Alcohol Education Program for Minors
Alcohol Awareness
Minor In Possession
6 Hours
We are no longer offering the AEPM Program.
We recommend visiting the SACADA website.
SACADA hosts MIP classes once per month.
Online certificates issued by a licensed program are now accepted by DPS.
Two senate bills, SB 181 and SB 1480, were recently passed to permanently allow the delivery of the Alcohol Education Program for Minors in an online format.
Alamo City Education Services will no longer be offering in-person classes.
We will be updating our website to reflect the relevant laws that become effective September 1st, 2021.
Section 106.115, Alcoholic Beverage Code, requires minors convicted of first or subsequent offenses for the purchase, possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages to attend an alcohol awareness course approved by the department in addition to assessing a fine.
If a department approved course is not available, the court shall require the defendant to perform 8-12 hours of community service.
Failure to complete the alcohol awareness course or community service within 90 days of conviction will result in a license suspension of up to 6 months.
The department has adopted minimum operational requirements for alcohol awareness programs seeking our approval. Administrator/instructor training in the use of the standardized curriculum is offered quarterly. The standardized program is six hours in length and is designed to help participants increase their knowledge about alcohol and drugs among young people.
The curriculum contains information on the following topics: societal values related to alcohol consumption by minors, the influence of alcohol advertising on young people, the physical, social and psychological effects of alcohol upon young people; the relationship between motor vehicle and other accidents and alcohol use; relevant laws relating to the purchase, possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages by minors, drinking patterns and problems of young people including abuse and addiction and decision making skills. Training for instructors and administrators in the use of the curriculum is ongoing.
Do you have restrictions on your license? Do you need to take a class to reinstate your license? Click the "Check Driver License Eligibility" button to go to the DPS License Eligibility website and confirm the necessary requirements for the reinstatement of your license.
Have more questions about DPS requirements for the Alcohol Awareness Program? Click the "Alcohol Related Offenses" link to go to the DPS website for more information on the subject.
What Do I Bring?
Bring a pen, your case number, and the name of the presiding judge. If your case is still open, bring the contact information for your attorney; email address is preferable. If you are on probation, we will need the name and email address/fax number of your probation officer. If you require that a copy of your certificate of completion be sent to another party, such as a counselor, you will need to bring their contact information, preferably an email address/fax number.
It's only 6 hours - Can't I take this class somewhere else in just one day?
No. The State of Texas requires that the Alcohol Education Program for Minors provide 6 hours of instruction, with a maximum of 3 hours of instruction per day. This equates to a minimum of 2-days. There are no TDLR-approved courses with a more condensed timeline.
How does my completion of the course get reported?
You are responsible for delivering your certificate of course completion to the appropriate agencies. You will be provided with a Participant Copy for your own records, and a Court/DPS Copy to bring to court, to your probation officer, or send to DPS. Please be sure to make a paper or digital copy of your certificate for your records. We do not send these for you as the courts have requested the participants to deliver them directly as an exercise in personal accountability. We will however email a scanned copy directly to you or to your attorney.
Do you have access to my court records?
No. We are a for-profit privately owned business that is certified by the State of Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation to offer Offender Education courses. We are not privileged to your case, court records, or probation information. You are responsible for informing us of your case number, probation officer, attorney, or any other third-party that needs to be notified of your course completion. You are also responsible for knowing the details of your case; which agency your certificate needs to be sent to, and which agency is mandating that you take this course.
My friend is giving me a ride, can he/she attend the class too?
No. State regulations and confidentiality conditions do not permit unregistered guests in the classroom during instruction. If your ride is waiting for you, they must wait in the reception area. If your friend would like to take the class, he/she will be required to pay and register in the same manner as other students.
*Parents/guardians of students enrolled in the MIP class may attend the class without enrolling in the class. Unregistered parents/guardians will not receive a certificate of completion.
I don't have childcare. Do you allow kids in the classroom?
No. We do not allow children to attend the courses and children are not permitted to be unaccompanied in the reception area. If you are unable to find childcare, please let us know and we will move your course registration to the next available week.
*The only minors allowed in the classroom are the minors enrolled in the class.
Absence Policy
Absences are not permitted. If you miss a class session, you must re-take the course from the beginning. There are no "make-up" sessions. This is not just our policy, this is a regulation issued by the State of Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation.
Cell Phone Policy
Cell phone use is not permitted in the classroom during periods of instruction. You may use your cell phone before and after class, and during designated class breaks. The use of your cell phone during periods of instruction is grounds for dismissal from the course. You will be required to re-take the course and pay the course fee again.
DPS Mailing Address, Fax Number and Email Information
Required documents can be submitted by mail, fax or email. All documents submitted by email must be in PDF format. Individuals must write their name, date of birth and driver license number on all documents so their record can be properly identified.
Mailing Address:
Texas Department of Public Safety
Enforcement and Compliance Service
P.O. Box 4087
Austin, TX 78773-0320
Fax Number: 512-424-2848
If you have questions regarding your driver license contact the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) customer service Monday -Friday 7:30am – 6:00pm.
For English call: (512) 424-2600
For Spanish call: (512) 424-7181
“But in college, we can wear our alcohol abuse as proudly as our university sweatshirts; the two concepts are virtually synonymous.”