How Many Points Does a Defensive Driving Course Remove From Your Georgia License?
Defensive driving can help eligible Georgia drivers reduce up to seven points from their license once every five years.
To qualify, a driver must complete a six-hour Driver Improvement course through a school certified by the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS).
Completing the course is only one step. Your points are not removed automatically when the class ends.
The driver must receive a completion certificate and submit the original to DDS for processing.
A defensive driving course can also be useful for more than point reduction.
Professional drivers may see additional value as well, including the benefits of a defensive driving course for CDL holders related to safety awareness, compliance, insurance costs, and protecting their driving careers.
What Is a Defensive Driving Course in Georgia?
A defensive driving course teaches licensed drivers how to recognize hazards, reduce risky behavior, and avoid preventable collisions.
Georgia officially calls this six-hour program a Driver Improvement course.
It is different from behind-the-wheel driver’s education for new drivers. There is no road test or basic vehicle-control training.
Instead, an instructor covers common risks and responsibilities that affect drivers every day.
Course topics may include:
- Georgia traffic laws and driving responsibilities
- Driver behavior and awareness
- Distracted and impaired driving
- Crash-avoidance techniques
- Safe following distances, speed, and vehicle control
- Seat belt use and basic vehicle maintenance
- Driving in poor weather
- Sharing the road and responding to unexpected hazards
Understanding common defensive driving mistakes can also help drivers recognize behaviors such as tailgating, distraction, speeding, and failing to adjust for road conditions before they result in crashes or violations.
The goal is to help drivers understand why crashes and violations happen and how they can make safer choices.
What Does 1 Day or 2 Nights Defensive Driving Offer?
1 Day or 2 Nights Defensive Driving & DUI offers a live, six-hour Defensive Driving Course through Zoom.
Georgia drivers can complete it in one day or over two nights using an internet-connected device with a working camera.
After completing the course, students receive a certificate for point reduction, court requirements, license reinstatement, possible insurance benefits, or another approved purpose.
How Many Points Does Defensive Driving Remove?
An eligible Georgia resident may request a reduction of up to seven points after completing a state-certified course, once every five years.
“Up to seven” does not mean every driver gets seven points removed. DDS cannot remove more points than the driver currently has:
- 3 eligible points → up to 3 reduced
- 6 eligible points → up to 6 reduced
- 7 eligible points → up to 7 reduced
- 10 eligible points → still capped at 7 reduced
Taking another course before five years have passed will not give you another voluntary point reduction.
You may still need to complete a course for a court, employer, insurer, or another approved requirement.
Does Completing the Course Automatically Remove Points?
No. The driving school issues the certificate but cannot remove points itself, only DDS can update the official record. General process:
- Check whether you qualify for point reduction.
- Select a DDS-certified Driver Improvement school.
- Complete all six hours of instruction.
- Receive the original completion certificate.
- Submit the original certificate to DDS.
- Check your driving record afterward to confirm processing.
Make a copy of the certificate before submitting the original. If you mail it, consider using a trackable delivery method.
Who Qualifies for Point Reduction?
Generally, a driver must:
- Hold a Georgia driver’s license
- Have eligible points on the license
- Complete a certified six-hour course through a DDS-certified school
- Submit the original certificate
- Not have used the same reduction within the past five years
Points are usually assessed only after a conviction is reported to DDS, so pending cases may not yet show points. Check your current balance and last reduction date before enrolling, or contact DDS if unsure.
Why Must the Course Be DDS-Certified?
Not every defensive driving course qualifies. A generic or self-paced course from an uncertified provider may not be accepted for point reduction, a court order, license reinstatement, ticket consideration, an insurance discount, or an employer requirement.
Confirm certification with the school and check any additional instructions with the relevant court, insurer, or employer before paying , taking the wrong course can cause delays or missed deadlines.
What Happens During the Virtual Course?
Students attend a live, six-hour Zoom class covering traffic laws, distracted driving, speed, road hazards, and crash prevention.
They must join on time, keep cameras on, and participate throughout.
After completing the course, students receive a certificate that can be submitted to DDS, a court, an insurer, or another organization that requires it.
How Does Georgia’s Point System Work?
Georgia adds points after certain convictions, with values varying by violation type and severity.
Point-eligible violations include speeding, reckless or aggressive driving, following too closely, improper passing, failing to obey traffic controls, passing a school bus, and open-container violations.
