Florida BDI traffic school rules
In Florida a Basic Driver Improvement course means adjudication is withheld and no points go on your record. It applies up to 29 mph over, once a year.
Rules checked
Florida law lets a driver without a commercial license, ticketed in a personal vehicle for a civil infraction, choose a state-approved 4-hour Basic Driver Improvement course instead of court. Adjudication is withheld and no points go on the record. You choose it through the county clerk within 30 days of the ticket, no more than once in 12 months. Each county clerk sets its own window to finish the course (60, 90 or 120 days on the pages we read) and some add a small fee, so check your clerk's page.
- What a course does
- Adjudication withheld, no points
- Speed limit for the course
- Up to 29 mph over
- How often
- Once a year
- Deadline to ask
- 30 days
- Speeding points
- 3 to 4 points
- Points count for
- 5 years
The Florida rule
Every field of the rule. The number points to its source at the foot of the page.
- The program
- Basic Driver Improvement course (election under s. 318.14(9), Florida Statutes)
- What it does
- Adjudication withheld, no points
- Set by each court
- YesEach court decides part of the rule.
- Speed limit for the course
- Up to 29 mph over
- Bar at double the posted limit
- Not published
- Open to CDL holders
- No
- Open to tickets in a commercial vehicle
- No
- Open to learner and provisional licenses
- Not published
- Open to drivers licensed in another state
- Not published
- How often
- Once a year, the rule does not say what the window counts from
- Lifetime limit
- 8 in a lifetime
- Deadline to ask
- 30 daysCounted from the ticket date. Ask within 30 days of the date the ticket was written.
- Court fee for the course
- Not published
- Course length
- 4 hours
- Course price the rule publishes
- Not published
- Crashes
- Closed when someone was hurt
Who qualifies
- CDL holders do not qualify, in any vehicle.
- Tickets written in a commercial vehicle do not qualify.
- Not published for drivers licensed in another state.
- Speeding tickets up to 29 mph over the limit qualify.
- Tickets for equipment or registration do not qualify.
- Closed when someone was hurt.
- Once a year, the rule does not say what the window counts from.
- No more than 8 times in a lifetime.
Left out of the program, in the words of the rule
- Speeding 30 mph or more over the posted limit (s. 316.183(2), s. 316.187, s. 316.189)
- s. 320.0605 (registration certificate in possession)
- s. 320.07(3)(a) or (b) (expired registration)
- s. 322.065 (expired driver license)
- s. 322.15(1) (license in possession)
- s. 322.61 (disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle) and s. 322.62 (driving under the influence, commercial motor vehicle operators)
- Infractions requiring a mandatory hearing under s. 318.19
Tickets that need a court appearance
- Any infraction which results in a crash that causes the death of another
- Any infraction which results in a crash that causes serious bodily injury of another
- Any infraction of s. 316.172(1)(b) (passing a stopped school bus on the side children enter and exit)
- Any infraction of s. 316.520(1) or (2) (loads on vehicles)
- Exceeding the speed limit by 30 mph or more (s. 316.183(2), s. 316.187 or s. 316.189)
- Any infraction of s. 316.1926(2) (exceeding the speed limit by 50 mph or more)
Deadline and how to ask
- Ticket writtenDay 0
- Deadline to ask30 days
Counted from the ticket date. Ask within 30 days of the date the ticket was written. The 30 days come from the county clerk pages we read (Miami-Dade, Brevard, Broward and Duval); section 318.14(9) itself names no day count.
Ask through the court clerk, online, by mail or in person.
Courts with their own deadline wording are in the court list below.
Points in Florida
| Violation, as the state lists it | Type | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Unlawful speed not in excess of 15 mph of lawful or posted speed | Speeding | 3points |
| Unlawful speed in excess of 15 mph of lawful or posted speed | Speeding | 4points |
| Unlawful speed resulting in a crash | Speeding | 6points |
| Violation of a traffic control signal device (s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1.); no points when enforced by a traffic infraction enforcement officer (camera) | Red light or stop sign | 4points |
| Unlawful use of a wireless communications device resulting in a crash | Phone use or texting | 6points |
| Handheld use of a wireless communications device in a school or work zone (s. 316.306) | Phone use or texting | 3points |
| Moving violation committed with unlawful use of a wireless communications device within a school safety zone, in addition to the points for the moving violation | Phone use or texting | 2points |
| All other moving violations | Lane change or turn | 3points |
| All other moving violations | Following too closely | 3points |
| All other moving violations (including parking on a highway outside the limits of a municipality) | Other moving violation | 3points |
| Any moving violation, excluding unlawful speed and unlawful use of a wireless communications device, resulting in a crash | Other moving violation | 4points |
| Reckless driving, willful and wanton | Other moving violation | 4points |
| Passing a stopped school bus, not causing serious bodily injury or death | Other moving violation | 4points |
| Unlawfully driving a vehicle through a railroad-highway grade crossing | Other moving violation | 6points |
| Leaving the scene of a crash resulting in property damage of more than $50 | Other moving violation | 6points |
| Seat belt violation is a nonmoving violation (s. 316.614(8)); the points schedule in s. 322.27(3)(d) names no value for it | Seat belt | Not published |
| Child restraint violation (FLHSMV common violations table) | Seat belt | 3points |
Insurance
A voluntary course is published here for an insurance discount. Insurers set their own rates; ask yours.
Courts in Florida with their own rules
These courts publish fees, deadlines or limits of their own. A court not listed here follows the state rule above.
Brevard CountyFee not published
- Court
- Brevard County Clerk of the CourtCovers Brevard County
- Deadline, in its words
- Elect within 30 consecutive days of the violation date; complete the course and return the certificate to the clerk within 90 days of the violation date.
- How to ask
- Ask in person, online or by mail.
