If you’ve received a letter from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles about a Driver Safety Program, or you’re just trying to understand how points work, this guide covers the rules. Everything here comes from the Indiana BMV’s Driver Safety Program page, written in plain English.
Start With Points
Indiana assigns a point value to each moving-violation conviction. The value reflects how much risk the offense poses to traffic safety, and it ranges from zero to ten points. Points stay active on your record for two years from the conviction date.
Points are the BMV’s way of tracking risk. A driver who keeps adding them can end up facing a required course, or worse.
Who Has to Take a Driver Safety Program
A Driver Safety Program (DSP) is a BMV-approved course on defensive driving. Under state law:
- Two or more convictions in 12 months: Drivers convicted of two or more traffic offenses within a 12-month period may be required to complete a DSP.
- Drivers under 21: Drivers under 21 who are convicted of two or more traffic offenses are required to complete a DSP.
- Court orders: A court may require a DSP, sometimes as an alternative to suspending your license.
When the BMV is notified of the convictions, it mails you a notice. From then, you have 90 days to complete a DSP, or your driving privileges will be suspended.
If you’re facing that deadline, the Indiana Driver Safety Program from Defensive Drivers Institute is BMV-approved and fully online. Keep reading for how the credit works.
Anyone Can Take It Voluntarily
You don’t need a BMV letter to take a DSP. Any Indiana driver can take one. Some drivers do it to get ahead of a growing point total, and some just want a refresher.
How the 4-Point Credit Works
When you complete a BMV-approved DSP, the BMV applies a 4-point credit to your Official Indiana Driver Record. A few rules apply:
- Once every three years. The credit can only be applied once every three years.
- Taking it again extends the clock. If you complete another course, the credit period is extended for three years from the new completion date. You don’t get a second 4-point credit inside that window, but you do extend the one you have.
- It takes a little time. The BMV says credit is applied within 7 to 14 business days after it receives the provider’s completion notice.
- If it doesn’t show up, email a copy of your completion certificate to the BMV at BMVDSP@bmv.IN.gov.
What a DSP Won’t Do
This is where many drivers get confused, so it’s worth being direct:
- It won’t remove a ticket. The BMV says completing a DSP will not remove a citation from your driver history. The conviction stays; the course adds a point credit.
- It won’t replace driver’s education. A DSP isn’t a learn-to-drive course. It focuses on improving defensive driving.
- It won’t settle a pending ticket. If you have an open citation, you still need to handle it with the court.
Only BMV-Approved Providers Count
Credit is applied only if you complete the course through a BMV-approved DSP provider. The BMV publishes its list of approved providers. All approved courses follow the same curriculum standards, run at least four hours, and are offered in English and Spanish. The state caps the cost of any approved DSP at $55.
Tips if You’ve Received a BMV Notice
- Check the date on the letter. Count 90 days and put the deadline on your calendar.
- Don’t wait until the last week. Give yourself time to finish and for the completion to be processed.
- Keep your certificate. If a court ordered the course, submit the certificate to that court.
- Look at the habits behind the tickets. Two convictions in a year usually point to a pattern: speeding, following too closely, or distraction. The course is a chance to fix it.
For a longer FAQ-style overview, see our Indiana Driver Safety Program guide.
About Our Course
Defensive Drivers Institute’s Indiana Driver Safety Program is BMV-approved, 100% online, and self-paced, and it’s available in English and Spanish. It’s for drivers with two or more offenses in 12 months, drivers under 21 with two or more offenses, anyone who received a BMV notice, drivers with a court order, and any Indiana driver who wants to improve their record. When you finish, we notify the BMV of your completion and you can download your certificate right away.
Ready to earn your 4-point credit or meet your BMV deadline? Start the Indiana Driver Safety Program.
