Skip to content Many Texas courts want a certified driving record along with your defensive driving certificate. The Type 3A is the one Texas DPS lists as acceptable for a defensive driving course. Here is what it is, how to get it, and how to avoid ordering the wrong one.
A Type 3A is a certified list of all crashes and violations on your Texas driving record, issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). It is the certified version of the Type 3 record.
Courts use it to confirm your driving history, including that you haven't used a defensive driving course to dismiss another ticket in the last 12 months. Because it holds your full history, DPS only provides a Type 3A to the person the record belongs to.
Texas DPS offers several record types, and they look alike on the order form. Tap each to see what it includes.
The basics only: your name, date of birth, license status, and latest address. No history of crashes or violations.
Not for defensive drivingType 1 information plus crashes and moving violations from the last three years. Not certified.
Not for defensive drivingA certified version of the Type 2. Certified, but it only covers three years, and DPS states it is not acceptable for a defensive driving course.
Not for defensive drivingYour complete list of crashes and violations, but not certified. Easy to confuse with the 3A, and the missing certification is exactly why courts reject it.
Not for defensive drivingThe certified version of the Type 3. Texas DPS lists this as the record type acceptable for a defensive driving course, and it is only issued to the person the record belongs to.
Type 3 information plus all suspensions on record. More detail than a defensive driving dismissal usually needs. Order it only if your court specifically asks for an AR.
Only if your court names itIf your court requires a driving record with your course certificate, it is almost always the certified Type 3A.
That phrase usually means a Type 3A. When in doubt, call the clerk and ask which type.
Insurers typically just want your course certificate.
A complete, official look at what's on your record.
If your court doesn't ask for a record, you don't need to buy one.
Order your Type 3A as a separate add-on during enrollment so your course certificate and driving record are handled together.
You can request a Type 3A directly from Texas DPS online or by mail. You'll need your license details, including the audit number on your card.
The record is often the slowest piece of the packet, so start it first.
Note the deadline and confirm the court wants a Type 3A.
Especially if it's coming by mail, order right away.
Complete your 6 hours online while the record is on its way.
Send the record and certificate together, with days to spare.
One letter makes the difference. The Type 3 isn't certified, so courts won't accept it for defensive driving.
It is certified, but it only covers three years and isn't acceptable for a defensive driving course.
Mailed records can take weeks. If your deadline is close, order online or order the record first.
Not every court requires a record. Check your instructions before you pay for one.
Send us your court's instructions and our San Antonio team will help you read them.
(210) 580-6533 support@drivedefensivelytexas.clickNo. The certificate proves you completed the course. The Type 3A is your certified driving history from Texas DPS. Some courts want both.
No. Requirements vary by court. Check your court's written instructions, and only order a record if they ask for one.
Texas DPS provides the Type 3A only to the person the record belongs to. You'll need details from your own license to request it.
Online requests through DPS can usually be printed soon after ordering. Mailed requests can take around three weeks, so order early if you go that route.
Texas DPS sets the fee for each record type, and it is separate from the $25 course. If you add the record during enrollment, the price is shown before you pay.
For a defensive driving dismissal, it usually is. If the instructions are unclear, call the court clerk and ask which record type they want before you order.
Enroll in the $25 TDLR-approved course and add your Type 3A if your court requires it, so nothing is missing when you submit.
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