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Cook County Traffic Safety School FAQs

Whether you are attending traffic school online or in the classroom in Cook County, here are the answers to some frequently asked question you may have.

General Questions

What is the National Safety Council and how can I contact NSC?

Where are the classrooms located?

How long until I receive my course confirmation letter?

What if I can't make it to my assigned Traffic Safety School course? How do I reschedule?

Is there a fee to reschedule my Traffic Safety School course?

Where can I find the Cook County District Court contact information?

Are Traffic Safety School fees refundable?

What if I move or my mailing address changes?

How do I know which Traffic Safety School course to attend?

I need another copy or a replacement of my certificate of completion. What do I do?

What happens if I do not complete Traffic Safety School by my return date?

How do I switch from a classroom class to an online class?

How long does it take after the course completion for Cook County to update my driver record?


Online Course Questions


How do I log in to the Online Safety Course?

What if I have lost my access code or login ID or password?

What if I have problems with the online course?

Can I access the Online 4-hour Driver Safety Course from more than one computer, for example, a home, work or library computer?

Why does my system run so slowly when I use this course?

How long is the online course and do I have to finish the entire course in one sitting?

How can I check my progress while taking the course?

Is there a test at the end of this course and what is a passing score?

What if I answer less than 80% of the post-assessment test questions correctly?

After passing the post-assessment, how soon will I receive my certificate of completion? 


Classroom Course Questions


How do I reschedule my classroom class?

What happens if I do not attend the class I'm scheduled to take, arrive late or do not bring the required materials?

May I bring my children with me to class?

How will my registration be confirmed?

What do I need to bring to a classroom class? 

What if I have special needs, such a physical, language, etc.?

What happens when there is a weather-related cancellation?


What is the National Safety Council and how can I contact NSC?

The National Safety Council is a not-for-profit, non-governmental, international public safety organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health. NSC is partnering with Cook County as the authorized vendor for Traffic Safety School.

National Safety Council
Attn: Cook County TSS
200 Salina Meadows Parkway
Syracuse, NY 13212

Hours: 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday

Phone: (888) 245-8450
Fax: (315) 453-7932
Email: [email protected]

Where are the classrooms located?

National Safety Council holds the Cook County Traffic Safety Program classes in five convenient locations:

  • DOWNTOWN CHICAGO
    Harold Washington College
    30 E. Lake St.
    Chicago, IL 60601
  • SOUTH SUBURBAN
    Moraine Valley Community College
    9000 W College Parkway
    Palos Hills, IL 60465
  • NORTH SUBURBAN
    Oakton Community College
    7701 N Lincoln Ave.
    Skokie, IL 60077
  • WEST SUBURBAN
    Hyatt House Chicago/Schaumburg
    1251 American Lane.
    Schaumburg, IL 60173
  • CENTRAL SUBURBAN
    Dominican University
    7900 W. Division St.
    River Forest, IL 60305


How long until I receive my course confirmation letter?

If you paid your ticket online, at the court, or mailed it in, it can take from two to four weeks from the date the payment is processed at the Court for you to receive your course confirmation notice from Traffic Safety School.

What if I can’t make it to my assigned Traffic Safety School course? How do I reschedule?

Visit cook.nsc.org to reschedule your assigned course. Or, contact the NSC customer service center.

Is there a fee to reschedule my Traffic Safety School course?

Traffic Safety School will reschedule you at no charge before your grace period date that appears in your class confirmation letter. After the grace period, the mandatory fee to reschedule is $29. If you miss your scheduled class, the reschedule fee is $46*.

*Please note: Effective Dec. 9, 2022, Traffic Safety School tuition will increase from $46 to $69. The new fee will apply to all tuition and reschedule fees for missed classes paid on or after that date.

Where can I find the Cook County District Court contact information?

The Court contact information appears on the envelope that was given to you by the officer when you received the ticket. You can also find more information at www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org.

  • District 1 – (312) 603-5730
  • District 2 – (847) 470-7250
  • District 3 – (847) 818-3000
  • District 4 – (708) 865-6040
  • District 5 – (708) 974-6500
  • District 6 – (708) 232-4262


Are Traffic Safety School fees refundable?

