Texas School Zone Laws Every Driver Should Know

Texas school zones run from roughly 30 minutes before school starts to 30 minutes after the final bell. Inside that window, four state laws stack on top of normal traffic rules — and the fines for breaking them are intentionally severe.

The four rules

1. Reduced speed limit

School zone speed limits in Texas are typically 20 mph, posted on yellow signs with flashing beacons. The reduced limit applies only when the beacons are flashing or during the posted hours. Going 35 mph in a 20 mph zone is treated as 15 mph over — and the fine is doubled.

2. No handheld phones (Texas Transportation Code 545.425)

It is illegal to use a handheld phone for any reason in an active school zone, including at a stop. Hands-free is allowed. The fine is up to $200 per offense, and the law applies even if no children are visible.

3. Doubled fines

All standard moving violations — speeding, running a stop sign, illegal pass — carry doubled fines in an active school zone. A $200 speeding ticket becomes $400 before court costs.

4. Yield to crossing guards and buses

A crossing guard's stop sign carries the same legal weight as a traffic light. Ignoring it is a separate violation. School buses with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm require all traffic in both directions to stop, with limited divider exceptions.

What ends up on your record

A school zone speeding ticket counts as a moving violation under the Texas points system: 2 points if no crash, 3 points if a crash is involved. Six points in 36 months triggers a $100 surcharge plus $25 for each additional point. And insurers reliably treat school zone violations as a high-severity event.

If you get a ticket

Most Texas counties allow you to dismiss one moving violation per 12-month period through an approved defensive driving course. Ticket School's Texas Defensive Driving Course is approved statewide and runs entirely online. Eligibility checklist:

• You held a valid Texas license at the time of the violation.
• You were going less than 25 mph over the posted limit.
• You had liability insurance.
• You haven't dismissed a ticket through traffic school in the last 12 months.
• The violation wasn't in a construction zone with workers present (separate rule).

You must request dismissal from the court before your appearance date and complete the course within 90 days.