Mississippi Traffic School can be the cheapest way to deal with a speeding ticket — in many states, completing a state-approved course can wipe a ticket off your record or cut the points, which keeps your insurance from going up. This guide explains how mississippi traffic school works in plain English: whether Mississippi allows it, who qualifies, how often you can use it, the course requirements and state fee, and the exact court steps to request it. All information is general guidance, verified against Mississippi sources as of June 2026.
In This Mississippi Guide:
Mississippi Traffic School: The Key Facts
Here is how mississippi traffic school works for a speeding ticket at a glance:
| Dismissal / point reduction allowed? | YES |
| What it does | DISMISS — Mississippi Code 63-9-11 allows the court to withhold the guilty plea, defer sentencing, and upon course completion dismiss the charge entirely and expunge the record. No conviction is entered and nothing appears on the driving record. Note: Mississippi does NOT use a point system, so there are no points to reduce — the benefit is full dismissal and expungement. |
| How often you can use it | Once every 3 years (36 months) — the statute requires no course completion under Section 63-9-11 within the 3-year period before the current offense |
| Course length | 4 (minimum per statute; many providers offer 6-hour courses that also qualify for insurance discounts) |
| State / admin fee | 10 (state administrative fee paid to the court clerk, deposited into a special State Treasury fund; course provider fees of approximately 35-50 are separate) |
Who Qualifies for Mississippi Traffic School?
Must hold a valid Mississippi driver’s license or permit; must have no conviction under Title 63 Chapters 3, 5, or 7 (rules of the road, speed regulations, traffic signs/signals) within the 3 years before the current offense; must not have completed a traffic safety violator course under Section 63-9-11 within the prior 3 years; violation must be a misdemeanor under Chapters 3, 5, or 7; CDL holders are completely excluded; driver must not be currently enrolled in another traffic violator course Eligibility is decided by the court, so check your citation and confirm before you enroll.
How to Request Mississippi Traffic School Step by Step
1) Receive citation for a misdemeanor traffic violation under Title 63 Chapters 3, 5, or 7; 2) Contact the court clerk in the jurisdiction where the ticket was issued to confirm eligibility and request permission; 3) Appear in court — if pleading guilty, the court withholds acceptance of the plea and defers sentencing (90-day completion window); if pleading not guilty and convicted, the court may suspend the sentence (45-day completion window); 4) Enroll in and complete a court-approved traffic safety violator course of at least 4 hours at your own expense; 5) Submit proof of completion (certificate) to the court within the applicable deadline; 6) Pay the 10 dollar state administrative fee to the court clerk; 7) Court dismisses the charge and expunges the record
Choosing a State-Approved Course in Mississippi
The course must be court-approved per Section 63-9-11. Courts generally accept courses from recognized providers such as the National Safety Council DDC program (offered through Mississippi Safety Services) and various online providers, but you should always confirm with your specific court that your chosen course is accepted before enrolling Online traffic school is the most popular option because you can complete it at home at your own pace.
Clearly-labeled course providers are offered as paid options; you can also use our traffic school eligibility checker to see whether Mississippi is likely to let you use it.
Does Mississippi Traffic School Help Your Insurance?
By keeping points off your record, mississippi traffic school can stop a speeding ticket from raising your premium in the first place.
Insurance benefit: Many Mississippi insurers offer a discount of approximately 10 percent on collision and comprehensive premiums for completing a defensive driving course, typically lasting 3 years before the course must be retaken. The exact discount amount and eligibility vary by carrier — check with your specific insurer to confirm
A ticket can raise your premium for years — compare cheaper car insurance at Car Cover Guide if your rate has already gone up.
How Mississippi Traffic School Works
Traffic school — also called defensive driving or a driver-safety course — is a short class that, in many states, lets you keep a speeding ticket from hitting your record. Depending on Mississippi’s rules, completing an approved course can fully dismiss the ticket, reduce the points it adds, or mask the conviction from your insurer. The catch is that you usually have to ask the court for permission first, and you can only use it so often.
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Most drivers take the course online because you can do it from home at your own pace, though some courts still allow in-person classes. The course covers traffic-safety basics and ends with a short quiz; once you pass, the provider issues a certificate that you submit to the court by its deadline. Because the rules, the fee, and the eligibility limits are set by Mississippi and sometimes by the individual court, always confirm the details with the court on your citation before you pay for a course.
Used correctly, Mississippi traffic school is often the cheapest way to protect both your license and your insurance rate.
Even where Mississippi traffic school does not fully dismiss a ticket, the point reduction alone is often worth the time, because fewer points means a lower chance of suspension and a better insurance rate. Confirm with your court that the specific course you choose is on the approved list before you pay for it.
What to Do About Your Mississippi Speeding Ticket
Once you have a Mississippi speeding ticket, you generally have three choices, and the right one depends on the points involved, your driving record, and your insurance:
- Pay it — the fastest option, but paying is an admission of guilt that adds points and can raise your premium for years.
- Fight it — contesting can get the ticket reduced or dismissed, especially if the officer does not appear or the evidence is weak. See how to fight a speeding ticket in Mississippi.
- Take traffic school — if you qualify, a state-approved course can keep points off your record. See the Mississippi traffic school guide.
Before deciding, it helps to know the full cost — use our speeding ticket cost calculator and the Mississippi points guide to see how close a ticket puts you to a suspension. There is no single right answer for everyone; the best choice depends on how many points the ticket adds, what your record looks like, and how much your insurance would rise.
Other Mississippi rules to know: Mississippi does NOT use a points-based system — violations are tracked by count and severity, not by points, so the course benefit is full dismissal rather than point reduction; two different completion deadlines apply depending on plea path (90 days for guilty plea with deferred sentencing vs 45 days for post-conviction suspension); Mississippi courts may also offer non-adjudication as a separate judge-discretionary option distinct from the Section 63-9-11 course; procedures and accepted courses vary significantly by jurisdiction (municipal court, justice court, circuit court) so drivers should always contact their specific court; the 10 dollar state fee is deposited into a special State Treasury fund separate from court costs
Official Mississippi Sources & Resources
- Mississippi DMV: https://www.dps.ms.gov/
- Mississippi Courts: https://courts.ms.gov
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: nhtsa.gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex
Statute reference: Mississippi Code Annotated Section 63-9-11 — Penalties for violations of Chapter 3, 5 or 7; exemption (Title 63, Chapter 9)
This Mississippi traffic school guide was last verified against official sources in June 2026. Always confirm eligibility and deadlines with the court listed on your citation.
More Mississippi Traffic Ticket Guides
- Mississippi Speeding Ticket Cost
- Mississippi Driving Points & Suspension
- How to Fight a Speeding Ticket in Mississippi
- Speeding Ticket Cost Calculator
- All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal advice. Fines, points, and procedures are estimates for general guidance and change when state laws change. Always verify the exact amount and process with your state DMV or the court listed on your citation, and consult a licensed traffic attorney in your state for advice on your specific situation.