Pennsylvania Mature Driver Improvement Course — Frequently Asked Questions

The Pennsylvania Mature Driver Improvement Course is a PennDOT-approved course for drivers 55 and older. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2, added by Act 6 of 1990, insurance companies that write private passenger auto insurance in Pennsylvania must give a premium discount of at least 5% on a policy when all named insureds are 55 or older and have completed an approved course.

The Basic course, the one you take first, is 7 hours of content. The Refresher, the renewal course you take every 3 years to keep your discount, is 4 hours of content. The courses cover defensive driving, Pennsylvania traffic laws, how aging affects driving, and avoiding crashes. DDI’s courses are 100% online and you go at your own pace. PennDOT requires no written or practical driving tests; the course finishes with a short final test.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2; PennDOT Mature Driver Improvement Course

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees and approves all mature driver improvement courses in the state. PennDOT is responsible for establishing course standards, approving providers, and ensuring that the curriculum meets the educational requirements specified in the statute. The insurance discount provision itself falls under Title 75 (Vehicles) of Pennsylvania’s Consolidated Statutes, Chapter 17 (Financial Responsibility), making PennDOT the primary regulatory authority for course approval while the Pennsylvania Insurance Department oversees the discount implementation by insurers.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2; PennDOT Publication 474

The PennDOT-approved Mature Driver Improvement Course covers a comprehensive curriculum tailored to the needs of mature drivers:

Defensive driving techniques — strategies to anticipate and avoid hazards on the road
Pennsylvania traffic laws — current rules of the road specific to PA
Effects of aging on driving — how physical and cognitive changes affect driving ability
Medication effects — how prescription and over-the-counter drugs can impair driving
Accident prevention strategies — proactive approaches to reduce collision risk
Hazard recognition — identifying and responding to road dangers
Weather and road conditions — safe driving in rain, snow, ice, and fog
Sharing the road — safely interacting with trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians, and cyclists

The course is designed to refresh knowledge, build confidence, and genuinely reduce your risk of accidents — while helping you qualify for the insurance discount.

Source: PennDOT Mature Driver Improvement Course; PennDOT Publication 474

Pennsylvania has two PennDOT-approved mature driver courses, and DDI offers both:

Basic course: the course you take first, with 7 hours of content. $17.99 at DDI.

Refresher course: the renewal course, with 4 hours of content. To keep your discount, you take an approved course again every 3 years, and PennDOT calls that renewal course the Refresher. $17.99 at DDI.

You can take the Refresher with DDI even if you took your Basic course with another PennDOT-approved provider.

Start the Refresher for $17.99 →

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(c); PennDOT Mature Driver Improvement Course

The course is voluntary. No Pennsylvania driver has to take it. But once all named insureds on your policy are 55 or older and have completed an approved course, the law requires your insurer to give the discount, subject to the conditions explained on this page.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a) (“shall provide a premium discount for each motor vehicle on a policy under which all named insureds are 55 years of age or older and have successfully completed a motor vehicle driver improvement course meeting the standards of the Department of Transportation”)

PennDOT says there are no written or practical driving tests for this program, so there is no PennDOT test and no road test.

DDI’s course finishes with a short final test on what you learned.

Source: PennDOT Mature Driver Improvement Course; PennDOT Publication 474

No. This course is for the insurance discount. It will not dismiss a traffic ticket, remove points from your driving record, or settle a court matter.

