduce points or fines with a defensive driving course, you will need to contact the court before your court date.

Generally, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must hold a valid noncommercial Virginia driver license.
• You have been cited for a minor moving violation.
• You do not have any outstanding violations on your record, and your license has not been suspended or revoked.

There is no age requirement to complete a driver improvement course online. All Virginia residents are eligible. If you are taking the course for a car insurance discount and are at least 55 years old, you can take a separate crash prevention course for a discount that is good for three years. Drivers younger than 55 who voluntarily take a driver improvement course may be eligible for a discount that is good for two years.

If you are still unclear about whether you qualify, contact the court and request more information about your particular circumstances.

A Driver Improvement Course Empowers You to:

• Fulfill court or DMV mandates
• Dismiss tickets or violations
• Reduce points and fines, and earn Safe Driving Points
• Qualify for an auto insurance discount

Experience the benefits of our online course:

• Study anytime, anywhere
• Customize your learning schedule
• Seamlessly continue from where you left off with our autosave feature

Rest assured, I Drive Safely is a DMV approved online driving school in Virginia that meets state standards to enhance your driving safety and record.

How the 5 Safe Driving Points Work

Virginia lets you add safe driving points to your record voluntarily. You do not need a ticket, a court order, or a DMV notice to do it. Completing an approved driver improvement course adds five safe driving points to your driving record, which offsets demerit points from future violations.

Here is how to earn them:

1. Enroll in and complete a driver improvement course. You may take a course for safe driving points once every two years. Because you are taking this course voluntarily, you will not have a court or DMV deadline to meet.
2. Complete the course. We send your certificate to the DMV electronically within 24 hours.
3. Check your driving record to confirm the five safe driving points have been applied.

Want the full breakdown of how the credit works and how long it stays on your record? Read our guide to 5 safe points.

How It Works

Why Are You Taking a Driver Improvement Course?

Whatever your reason for taking a driving safety course, I Drive Safely will get you where you need to go. Students take our course to:

• Satisfy a court or DMV requirement
• Remove points from a license
• Reduce fines and court fees from a violation
• Earn safe driving points
• Get an insurance discount

Insurance companies, the DMV, and the courts can make things confusing. We have broken the process into simple steps for each situation. If there is anything you do not understand, we are always here to help. Call us at 1-800-990-2814.

How to Satisfy a Court or DMV Requirement

1. Request at your hearing that you intend to take a driver improvement course.
2. Enroll in and complete the course.
3. The court or DMV will determine whether you may receive a five point credit for completing the course.
4. Send your completion certificate back to the court or DMV by the deadline you were given.
5. Check your driving record to make sure you received credit for the course.

How to Remove Points from Your License

1. Contact the court and request permission to take a driver improvement course. Note that you may only reduce points through a driver improvement course once every two years.
2. Enroll in and complete a driver improvement course.
3. Submit your completion certificate to the court by the deadline you were given.
4. Check your driving record to make sure you received credit for the course.

How to Reduce Fines and Court Fees

1. Contact your court and request permission to take a driver improvement course. Even if you cannot remove points based on your violation, or you have already taken a point reduction course in the last two years, you may still request to take a course for the reduction of fines and court fees.
2. Enroll in and complete a driver improvement course.
3. Submit your completion certificate to the court by the deadline you were given.
4. If you paid your reduced fee up front at your court date, you will not need to complete any more steps.
5. If you did not pay your fee at your court date, you will be informed how much your reduced fine will be and you will pay it at that time.

How to Earn a Discount on Your Insurance Rates

1. Check with your insurance provider to confirm you are eligible for a discount. You will want to make sure your driving history qualifies you for a reduced rate. You are not eligible for a discount if you are taking the course to satisfy a court requirement.
2. Enroll in and complete a driver improvement course. Because you are taking this course voluntarily, you likely will not need to worry about deadlines, so take your time.
3. Submit your completion certificate to your insurance company. We email it to you within 24 hours after you complete the course.
4. Look for information from your insurance company about your new reduced rate.

VA Driver Improvement Course Duration

As mandated by the state, this course is designed to be 8 hours long and is divided into engaging chapters with interactive elements to create an informative and enjoyable learning experience.

Explore potential insurance savings by completing our course and consult your provider for eligibility.

Skip the Virginia DMV Visit

With the I Drive Safely course, you can take your final exam online, and we will electronically submit your completion certificate to the DMV within 24 hours for your convenience.

Get Personalized Support

Our dedicated customer service team is available weekly to address queries or concerns. Do not feel like picking up the phone? We have a comprehensive help center that allows you to self serve for any need.

If you have questions about court acceptance or course specifics, contact us at 1-877-885-5790. Drive safer, drive smarter with I Drive Safely.

Why Are You Wanting to Take a Driver Improvement Course?

Whatever your reasons for taking a driving safety course, I Drive Safely will get you where you need to go. 

Take Our Driver Improvement Course to: 

• Satisfy a court or DMV requirement
• Remove points on your license
• Reduce Fines and Court Fees from a Violation
• Earn safe driving points
• Get an insurance discount

What Steps Do You Need to Take?

Insurance companies, the DMV, and the courts can make things confusing. We’ve broken things down for you into easy-to-follow steps. If there’s anything you don’t understand, we’re always here to help! You can call us at 1-800-990-2814.

