Chris
Sonny JHow to Take an Online Driver Improvement Course in Missouri
The process for point reduction in Missouri varies depending on which county you live in. All citations are initially submitted to the Fine Collection Center (FCC), regardless of where you live. From there, some counties are granted automatic approval by the FCC for a driver improvement course to dismiss violation points. Other counties, however, require the FCC to route your citation to the court, where you will need to appear in person to request permission for point reduction via a driver improvement course.
Regardless of which you county you live in, we’ve broken down each of the processes into step-by-step guides, so that you’ll know exactly which path to follow depending on where you live.
Refer to the list of designated FCC counties to determine which process to undergo.
- If your county is listed, refer to the “FCC-Approved Point Reduction” process
- If you county is not listed, refer to the “Court-Approved Point Reduction” process
- How to Reduce Points from Your Driving Record via FCC Approval
- How to Reduce Points from Your Driving Record via Court Approval
- How to Get a Discount on Your Monthly Insurance Rates
How to Reduce Points from Your Driving Record via FCC Approval
1. Admit guilt and submit your fine to the Fine Collection Center (FCC).
You may do so online, by mail, or by phone. After payment, you will automatically be approved to attend a driver improvement course to avoid points hitting your license.
- You must hold a valid, non-commercial Missouri driver’s license.
- You may NOT have been driving a commercial vehicle at the time of your infraction.
- You may only take a driver improvement course once every 3 years for point reduction.
The FCC will notify you of your approval once they have processed your payment.
2. Enroll in and complete your I Drive Safely Missouri driver improvement course.
You have to complete your driver improvement course within 60 days of approval from the FCC.
3. Submit your completion certificate to the FCC.
I Drive Safely will send you a certificate of completion via the shipment method you choose when you sign up. It is your responsibility to make sure it gets to the FCC within the 60-day window.
4. Check your driving record.
After the FCC processes your course completion, follow up by checking your driving record. There should be no points assessed for your traffic violation.
How to Reduce Points from Your Driving Record via Court Approval
1. Plead “not guilty” to the Fine Collection Center.
When you send in your citation to the FCC with a “not guilty” plea, it will then be delivered to the prosecuting attorney in the county where you were ticketed. The prosecutor will file the ticket with the court, which will then send you notice of a court appearance date.
2. Attend your court date and plead “guilty”.
At your court appearance, you need to admit guilt and request permission for point avoidance through a driver improvement course. The judge will then determine if you may or may not attend a course.Please note: in non-FCC counties, permission is granted on a case-by-case basis, and is NOT mandatory.You may only use a driver improvement course to avoid points once every 3 years.
3. Enroll in and complete your I Drive Safely Missouri driver improvement course.
Your judge will likely give you a deadline by which you must submit your course completion to the court. It may or may not be the same 60-day window mandated by the FCC for automatic-approval counties.
4. Submit your completion certificate to the court.
Once you have finished your course, I Drive Safely will send you a certificate of completion, which you are then responsible for delivering to your court within the time given by your judge.
5. Check your driving record.
After your court has processed your course completion, follow up and check your driving record. There should be no points associated with the violation you received.
How to Get a Discount on Your Monthly Insurance Rates
Many Missouri insurance providers will reward policyholders who have completed a driver improvement course! Follow these steps to take our course voluntarily and reduce your insurance rates.
1. Contact your insurance agency and ask if they accept a driver improvement course for an insurance discount.
If your provider offers a rate reduction, ask them how long it lasts and what their renewal policies are. Often, you can retake our course once your initial discount expires to extend your rate reduction.
2. Enroll in and complete your Missouri driver improvement course.
3. Submit your certificate of completion to your insurance company.
Your agent should let you know how long it will take to process your course completion, and should also notify you of when your discount will take effect. Some providers will even apply your reduced rate retroactively to your premium!
4. Enjoy your reduced insurance rate!
