Driver improvement eligibility
While any driver can take our course to gain skills and knowledge for safer driving — and to receive valuable insurance discounts — many students complete our online Virginia Driver Improvement course for specific reasons, some of which are mandatory.
The court or Virginia DMV may require you complete a DMV-approved driver improvement program, or they may have given your permission to dismiss a ticket or reduce fees. You may also be interested in an auto insurance discount or increasing your safe driving points balance.
Regardless of your reason, before you register, you'll want to ensure that you meet the basic driver improvement eligibility requirements that apply to ALL students:
- You must not hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
- If you are a non-resident, you may complete the course if you are not a commercial driver
Additionally, there may be eligibility requirements for your specific purposes, as listed below.
Court-mandated eligibility
If you have been referred to a driver improvement program by a Virginia court or judge, taking the course is for dismissal of a traffic citation or lower court fees. The court will determine if you meet their driver improvement eligibility guidelines and will assign a due date for course completion. The court will also determine if completion will add to your safe driving points balance.
DMV-required eligibility
If you are taking the course to remove points and avoid losing your driving privileges, here's how it works.
If you have accumulated 12 or more demerit points within 12 months or 18 demerit points within 24 months, the DMV may require you to complete a driver improvement program. Failing to complete this requirement within 90 days will result in the loss of your driving privileges.
Voluntary eligibility (safe driving points)
If you want to increase your safe driving points balance, you can take our course on a voluntary basis. Per driver improvement eligibility requirements, you may only do so once every two years to receive up to five safe driving points. It's an easy way to keep your driving record clean and protect yourself from the consequences of accumulating too many demerit points.
Insurance discount eligibility
Many auto insurance providers offer discounts to policy holders who complete a driver improvement program. Check with yours before registering to learn if you are eligible for a discount.
If you have determined that you meet the driver improvement eligibility requirements for your purpose, the last step is to register and begin.