The department must provide driver education certificates or certificate numbers to eligible providers and schools, and providers and the commission have certificate-design, reporting, and fee-setting duties.
Sec. 1001.055. DRIVER EDUCATION CERTIFICATES AND CERTIFICATE NUMBERS. (a) The department shall provide to each licensed driver education provider or exempt driver education school driver education certificates or certificate numbers to enable the provider or school to issue department-approved driver education certificates to certify completion of an approved driver education course and satisfy the requirements of Sections 521.204(a)(2) and 521.1601, Transportation Code. (a-1) A certificate issued by a driver education provider licensed under this chapter must: (1) be in a form required by the department; and (2) include an identifying certificate number provided by the department that may be used to verify the authenticity of the certificate with the provider. (a-2) A driver education provider licensed under this chapter that purchases driver education certificate numbers shall issue original and duplicate certificates in a manner that, to the greatest extent possible, prevents the unauthorized production or the misuse of the certificates. The provider shall electronically submit to the department in the manner established by the department data identified by the department relating to issuance of department-approved driver education certificates with the certificate numbers. (a-3) Certificate numbers must be in serial order so that the number on each issued certificate is unique. (b) The commission by rule shall provide for the design and distribution of the certificates and certificate numbers in a manner that, to the greatest extent possible, prevents the unauthorized reproduction or misuse of the certificates or certificate numbers. (c) The commission by rule shall establish a fee for each certificate or certificate number. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 6.012(a), eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1253 (H.B. 339), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1413 (S.B. 1317), Sec. 5, eff. March 1, 2010. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 820 (H.B. 2678), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1044 (H.B. 1786), Sec. 10, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 584 (S.B. 848), Sec. 1, eff. June 9, 2017. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 990 (H.B. 912), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2017. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 663 (H.B. 1560), Sec. 5.08, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 270 (S.B. 478), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 608 (H.B. 3645), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2023.