Unless you are found to be ineligible for Traffic Safety School, all fees are non-refundable. If you are found to be ineligible, a conviction is placed on your driving record and reported to the Secretary of State, and any overpayment less a processing charge will be refunded.

What if I move or my mailing address changes?

It is your responsibility to notify Traffic Safety School if you change your mailing address. Traffic Safety School is not responsible for late, lost and/or undeliverable mail. To change the address on file with Traffic Safety School, contact NSC at (888) 245-8450 or email [email protected].

How do I know which Traffic Safety School course to attend?

Eligibility is determined by historical training records. If you completed a TSS for a ticket received in the last 12 months based on ticket issuance date, you may be eligible for upgrade to an 8-hour class. If you completed two TSS courses for tickets received in the last 12 months based on ticket issuance date, you are not eligible a third time for Traffic Safety School. Course assignments are based on this eligibility logic, as well as age at the time of ticket issuance as follows:

Court Diversion Eligibility Rules


Age GroupFirst TicketSecond Ticket
Under 18Online or classroom Alive at 25Classroom Alive at 25
18-24Online or classroom Alive at 25Classroom Alive at 25
25 and olderOnline or classroom DDC4Classroom ADD8


I need another copy or replacement of my certificate of completion. What do I do?

The cost for a duplicate certificate of completion is $10. Please contact NSC Customer Support at (888) 245-8450 or via email at [email protected] to request a duplicate certificate. If you have completed the course online, you may sign back in to your online account to reprint your certificate.

What happens if I do not complete Traffic Safety School by my return date?

Failure to complete your Traffic Safety School course within the designated time frame may result in a conviction being entered against your official driving record. Conviction may result in the suspension of your driving privileges and may affect your automobile insurance costs.

If you receive a conviction, you have the option to go to court and petition the Court to have the conviction removed. The Court may allow you to request an extension of the time available to complete Traffic Safety School; however, there are additional court fees for this process. You must contact the municipal court where you received your ticket to request an extension.

If you are granted an extension to complete your course, new fees may apply. The new fees must be paid to Cook County. The extended requirement is then processed to NSC. You will receive an updated confirmation letter once this is received. If the time available for you to complete your course has expired, Traffic Safety School cannot re-enroll you until you have contacted the Court and your request has been approved and submitted to NSC.

How do I switch from a classroom class to an online class?

Contact NSC Customer Support at (888) 245-8450 or at [email protected]. NSC will determine eligibility and advise if it is possible to switch from classroom to online.

How long does it take after course completion for Cook County to update my driver record? 

Traffic Safety School will report to the Court five days prior to the end of your court supervision period of your compliance (successful completion) or non-compliance (failure to complete). If you completed/complied with Traffic Safety School, no conviction will be reported on your driving record with the Secretary of State.

How do I login to the Online Safety Course? 

Once you have received your unique access code, visit www.safetyserve.com/cookcounty to create a login ID and password. This information can be found in the Online Class Confirmation letter you received from Traffic Safety School.

What if I lose my access code or login ID or password?

Access Code: Contact the NSC customer support team at (888) 245-8450 between 7 and 11 a.m. or noon and 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Login ID or password: Contact technical support at (800) 775-1484 or [email protected]. The same business hours apply. You can also click “Forgot your ID or password?” at the bottom of the Returning Student link from www.safetyserve.com/cookcounty.

What if I have problems with the online course? 

Contact technical support at (800) 775-1484 or [email protected]. Normal business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday.

Can the Online 4-hour Driver Safety Course be accessed from more than one computer, for example a home, work, or library computer?

Yes. You can access the course from any computer that meets the minimum system requirements. Also, you may begin the course on one computer and continue the course form another as long as you have your login ID and password.

Why does my system run so slowly when I use this course? 

Different computers have different speed processors. If you have a slower processor, the course will run more slowly.

How long is the Online Course and do I have to finish the course in one sitting? 

The online course takes about four hours to complete. You do not have to finish the course in one sitting. You can complete as many sessions as you wish, save your work, log off and return to the course later as a returning student. An electronic bookmark will be placed where you left off when you select the “X” to close the course button. When you return you will automatically be directed to where you left off.