Pennsylvania’s point system is separate. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1538, PennDOT can require a driver who builds up points to attend a driver improvement school or take an exam. The mature driver course under § 1799.2 is only about the insurance discount. A course specified by a court or other government body because of a § 1535 conviction does not qualify for the discount.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(d) (insurance discount); 75 Pa.C.S. § 1538 (points: school, examination or hearing)

Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a), the discount applies to a policy when all named insureds are 55 or older and have completed an approved course. The key word is “all”: every named insured on the policy must be 55 or older and must complete the course.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a) (“shall provide a premium discount for each motor vehicle on a policy under which all named insureds are 55 years of age or older and have successfully completed a motor vehicle driver improvement course meeting the standards of the Department of Transportation”)

You can take the course for its safety content at any age. But the discount required by 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2 applies only when all named insureds on the policy are 55 or older. If you are under 55, your insurer doesn’t have to give it. Some insurers offer their own discounts for driving courses, so ask your insurer.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a)

Yes. The law requires that all named insureds on the policy are 55 or older and have completed an approved course. If your spouse is a named insured, you both need to be 55 or older and you both need to complete the course. If any named insured is under 55 or hasn’t completed it, the required discount does not apply.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a) (“shall provide a premium discount for each motor vehicle on a policy under which all named insureds are 55 years of age or older and have successfully completed a motor vehicle driver improvement course meeting the standards of the Department of Transportation”)

The discount under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2 is tied to your auto insurance policy: it applies to private passenger auto insurance from insurers authorized to write it in Pennsylvania. The course is designed for Pennsylvania drivers. If your license is from another state but your auto policy is from Pennsylvania, check with your insurer about how the discount applies to you.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a)

Anyone can enroll in and complete the course for its educational value. However, the statutory insurance discount applies only to policies issued by insurers authorized to write private passenger automobile insurance in Pennsylvania. If you live in another state, your state may have its own mature driver or accident prevention course program with different requirements. Pennsylvania’s § 1799.2 discount is specific to Pennsylvania-regulated insurance policies. Check with your home state’s DMV and your insurance company to determine what courses qualify for discounts in your state.

Take the course once you are 55, because the law requires all named insureds to be “55 years of age or older.” All other named insureds on the policy also need to be 55 or older and to complete the course. A good time is shortly after you turn 55, or shortly after the last named insured turns 55. Then send your certificates to your insurance company.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a)

Pennsylvania law says the discount must be at least 5%. Your insurer sets the exact amount in its rate filing, which the Insurance Commissioner approves, so ask your insurer what they give.

Here’s an example: if your premium is $150 a month, 5% is about $90 a year, or about $270 over 3 years. DDI’s Basic and Refresher courses are $17.99 each.

To qualify, all named insureds on the policy must be 55 or older and complete an approved course. Your insurer may also require that, for the 3 years after you finish the course, you have no accident for which you are chargeable, no conviction for an offense listed in § 1535, and no DUI conviction or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD).

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a) (“such discount shall not be less than 5%”); § 1799.2(c)

The discount applies to all policy periods that begin within the 3 years right after you complete the course. To keep the discount after that, you take an approved course again every 3 years. That renewal course is the Refresher (4 hours of content), and DDI offers it too.

Taking more than one course within 3 years does not increase your discount.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a) (“This discount shall apply to all coverages for all policy periods beginning within the three-year period immediately following the successful completion of the course”); § 1799.2(c) (“Each participant shall take an approved course every three years to continue to be eligible for the discount on insurance.”)

The law says insurers “shall provide” the discount when all named insureds are 55 or older and have completed an approved course, and the discount must be at least 5%. The Insurance Commissioner approves the exact amount as part of the insurer’s rate filing.

There are limits. Your insurer may also require that, for the 3 years after you finish the course, you have no accident for which you are chargeable, no conviction for an offense listed in § 1535, and no DUI conviction or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD). An insurer can also leave out this discount if it shows the commissioner that it already gives its own driver improvement course discount.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a), (c) (“shall provide a premium discount for each motor vehicle on a policy under which all named insureds are 55 years of age or older and have successfully completed a motor vehicle driver improvement course meeting the standards of the Department of Transportation”)

When you finish, your certificate is emailed to you and ready to download. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(b), this certificate is the basis for your discount.

Send a copy to your insurance company or agent. Many insurers accept it through their online account, by email, by mail or fax, or in person at your agent’s office. If you give us your insurance agent’s contact details, we’ll copy them on your certificate as a courtesy.