• How to satisfy a court or DMV requirement
• How to remove points on your license from a violation
• How to reduce fines and court fees from a violation
• How to voluntarily earn 5 safe driving points
• How to earn a discount on monthly insurance rates

How to Satisfy a Court or DMV Requirement

1. Request at your hearing that you intend to take a driver improvement course.
2. Enroll in and complete the course. 
3. The court or DMV will determine whether you may receive a 5-point credit for completing the course.
4. Send your completion certificate back to the court or DMV by the deadline given.
5. Check your driving record to make sure you received credit for the course. 

How to Remove Points on Your License from a Violation

1. Contact the court and request permission to take a driver improvement course. Note that you may only reduce points through a driver improvement course once every 2 years.
2. Enroll in and complete a driver improvement course.
3. Submit your completion certificate to the court by the deadline you were given.
4. Check your driving record to make sure you received credit for the course.

How to Reduce Fines and Court Fees from a Violation

1. Contact your court and request permission to take a driver improvement course. While you may not be able to remove points based upon your violation – or you’ve already taken a point reduction course in the last 2 years – you may still request to take a driver improvement course for the reduction of fines and court fees. 
2. Enroll in and complete a driver improvement course.
3. Submit your completion certificate to the court by the deadline you were given.
4. If you paid your reduced fee up front at your court date, you won’t need to complete any more steps at this time.
5. If you did not pay your fee at your court date, you will be informed how much your reduced fine will be. You will then pay your fee at this time.

How to Voluntarily Earn 5 Safe Driving Points

1. Enroll in and complete a driver improvement course. You may take a driver improvement course for safe driving points once every 2 years. Since you’re voluntarily taking this course, you won’t have any court or DMV deadline to meet. 
2. Complete the course. We’ll send your certificate to the DMV electronically with in 24 hours. 
3. Check your driving record to make sure that those 5 safe driving points have been applied. 

How to Earn a Discount on Monthly Insurance Rates

1. Check with your insurance provider to confirm that you are eligibility for a discount. You’ll want to check to make sure your driving history enables you to get a reduced rate. You are not eligible for a discount if you are taking the course to satisfy a court requirement. 
2. Enroll in and complete a driver improvement course. Since you’re taking this course voluntarily, you likely won’t need to worry about any deadlines – so take your time!
3. Submit your completion certificate to your insurance company. We’ll email it to you within 24 hours after you complete the course.
4. Look for information from your insurance company about your new reduced rate!

FAQs – Virginia Driver Improvement Course

Course Information

1. Why should I take a driver improvement course?

Taking a driver improvement course can help you reduce points and fines associated with traffic tickets, lower your insurance rates, meet court requirements, or earn 5 Safe Driving points to your driving record. It can also make you a safer, more confident driver!

2. Is this course approved?

Yes! Our Virginia driver improvement courses are state-approved by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to meet all requirements for point and fine reduction, insurance discounts, and safe driving points.

3. I'm not sure if I'm eligible to take a Virginia driver improvement course. How do I find out?

If you are being ordered by the DMV to complete a driver improvement course (aka defensive driving course), you will receive notice in the mail mandating that you attend. Similarly, if you are being ordered by the court to complete a driver improvement course, you will receive referral at your court date.

If you need court permission to reduce points or fines/fees with a defensive driving course, you’ll need to contact the court before your court date. 

Generally, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must hold a valid non-commercial Virginia drivers license.
• You have been cited for a minor moving violation.
• You do not have any outstanding violations on your record, and your license has not been suspended or revoked.

If you still are unclear as to whether you qualify to take a driver improvement course, contact the court and request more information concerning your particular circumstances.

4. Is there an age requirement to complete a driver improvement course online?

No, all Virginia residents are eligible to take a driver improvement course online.

If you are taking the course to get a car insurance discount and are at least 55 years old, you can take a different crash-prevention course to get a discount that’s good for three years. Drivers who are younger than 55 and voluntarily take a driver improvement course may be eligible for an insurance discount that’s good for two years.

5. How often can I take a driver improvement course in Virginia?

You may take the course once every 2 years for point reduction or to receive 5 safe driving points. If you are taking it as part of a court order, or for ticket dismissal/fine reduction, there is no time constraint.

6. Must I complete this driver improvement traffic school course in one sitting?

No. With our online course, you are free to log in and out as much as you want, which means you can work in as many sessions as you need to complete the course!

7. How long will this course take?

The Virginia driver improvement program meets the state-mandated 8-hour length requirement. You may work through those 8 hours all in one day if you choose, or you may spread it out over a longer period of time. It is up to you!

8. What types of things will I study?

Each of your 8 course chapters focuses on topics that pertain to Virginia driving and traffic laws. These topics include:

• Highway safety
• Alcohol- and drug-impaired driving
• State traffic laws
• Driving emergencies
• Vehicle maintenance

9. Do I have to take a final exam?

Yes, you do. The final exam is 50 multiple-choice questions, and you will need to achieve a passing score of 80% or higher. You can only attempt your final exam once per day, but you get unlimited retakes on the exam. You’re guaranteed to pass the course!

10. What is the testing and grading policy?

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.

You will then take your final exam at the end of your course.

You must score an 80% or higher to pass, and you may retake the exam an unlimited amount of times. You may only attempt your exam once per day, per Virginia state law.

11. Is there any way I can fail the course?

You have unlimited retakes on your chapter quizzes and your final exam, so if you fail to achieve an 80% on your first try, you may simply retake them again until you pass.

Please note that you may only attempt your final exam once per day.

You also must finish the course and pass the test within 180 days of starting the course.

12. Why does this course have timers?

This course is required by Virginia law to span 8 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.