Driver Responsibility Program

About the Texas Department of Public Safety Driver Responsibility Program (DRP)

The Driver Responsibility Program (DRP) establishes a system that authorizes the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to assess surcharges to an individual based on certain traffic offenses that have occurred on or after September 1, 2003. Individuals are notified by mail each time a surcharge is added to their driver record. Surcharges are in addition to other fees and do not replace a suspension, revocation, denial, disqualification or cancellation resulting from the same conviction.

Assessing Surcharges

This program was developed to encourage safe driving habits. It requires the DPS to assess surcharges to individuals based on certain traffic offenses. These surcharges are assessed in two ways: a point system, and conviction-based.

Point System

Points are assessed for Texas or out-of-state moving violation convictions: two points for a conviction and three points for a conviction that resulted in a crash. Individuals are assessed a point surcharge annually if they have six or more points on their driver record. For each consecutive 12-month period that an individual does not receive any points for a moving violation, one point will be deducted from the individual’s total points.

Conviction-Based Surcharges

A conviction based surcharge is a result of being convicted of any of the following:

Driving While Intoxicated
Driving While License Invalid
No Driver License
No Insurance

Points are not assessed for these offenses. A conviction-based surcharge will be assessed annually for three years from the date of conviction. An individual also has the option to pay all three years at once.

Programs to Reduce or Waive Surcharges

The DPS offers programs that may reduce or waive surcharges. For more information about the DRP, along with details on available surcharge discounts and other surcharge assistance programs, please visit the Texas Department of Public Safety's Driver Responsibility Program website.