How can I check my progress while taking the course? 

Sessions that have been successfully completed will clearly show completed in the Course Progress timeline at the bottom of the screen. This will clearly be demonstrated to you during the Course Introduction & Navigation phase.

Is there a test at the end of this course and what is a passing score? 

Yes, you will need to pass a 20-question post-assessment test at the end of the course. To pass the test you must receive a score of 80% or higher.

What if I answer less than 80% of the post-assessment test questions correctly? 

You will have three chances to pass the course assessment. If you do not receive a passing score on your first and second attempts, we suggest you review the Course Summary or sections of the course to improve your knowledge. If you still have not passed the post-assessment test after three attempts, you will be locked out of the course. You will then be required to contact NSC customer support at (888) 245-8450 for further options.

After passing the post-assessment, how soon will I receive my certificate of completion? 

You can printout your certificate upon successful completion of the course.

How do I reschedule my classroom class?


Visit cook.nsc.org to reschedule your assigned course. Or, contact the NSC customer support team at (888) 245-8450 from 7 to 11 a.m. or noon to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. Traffic Safety School will reschedule you at no charge before your grace period date that appears in your class confirmation letter. After the grace period, the mandatory fee to reschedule is $29. If you miss your scheduled class, the reschedule fee will be $46*.

*Please note: Effective Dec. 9, 2022, Traffic Safety School tuition will increase from $46 to $69. The new fee will apply to all tuition and reschedule fees for missed classes paid on or after that date.

What happens if I do not attend the class I’m scheduled to take, arrive late, or do not bring the required materials? 

If you schedule for a course and do not show up, arrive late or do not have the required confirmation materials or photo ID, you will be required to pay a mandatory reschedule fee of $46*.  Please be aware that once class starts, a NO EXCEPTIONS reschedule fee will always apply. Rescheduling fee amounts are subject to change.

*Please note: Effective Dec. 9, 2022, Traffic Safety School tuition will increase from $46 to $69. The new fee will apply to all tuition and reschedule fees for missed classes paid on or after that date.

May I bring my children with me to class? 

No. Only students with special needs may attend class with a family member or friend who is of legal driving age. No one will be admitted with children.

How will my registration be confirmed? 

About four weeks after your ticket/fine/TSS payment to Cook County, NSC will send you a class confirmation form in the mail. If you indicated email as a preference for communication, your class confirmation form will be emailed to you.

What do I need to bring to a classroom class? 

You must bring the class confirmation form. No one will be admitted into class without this notice. You also must bring a pen and a photo identification (driver’s license, work ID, school ID, etc.).

If you are scheduled for a course and do not show up, arrive late, or do not have the required confirmation materials or photo ID, you will be required to pay a mandatory rescheduling fee of $46*. Please be aware that once class starts, a NO EXCEPTIONS reschedule fee will always apply. Rescheduling fee amounts are subject to change.

*Please note: Effective Dec. 9, 2022, Traffic Safety School tuition will increase from $46 to $69. The new fee will apply to all tuition and reschedule fees for missed classes paid on or after that date.

What if I have special needs such as physical, language, etc.? 

Drivers requiring special assistance are welcome to bring along a friend or family member to provide support during the class. Please notify the National Safety Council of your intentions so we can plan for your comfort and assure proper accommodations. Please note: The support person must be of legal driving age.

What happens when there is a weather-related cancellation? 

In the event of a weather related cancellation, National Safety Council will attempt to contact you at the daytime telephone number you provided during registration. Also, the facility holding the class will be notified and, more than likely, a sign will be posted. Colleges and/or businesses holding the Cook County Traffic Safety School may announce cancellations on local radio stations. If you are unsure about a weather related cancellation, please contact the program services staff at (888) 245-8450 between 7 and 11 a.m. or noon and 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.

NSC will work with the facility, instructor, and students to get the class rescheduled to a new date and time.

If you feel it is unsafe to travel to your scheduled class due to weather, please contact our office. Please note: Neither NSC nor Cook County is responsible for any Traffic Safety School court supervision that does not get completed in time due to a weather-related cancellation.

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