Either way, please follow up with your agent to make sure they got your certificate and applied your discount.

Start saving with DDI’s $17.99 course →

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(b) (“a certificate which shall be the basis of qualification for the discount on insurance”)

Yes. The law requires the discount “for each motor vehicle on a policy” when all named insureds are 55 or older and have completed an approved course, and it applies to all coverages. Ask your insurance company how it shows up on your policy.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a) (“This discount shall apply to all coverages for all policy periods beginning within the three-year period immediately following the successful completion of the course”)

No. The law says: “The successful completion of more than one course within a three-year period does not qualify the insured for additional discounts.” You only need to complete an approved course once every 3 years to keep your discount.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a)

It depends on your insurer. The law applies the discount to policy periods that begin within the 3 years after you complete the course, so many insurers apply it at your next renewal after you send your certificate. Some may apply it sooner, so ask your agent. The sooner you finish and send your certificate, the sooner you start saving.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a)-(b) (“This discount shall apply to all coverages for all policy periods beginning within the three-year period immediately following the successful completion of the course”)

Yes, as long as your new insurer writes private passenger auto insurance in Pennsylvania. The law applies to all insurance companies authorized to write it in Pennsylvania. Give your new insurer a copy of your certificate. The same conditions apply: all named insureds are 55 or older and have completed an approved course, and your new insurer may also require a clean record. Keep a copy of your certificate for this reason.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a), (c)

Yes. PennDOT approves both classroom and online formats for the Mature Driver Improvement Course. DDI’s Pennsylvania course is 100% online, allowing you to complete the entire course from the comfort of your home on any device with an internet connection. Online courses that meet PennDOT’s approval standards are fully valid for earning the insurance discount — identical in every legal respect to classroom courses.

Take DDI’s PennDOT-approved course online →

Source: PennDOT Mature Driver Improvement Course (online format approved)

The Basic course is 7 hours of content, the length PennDOT sets for the Basic course. The Refresher is 4 hours of content. Either way, you go at your own pace. Log out whenever you like, and your progress saves, so you pick up right where you left off.

Source: PennDOT Mature Driver Improvement Course

Yes, you go at your own pace. You can log in and out whenever you like, and your progress saves, so you pick up right where you left off. Take a break whenever you need one.

Start DDI’s Pennsylvania course →

DDI’s Pennsylvania Mature Driver course works on any device with an internet connection:

Desktop or laptop computers (Windows or Mac)
Tablets (iPad, Android, etc.)
Smartphones (iPhone, Android)

The course runs in any modern web browser — no special software, apps, or downloads required. You can even switch devices during the course; your progress saves automatically to your account. Start on your desktop and continue on your tablet from the couch — it’s entirely flexible.

Yes. The course finishes with a short final test on what you learned. There is no PennDOT test and no road test; PennDOT says there are no written or practical driving tests.

Source: PennDOT Mature Driver Improvement Course

DDI’s course is designed to be straightforward and user-friendly, even for those who aren’t particularly tech-savvy. The interface is clean, navigation is simple, and you won’t encounter complicated software or confusing menus. Your progress is saved automatically after each section, so if you experience a technical issue — internet outage, device crash, browser freeze — simply log back in and resume where you left off. No progress is lost. If you need additional help, DDI offers customer support to assist with any technical difficulties.

You get a certificate of completion from the course provider. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(b), this certificate is the basis for your discount. You send it to your insurance company.

With Defensive Drivers Institute, your certificate is emailed to you when you finish the course and is ready to download. It also stays in your online account.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(b) (“a certificate which shall be the basis of qualification for the discount on insurance”)

Your certificate shows that you completed DDI’s PennDOT-approved Pennsylvania mature driver course and when you finished. It is the document your insurance company uses to apply your discount. If your insurer asks for anything else, contact us and we’ll help.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(b)

Just your insurance company. Your insurer applies the discount, not PennDOT. PennDOT approves the courses; once you finish an approved course and get your certificate, you only send it to your insurance company or agent. You don’t need to report it to PennDOT or any other state agency.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(b) (“a certificate which shall be the basis of qualification for the discount on insurance”)

Yes. With DDI, your certificate stays in your online account, so you can download or print it again whenever you need it. Just log in and download a new copy.

