Electing to Attend Traffic School
Drivers with a Class A, B, or C license may not make an election under this subsection.
If, as a result of a moving violation, you elect to attend and complete a basic driver improvement course, you will receive the following benefits:
- Your insurance rates cannot go up and your policy cannot be cancelled because of this violation, unless this involved a crash where you were at fault.
- Points may not be added to your driver license record, adjudication of guilt is withheld, and safe driver status is maintained if applicable. You may not make an election under this subsection if you have made this election in the preceding 12 months. A person may make no more than five elections in a lifetime.
Within 30 days from the date you received the traffic citation and prior to attending class, you must:
- Inform the Clerk of Court in the county where you received the citation that you want to go to traffic school, and
- Pay an election fee to the Clerk of Court in the county where you received the citation.
You may contact the traffic school of your choice to register for class. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles must approve the course. Traffic schools are listed in your local telephone directory under “driving instruction” or “traffic schools.” Approved course providers are also listed below. To locate an approved on-line basic driver improvement course, refer to your local telephone directory, or contact the course providers listed below.
A full list of your options for satisfying your traffic citation is on the back of the citation. You are required to choose one of the three options within 30 days of receiving the citation.
Points
If you choose to pay the civil penalty or are adjudicated guilty by a judge, your driver record will be assessed as follows:
| Moving Violations | 3 points |
| Speeding 15 m.p.h or less over posted speed | 3 points |
| Speeding more than 15 m.p.h. over posted speeds | 4 points |
| Passing stopped school bus | 4 points |
| Moving violation (non-speeding) resulting in an crash | 4 points |
| Unlawful speed resulting in a crash | 6 points |
| Reckless driving (criminal traffic violation) | 4 points |
| Leaving scene of crash with damage | 6 points |
| Littering | 3 points |
| Violation of child restraint laws | 3 points |
If you accumulate:
- 12 points in 12 months, your license will be suspended for 30 days;
- 18 points within 18 months results in a 3 month suspension;
- 24 points within 36 months results in a 12 month suspension.
Drivers 15-17 Years Old
If you are driving with a Florida learner’s license, you must hold it for at least 12 months without a traffic conviction before you may apply for a Florida Class E license. You may avoid conviction by electing to attend and completing a basic driver improvement course approved by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
If you are driving with a Florida learner’s license or a Florida Class E license and you receive 6 points, you are restricted to driving for business purposes only for 12 months or until you reach the age of 18. Restriction time is increased if additional points are accumulated. You may avoid conviction by electing to attend and completing a basic driver improvement course approved by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Traffic schools are listed in your local telephone directory under “driving instruction” or “traffic schools.”
To locate an approved on-line basic driver improvement course, refer to your local telephone directory, or contact the course providers listed below.