Defensive Driving Course

Eligibility

  • An individual may only attend driving school once every 2 years.
  • You do not hold a commercial class license (A, B, or C).
  • You do not have any previous charges for failure to provide financial responsibility (no insurance).
  • We do not accept online driving school courses.
  • You must attend your court date 1st to obtain permission.

Option 1

  • Attend the Bristol Tennessee Defensive Driving School;
  • Register for class at the police records division.
  • Pay the Driving school fee of $50.
  • Pay the required administrative fee of $25
  • Pay the Court cost fee of $66. (Fees total $141)
  • You must bring your paid receipt and ticket to class.
  • Once the course is completed, the instructor will submit your certificate to the court.

Option 2

  • Attend another approved Defensive Driving School and pay their fee.
  • Pay the required administrative fee of $25.
  • Pay the court cost fees of $66. (Fees total $91 plus driving school fees)

Upon completion of a driving course other than the course provided by the City of Bristol Tennessee, return your certificate in person to:
City Court Clerk
801 Anderson Street
Municipal Courthouse, Room 203
Bristol, TN 37620

You may also return the certificate and payment of $91 via certified mail-return receipt requested. Any certificate sent via regular mail that is lost is the responsibility of the person issued the citation.

The certificate and payment must arrive before the date the judge gives you in court.

Option 3

Pay the citation to City Court Clerk in Room 203 of the Municipal Courthouse prior to your scheduled court date.

Option 4

Return to Traffic Court on scheduled court date in Room 207 of the Justice Center.

Making Payments

All checks must be made payable to City of Bristol Tennessee. We do not accept debit or credit cards. Once the driving school certificate has been received by the court, along with payment of the fees, you do not have to appear in court on the reassigned date the judge gives you.

Class Schedule

Class dates are scheduled on Thursday and Saturday, with a minimum of 2 classes per month. Enrollment is limited to 30 persons per class. Registration closes at 5 p.m. on the Thursday for the Saturday class and 5 p.m. on Tuesday for the Thursday class, no exceptions. Classes will be held at the Slater Center at 325 McDowell Street, from 8 a.m. to Noon on Thursday and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday night, and 8 a.m. to Noon on Saturday.

Directions

Take State Street going east through downtown Bristol. Go under the Bristol sign, continue straight up the hill. Slater Center is on the right. It is a renovated school building. Turn right into the upper parking lot and the classroom is at the bottom of the concrete ramp next to the parking lot. Directions can also be obtained through MapQuest and Google.