- Differs from the Florida rule
- The clerk page says the civil penalty is not reduced when you elect the course. Section 318.14(9) reduces the civil penalty by 18%. Neither figure changes the answer. Ask the clerk which penalty applies.
Broward County$7Own page
- Court
- Broward County Clerk of CourtsCovers Broward County
- Fee, in its words
- an additional $7.00 driving school affidavit fee
- Deadline, in its words
- Fill out the Driving School Affidavit and pay the $7.00 fee within 30 days of the citation date, then complete a Florida Basic Driver Improvement course and notify the clerk within 90 days of the election date.
- How to ask
- Ask online or through the court clerk.
- Differs from the Florida rule
- The clerk page says the course is closed for more than 30 mph over. Section 318.14(9) closes it at 30 mph over or more. The checker follows the statute: up to 29 mph over.
- Differs from the Florida rule
- The clerk page allows five elections in a lifetime. Section 318.14(9) allows eight. The checker follows the statute: eight.
The Broward County pageBroward County traffic page (opens in a new tab)
Miami-Dade CountyFee not published
- Court
- Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, Miami-Dade CountyCovers Miami-Dade County
- Deadline, in its words
- The clerk must receive the completion certificate within 120 days of the date of payment or court appearance.
- How to ask
- Not published
Duval CountyFee not publishedOwn page
- Court
- Duval County Clerk of CourtsCovers Duval County
- Deadline, in its words
- Elect at the time you pay, within 30 calendar days of the citation; return the completion certificate within 60 days of the election.
- How to ask
- Ask online, in person or by mail.
The Duval County pageDuval County traffic page (opens in a new tab)
Hillsborough CountyFee not published
- Court
- Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit CourtCovers Hillsborough County
- Deadline, in its words
- The school must electronically file the completion certificate with the clerk within 60 calendar days from the date the citation was paid; the election must be made at the same time as payment.
- How to ask
- Not published
Orange CountyFee not published
- Court
- Orange County Clerk of CourtsCovers Orange County
- Deadline, in its words
- Elect in writing at the time of payment; the case is extended 90 calendar days to complete the 4-hour course and file the certificate. A late election is still accepted with a $23.00 late fee.
- How to ask
- Ask online or through the court clerk.
Polk CountyFee not publishedOwn page
- Court
- Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court and ComptrollerCovers Polk County
- Deadline, in its words
- Enroll, complete the course and have proof of completion with the clerk within 90 calendar days of the election.
- How to ask
- Ask by mail, in person or online.
The Polk County pagePolk County traffic page (opens in a new tab)
Courses that serve Florida
Listed by name. The order never changes with price or commission.
Points Clear may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never changes the verdict or the order.
Aceable
- Price
- $25
- Length
- 4 hours
- Format
- Online, mixed
Aceable's own figures, as of October 2026. Limited approval on the state list. The record names I Drive Safely as the school that runs this course.
Check with your court that it accepts this course.
See the Aceable course for Florida (opens in a new tab)
What we could not confirm
- Courts we could not readWe could not read the clerk pages for Palm Beach, Pinellas and Lee counties. A ticket there gets the state rule on this page; your clerk may differ.
- Sources that disagreeThe clerk pages of Broward, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade and Duval counties still print five elections in a lifetime. Section 318.14(9) of the Florida Statutes allows eight, and the checker follows the statute.
Check a Florida ticket
The form opens the checker with Florida filled in. Add the violation and the date from your ticket.
Florida traffic school questions
Can traffic school dismiss a ticket in Florida?
In Florida a Basic Driver Improvement course means adjudication is withheld and no points go on your record. It applies up to 29 mph over, once a year. The program: Basic Driver Improvement course (election under s. 318.14(9), Florida Statutes). Each court decides part of the rule, so confirm with the court on your citation.
How many mph over can you be for traffic school in Florida?
Up to 29 mph over the limit under the state rule. Some courts set their own limit; the court table on this page lists them.
How often can you take traffic school in Florida?
Once a year, the rule does not say what the window counts from. There is also a limit of 8 in a lifetime.
When do you have to ask for traffic school in Florida?
30 days. Counted from the ticket date. Ask within 30 days of the date the ticket was written. The 30 days come from the county clerk pages we read (Miami-Dade, Brevard, Broward and Duval); section 318.14(9) itself names no day count.
Can CDL holders take traffic school in Florida?
No. The published rule closes the course to CDL holders, in any vehicle.
How many points is a speeding ticket in Florida?
Florida gives 3 points for 1 to 15 mph over; 4 points for 16 mph over or more.
How long do points stay on your license in Florida?
Points count for 5 years in Florida.
Does a defensive driving course lower car insurance in Florida?
A voluntary course is published here for an insurance discount. Insurers set their own rates; ask yours.
Sources
Checked against these pages in .
- The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 318.14 Noncriminal traffic infractions; exception; procedures (opens in a new tab)
- The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 318.19 Infractions requiring a mandatory hearing (opens in a new tab)
- Traffic Ticket Options, Orange County Clerk of Courts (opens in a new tab)
- Civil Traffic Infractions, Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, Miami-Dade County (opens in a new tab)
- The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 627.0652 Insurance discounts for certain persons completing safety course (opens in a new tab)
- Traffic and Misdemeanor, Broward County Clerk of Courts (opens in a new tab)
- Traffic FAQs, Brevard County Clerk of the Court (opens in a new tab)
- Driver Improvement Schools, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (opens in a new tab)
- The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 322.27 Authority of department to suspend or revoke driver license or identification card (opens in a new tab)
- The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 316.306 School and work zones; prohibition on the use of a wireless communications device in a handheld manner (opens in a new tab)
- The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 316.614 Safety belt usage (opens in a new tab)
- Points and Point Suspensions, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (opens in a new tab)