Drug and Alcohol Education


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News and Updates

New Instructor Training Unavailable Until Further Notice

Effective May 17, 2023, there are no authorized training course providers for court-ordered program instructors. This means that new applicants will be unable to complete the training needed to apply for a new court-ordered programs instructor license.

TDLR is reviewing ways to enhance the training courses to improve user experiences by updating the course delivery through advances in technology. All those interested in participating, or seeking to complete, an initial instructor training workshop for the Court-Ordered Education Program (formerly known as the Offender Education program) should contact the Education and Examination Division with your contact information and which workshop(s) you are interested in attending when they become available.

As it becomes available, a member of TDLR staff will contact you with the new registration information. Please do not sign up for, register, pay for, or participate in any workshops until further notice from TDLR.

Call for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to Participate in the Education Workgroup for the Texas Court Ordered Education Program (COP)

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) is looking for SMEs to volunteer to serve on the Education Workgroup for all Court Ordered Education Programs.

The Education Workgroup will be responsible for helping the department determine best practices, required updates to curriculum, designation of appropriate resources to be used within the COP program, and advice on exam content.

Participants must be willing to sign a confidentiality document agreeing not to disclose content, materials, or the substance of discussions.

To view the minimum qualifications and to apply, please click here. The deadline to submit a complete application is June 1, 2023.

TDLR Seeks Industry Input for Enforcement Plan

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) Enforcement division is developing an enforcement plan for the Offender Education Program industry and is seeking input from anyone involved in the industry.

The enforcement plan, which is required by Texas Occupations Code, §51.302(c), sets out the ranges of penalties and license sanctions that apply to alleged violations of the statutes and rules enforced by TDLR. The plan also presents the factors that the Department’s Enforcement staff consider when determining the amount of an administrative penalty to assess or the magnitude of a sanction to pursue. For more information about enforcement plans, please visit our website

If you are interested in participating in this process, please contact TDLR Enforcement Management Analyst Griselda Perezor Kim Ferreiro no later than Wednesday, November 30, 2022.

Revised Fees, License Names, and Endorsement Changes

Starting on October 23, 2022, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation will implement revised fees, license names and endorsement changes for the Offender Education Programs. The program is now called Court-Ordered Programs.

The changes come as a result of the implementation of Senate Bill 1480 and the September 1, 2022 adoption of new rules for Court Ordered Programs in Title 16 of the Texas Administrative Code.

A few of these changes include:

  • A new version of rule §90.20, Instructor License Required, that introduces changes to the instructor licensing structure and the addition of court-ordered endorsements to the instructor license as required in SB 1480. The adopted rules allow a licensee to have one license that has up to four court-ordered endorsements.
  • A new rule, §90.30, Program Provider License Required, which introduces changes to the program provider licensing structure and the addition of court-ordered endorsements to the program provider license as required by SB 1480. The adopted rules allow a program provider to have one license that has up to four court-ordered endorsements to operate. Providers are no longer required to have a license for each location they own. SB 1480 also eliminated branch locations .
  • Fee changes as a result of new license structure:
    1. Program Provider License Fees (paid to department):
      1. Initial license application and first endorsement fee--$300;
      2. Additional endorsement fee--$280 per endorsement;
      3. Renewal application fee--$200;
      4. Reinstatement of endorsement fee--$280 per endorsement.
    2. Instructor License Fees:
      1. Initial license application and first endorsement fee--$50;
      2. Additional endorsement fee--$45 per endorsement;
      3. Renewal application fee--$40;(D) Reinstatement of endorsement fee--$45 per endorsement.

You can see a full list of the Adopted rule changes at Adopted Rules Title 16 (state.tx.us) and review the new rules and fees in their entirety: Laws and Rules | Court Ordered Education Programs (texas.gov).

Commission Adopts Rules

The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation adopted amendments to existing rules at 16 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 90, Subchapter A, §90.1; Subchapter B, §90.21; Subchapter D, §90.40; Subchapter E, §§90.51-90.54; Subchapter F, §90.80; and Subchapter G, §§90.91-90.94; new rules at Subchapter A, §90.10; Subchapter B, §§90.20, 90.22-90.28; Subchapter C, §§90.30-90.34; Subchapter D, §§90.41-90.49; Subchapter E, §90.50; and Subchapter G, §90.95; and the repeal of existing rules at Subchapter A, §90.10; Subchapter B, §§90.20, 90.22-90.27; Subchapter C, §§90.30-90.34; Subchapter D, §§90.41-90.49; and Subchapter E, §90.50 regarding the Court-Ordered Education program.  The adopted new rules, amendments, and repeals implement new Texas Government Code, Chapter 171, relating to the Court-Ordered Education programs, and Texas Government Code, Chapter 521, Sections 521.374 – 521.376, regarding the Drug Offender Education Program, in accordance with Senate Bills 181 and 1480, 87th Legislature, Regular Session (2021).

The adoption justification was published in the August 26, 2022, issue of the Texas Register (47 TexReg 5101) and is available online.  The updated rule chapter will be available on the Secretary of State website upon its effective date of September 1, 2022.