Absolutely yes. Keep a copy of your completion certificate for your personal records. You may need it for:

Insurance verification — your insurer may request proof at renewal time
Switching insurers — a new insurance company will need proof of course completion to apply the discount
Tracking your renewal date — knowing when your 3-year discount period started helps you plan for your Refresher course
Dispute resolution — if there’s ever a question about whether the discount was properly applied

With DDI, your certificate is always available for re-download from your online account, providing an extra layer of security.

The discount applies to policy periods that begin within the 3 years right after you complete the course. To keep it after that, you take an approved course again every 3 years. That renewal course is the Refresher (4 hours of content), and DDI offers it for $17.99. Plan to take it before your 3 years are up so your discount doesn’t lapse.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a), (c) (“Each participant shall take an approved course every three years to continue to be eligible for the discount on insurance.”)

No. The Refresher is the shorter renewal course, with 4 hours of content instead of the Basic course’s 7. You take the Basic course first, then the Refresher every 3 years to keep your discount. DDI offers both, for $17.99 each.

Start the Refresher for $17.99 →

Source: PennDOT Mature Driver Improvement Course

Yes. You are not required to use the same provider for your Refresher course that you used for the Basic course. Any PennDOT-approved provider’s Refresher course is valid for renewing your discount. If you completed your Basic course with another provider and want to switch to DDI for the Refresher, you’re welcome to do so — and vice versa. The certificate from any PennDOT-approved provider will qualify you for the same statutory discount.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2 (discount tied to completion of PennDOT-approved course, not specific provider)

If more than 3 years pass and you haven’t taken an approved course again, your discount ends and your insurer goes back to your regular rate. To get it back, complete an approved course again and send your new certificate to your insurance company.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(c) (“Each participant shall take an approved course every three years to continue to be eligible for the discount on insurance.”)

Yes. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(c), each insurer may require, as a condition of giving and keeping the discount, that for 3 years after you complete the course you:

(1) are not involved in an accident for which you are chargeable;
(2) are not convicted of an offense listed in § 1535 (Pennsylvania’s schedule of convictions and points); and
(3) are not convicted of, or haven’t accepted Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) for, driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.

The law says the insurer “may require” these, so not every insurer does. Ask your insurance company which conditions they use.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(c)(1)-(3)

75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2 (Driver improvement course discounts) is the controlling statute. It was added to Pennsylvania law by Act 6 of 1990 (February 7, 1990, P.L.11, No.6), effective July 1, 1990. The statute is located within Title 75 (Vehicles), Chapter 17 (Financial Responsibility), and mandates that all insurers authorized to write private passenger automobile insurance in Pennsylvania shall provide a premium reduction of not less than 5% to policyholders who meet the eligibility requirements.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2 (enacted by Act 6 of 1990, eff. July 1, 1990)

The law says insurers “shall provide” the discount, at least 5%, when all named insureds are 55 or older and have completed an approved course. But there are conditions. Your insurer may also require that, for the 3 years after you finish the course, you have no accident for which you are chargeable, no conviction for an offense listed in § 1535, and no DUI conviction or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD). An insurer can also leave out this discount if it shows the Insurance Commissioner that it already gives its own driver improvement course discount.

If you qualify and think your insurer isn’t applying the discount, ask your agent first. You can also contact the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a), (c)

No. Section 1799.2(d) says: “This section shall not apply in the event the approved course is specified by a court or other governmental entity resulting from a conviction of an offense enumerated in section 1535.”

