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Occupational Driver's License Guidelines — County Criminal Court No. 11 — posted on the court's own website — the court-procedure tier (standing procedures, policies, and preferences the court itself publishes), distinct from the TOPICs-registered local-rules tier (TRCP 3a registration applies to local rules). Operative requirements quoted verbatim; the posted document is the controlling text.
Texas > Harris County > County Criminal Court No. 11
County Criminal Court No. 11 Occupational Driver’s License Guidelines Filing a Petition for Occupational Driver’s License • Petitions for Occupational Driver’s License (“ODL”) must be filed with the Harris County District Clerk’s Office. The Court does not accept filings directly. • A petitioner without an attorney must file the petition at the customer service division of the clerk’s office on the third floor of the Criminal Justice Center at 1201 Franklin Street. • If the petitioner has an attorney, the petition may be filed online using the Texas e-filing system. • Please do not file a petition before a suspension, revocation, or cancellation was formally ordered or otherwise imposed. Petition Requirements • All petitions must establish jurisdiction with the court and comply with Texas Transportation Code Section 521.2421 as noted below: 1. Set forth in detail the petitioner's essential need, including a description of the hours and location of essential travel; 2. Describe the reason for the petitioner's license suspension, revocation, or cancellation; 3. Provide evidence of the petitioner's financial responsibility in accordance with Chapter 601, Transportation Code; and 4. Include a certified abstract of the petitioner's complete driving record. • Evidence of financial responsibility and the petitioner’s driving record must be included within the petition itself or attached as an exhibit to the petition. • Per Texas DPS, the certified abstract is the “TYPE AR” driving record. • All ODL petitions must be personally verified by the petitioner. A verification from the petitioner’s attorney will not be acceptable. Verification can be made by providing a notarized statement that all information in the petition is true and correct. An unsworn declaration that complies with Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Sec. 132.001(d) is also acceptable. Court Appearance & Hearings • All occupational driver’s licenses hearings and proceedings are conducted in person. • If the petitioner’s license is suspended due to a conviction for Driving While Intoxicated, the Court may conduct a hearing on the record with a court reporter present. Driving Time Restrictions • Under state law, the general rule is that an ODL holder cannot operate a motor vehicle for more than four hours in any 24-hour period. There are two exceptions to the general rule: 1. On a showing of necessity, the court may allow the person to drive for any period determined by the court that does not exceed 12 hours in any 24-hour period, or 2. A person required to use an ignition interlock device will not be restricted to a driving time limit.
Reviewer note: Own-site content fetched by us 2026-08-22 (Phase 3 justex/page sweep; hashed receipts in custody). Complete document text quoted verbatim (whitespace-normalized); the posted document is the controlling text.
6 verbatim requirements on case management in STEVEN P. DELUCA's division.
4 verbatim requirements on case management in LAUREN N. PEFFER's division.