Which online defensive driving school should I use in Arizona?

Arizona drivers cited for a civil moving violation can complete a Defensive Driving School (DDS) course of 240 to 270 minutes (4 to 4.5 hours) under ACJA § 7-205 and A.R.S. §§ 28-3391 to 28-3399 to dismiss the ticket and keep points off the MVD record. The Arizona Supreme Court regulates the DDS program; eligible drivers can use it once every 12 months from violation date to violation date, must complete the course at least seven days before the scheduled court date, and may dismiss only one violation per citation. CDL holders are excluded only when cited in a commercial vehicle; a CDL holder cited in a non-commercial vehicle is eligible (A.R.S. § 28-3392(A)(3), post-2019). Violations involving a serious-injury or fatal accident and most criminal violations are excluded. The all-in cost is the school's course fee plus a court diversion fee that varies by court (Maricopa County roughly $110 to $162), a $24 State Fee, and a $45 state surcharge. DDS is distinct from Traffic Survival School (TSS), the separate 8-hour MVD-mandated remediation course required after certain serious offenses or point accumulation; TSS does not dismiss tickets. Last checked September 2026.

The True Cost of a Ticket in Arizona

Arizona drivers face a $231 fine and about $3,039 in three-year insurance surcharges (an estimate from CarInsurance.com and Quadrant Information Services rate data, not a state figure; your insurer's actual surcharge varies) for a 10-mph-over ticket, roughly $3,270 all-in. The fine is about 7% of the total bill. Arizona's Defensive Driving School program (A.R.S. § 28-3392; ACJA § 7-205) offers something rare: completing an approved course dismisses the ticket, keeps points off the MVD record, and keeps the conviction from being reported to insurers. It is available once every 12 months. The all-in cost is the school's course fee plus a court diversion fee (varies by court; Maricopa County roughly $110 to $162), a $24 State Fee, and a $45 state surcharge. For an eligible Arizona driver who acts quickly, that can prevent about $3,000 in insurance surcharges over three years. Last checked August 2026.