Drivers 21 and older may face suspension after accumulating 15 points within 24 months.
Stricter rules apply to drivers under 21, and some violations can have serious consequences regardless of the total point count.
Review your driving record or contact DDS if you’re unsure of your total.
Does Point Reduction Erase the Conviction?
No. Reducing points lowers the eligible point count but doesn’t overturn the conviction, cancel a fine, or delete the violation record.
Insurers, employers, courts, and agencies may still consider the original conviction.
The course can still help lower your active point total and improve your knowledge of safe driving, but it does not erase a ticket.
Can Defensive Driving Prevent a License Suspension?
It may lower your point total before you reach a suspension threshold, but it does not guarantee that a suspension will be prevented or reversed.
A voluntary reduction may not cancel a suspension already triggered by accumulated points, and some suspensions stem from specific violations rather than point totals.
If you’ve received a suspension notice, contact DDS first to find out which steps apply to your reinstatement. A certified course may be one of the requirements.
Commercial drivers should also understand what disqualifies you from getting a CDL in Georgia, since certain violations, suspensions, and DUI-related offenses can carry consequences beyond the standard Georgia point system.
Can You Take the Course Before a Court Date?
Yes, but confirm first whether the court will accept it and what effect it may have.
Some courts order the course; others may consider voluntary completion when reviewing a ticket or fine , outcomes vary by court and case.
Completion doesn’t guarantee ticket dismissal, a reduced charge, removal of pending points, a lower fine, or avoiding an insurance increase.
A court requirement and a DDS point-reduction request are separate , submitting to one doesn’t automatically satisfy the other.
How to Request Point Reduction After the Course
- Check your driving record to see how many points are eligible for reduction.
- Choose a certified school and tell them you need the course for point reduction.
- Attend the entire course , joining late or leaving early may prevent completion.
- Review your certificate for accurate name and details; ask for corrections if needed.
- Submit the original certificate to a DDS Customer Service Center or by mail (verify current address/instructions first).
- Confirm the reduction on your updated driving record after processing; contact DDS if it doesn’t appear.
Complete a Georgia-Certified Course Online
1 Day or 2 Nights Defensive Driving & DUI offers a live, six-hour, instructor-led course through Zoom, completed in one day or across two scheduled nights with an internet-connected device and working camera.
It can serve point reduction, court requirements, certain reinstatement needs, possible insurance discounts, employer requirements, or personal education , though acceptance and results depend on the requesting organization.
View the available Defensive Driving Course options or call 404-680-9936 to ask which class fits your needs.
Take the Right Course for Your Driving Requirement
Defensive driving can help an eligible Georgia driver reduce up to seven points once every five years, through a certified six-hour Driver Improvement program with the original certificate submitted to DDS.
The course also builds practical skills in traffic laws, hazard awareness, crash avoidance, and safer decision-making, and can serve court, reinstatement, insurance, employer, or personal-improvement needs.
Check your driving record and confirm your exact requirement before enrolling in a certified program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Everyone Receive a Seven-Point Reduction?
The reduction depends on the number of eligible points on your Georgia driving record. A driver with four eligible points may have up to four removed, while seven is the maximum reduction permitted by DDS.
Do Points Come Off Automatically After the Course?
Completing the course is only the first step. You must submit the original completion certificate to Georgia DDS, which reviews the request and updates your official point balance.
How Long Is a Georgia Defensive Driving Course?
A Georgia Defensive Driving/Driver Improvement course requires six hours of instruction. It may be completed in one day or divided into multiple approved sessions.
Can I Take Defensive Driving Online?
Live virtual classes may qualify when provided by a Georgia DDS-certified school in an approved format. Verify the provider before enrolling, as generic online courses may not be accepted.
Will the Course Remove My Ticket?
A defensive driving course may reduce eligible license points, but it does not erase a ticket or overturn a conviction. Only the court handling a pending case can dismiss or modify the charge.
Can the Course Reduce My Insurance Rate?
Some insurers offer discounts to eligible drivers who complete an approved defensive driving course. Eligibility and savings vary, so confirm the requirements with your insurer before enrolling.
Is Defensive Driving the Same as a DUI Risk Reduction Course?
These are separate programs. Defensive driving focuses on safer driving and point reduction, while DUI Risk Reduction course addresses DUI-related education and legal requirements.