So if a court or other government body specified the course because of a conviction for an offense listed in § 1535 (Pennsylvania’s schedule of convictions and points), that course doesn’t qualify for the discount.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(d)

Under § 1799.2(c)(3), your insurer may require that, for 3 years after you complete the course, you are not convicted of, and haven’t accepted ARD for, driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance. ARD (Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition) is a pre-trial program often used for first-time DUI offenders in Pennsylvania. This is up to your insurer, so ask your insurance company about their rules.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(c)(3)

Every state sets its own rules. In Pennsylvania:

Age: 55 or older.
All named insureds: every named insured on the policy must be 55 or older and complete an approved course.
Discount: at least 5%, on all coverages, for policy periods beginning within the 3 years after you complete the course.
Renewal: take an approved course again every 3 years.
Insurer conditions: insurers may require no chargeable accident, no § 1535 conviction, and no DUI conviction or ARD.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2

No. The law requires a course “meeting the standards of the Department of Transportation”: PennDOT. If you moved to Pennsylvania, take a PennDOT-approved course to qualify, even if you took a similar course in another state.

Source: 75 Pa.C.S. § 1799.2(a) (“shall provide a premium discount for each motor vehicle on a policy under which all named insureds are 55 years of age or older and have successfully completed a motor vehicle driver improvement course meeting the standards of the Department of Transportation”)

You can take the course for its educational value, but the statutory discount under § 1799.2 applies only to insurers authorized to write private passenger automobile insurance in Pennsylvania. If you’re insured through an out-of-state policy, the Pennsylvania statute doesn’t compel your insurer to provide the discount. However, your state may have its own mature driver program with its own requirements. Check with your state’s DMV and your insurance company to determine what courses qualify for discounts where you’re insured.

DDI’s Pennsylvania Basic course and Refresher course are $17.99 each. That’s the full price, and there’s no extra charge for your certificate.

The discount is at least 5%. For example, if your premium is $150 a month, 5% is about $90 a year, or about $270 over 3 years.

Enroll now for $17.99 →

Each $17.99 DDI course, the Basic or the Refresher, includes:

The full PennDOT-approved course, 100% online
Log in and out whenever you like, and your progress saves
The short final test
Your certificate, emailed to you and ready to download
Your certificate kept in your online account
Customer support at (833) 921-0217

There are no extra fees for the certificate.

DDI’s Pennsylvania Basic and Refresher courses are $17.99 each. Every PennDOT-approved course qualifies for the same discount under the law, so the differences between providers are price, convenience, and how easy the course is to use. DDI’s courses are 100% online, you go at your own pace, and your certificate is emailed to you when you finish.

See DDI’s Pennsylvania course →

Getting started is simple:

1. Register: pick your course (the Basic the first time, the Refresher to renew every 3 years), create your account, and pay $17.99.
2. Learn at your own pace: 7 hours of content for the Basic, 4 hours of content for the Refresher. Log out whenever you like, and your progress saves. You finish with a short final test.
3. Get your certificate: it’s emailed to you and ready to download. If you give us your insurance agent’s contact details, we’ll copy them on it as a courtesy.
4. Send it to your insurance company: then follow up with your agent to make sure they got it and applied your discount.

Start your Pennsylvania course for $17.99 →

Yes. Pennsylvania requires all named insureds to complete the course, so many couples sign up together. Each of you creates your own account, takes the course at your own pace, pays $17.99, and gets your own certificate. Then send both certificates to your insurance company. That’s $35.98 for the two of you.

Enroll today for $17.99 per person →

Yes. Since DDI’s course is 100% online, you can take it from anywhere in Pennsylvania — whether you’re in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Scranton, Lancaster, or any other city or town in the Commonwealth. All you need is a device with an internet connection. There’s no need to drive to a classroom, find parking, or adjust your schedule around class times. Complete the course from the comfort of your own home on your own schedule.

First time? Start the Basic course for $17.99 →
Renewing? Start the Refresher for $17.99 →