Getting Florida points on your license isn’t just a small problem; it’s how the state marks your driving record after a traffic ticket. It’s like getting a bad grade in school—if you get too many, you could lose your privilege to drive. But don’t worry! You have good choices, and taking a small step now can stop these points from causing big trouble. Understanding how to use a fast and cheap traffic school Florida can save you from headaches, and we offer the cheapest and best traffic school in Florida to help.
Understanding the Florida Driver’s License Point System
Think of your Florida driver’s license like a scoreboard. When you get a ticket for a moving violation—like speeding, not stopping at a red light, or causing a crash—the state adds points to your score. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) keeps track of these points to watch how people drive and spot drivers who might be a danger on the road.
Why Do Points Matter?
These points are more than just numbers. They can lead to real problems that affect your freedom and your money.
- Higher Insurance Costs: Insurance companies look at your driving history. To them, more points mean you are a bigger risk to insure. This almost always leads to your car insurance bill going up a lot.
- License Suspension: This is the most serious problem. If you get too many points in a certain amount of time, the state can take away your license. All of a sudden, getting to your job, school, or even the store becomes very hard.
- A Lasting Record: Points don’t just go away. They can stay on your record for years, costing you money for a long time and making your driving history look bad.
You Have the Power to Stop Points
The most important thing to know when you get a traffic citation is that you don’t have to just accept the points. Florida law gives you a great tool: you can choose to take a Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course to stop points from being added for certain tickets. This is a huge benefit for Florida drivers.
By choosing to take a driver improvement school online, you can do what the court asks, keep points off your license, and stop your insurance company from making you pay more because of one ticket.
The steps are very simple. Instead of just paying the fine and getting the points, you can choose to finish a driver education course. We have the perfect answer with a cheap traffic school Florida drivers can count on, and it’s all online. You can finish the bdi course online when it’s best for you, from your house, and get your certificate right away to protect your record. It’s the smartest way to handle a ticket and keep control of your driving.
How You Get Points on Your Florida License
So, how do you get points on your Florida license? It’s simple: you get points when you are found guilty of a moving violation. For example, if you get a ticket for speeding, the state adds points to your license.
Not every ticket is the same. A small mistake might only add a few points, but a bigger one can hurt your record more. The state uses this system to track driving that might not be safe.
Common Violations and Their Point Values
Florida’s point system is not random. The Florida Statutes clearly say how many points each violation is worth. This makes sure the rules are the same for every driver. The FLHSMV uses this system to check driving records. For example, speeding less than 15 mph over the speed limit adds 3 points. If you go 15 mph or more over, it jumps to 4 points.
Practical Example: Let’s say you’re running late and drive 12 mph over the speed limit. You get a ticket. If you just pay the fine, you will get 3 points on your license. Those points can make your insurance go up.
Other serious mistakes, like reckless driving or passing a stopped school bus, also add 4 points. If you leave the scene of a crash that damaged property, that’s a big 6 points.
The real problem is how fast these points can add up. A few tickets that seem small can quickly lead to your license being taken away.
This is why you need to know the point values. It helps you see how much a ticket really costs, which is more than just the fine. Knowing how fast your Florida points on license can grow is the first step to keeping your license safe.
The good news is, getting a ticket doesn’t have to be the end. You have choices, as we talk about in our guide on how to get a ticket dismissed.
How a BDI Course Can Help You
The best way to fight points is to act fast. If you get a ticket that allows it, you can choose to take a Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course. For Florida drivers, this is a great option.
By finishing a state-approved bdi course online, you can stop the points from ever being put on your license. This means one bad day on the road doesn’t have to affect you for years. Our driver improvement school online is made to be the fastest and easiest way to handle a ticket, letting you finish the course on your own time and keep your record clean.
To help you see it better, here is a simple table with common violations and their point values.
Florida Traffic Violation Point Values
This table shows how many points you could get for different kinds of tickets.
| Traffic Violation | Points Added to License |
|---|---|
| Speeding (less than 15 MPH over) | 3 Points |
| Speeding (15 MPH or more over) | 4 Points |
| Speeding Resulting in a Crash | 6 Points |
| Running a Red Light | 4 Points |
| Passing a Stopped School Bus | 4 Points |
| Reckless Driving | 4 Points |
| Leaving the Scene of a Crash (with property damage over $50) | 6 Points |
| Violation of Child Restraint Laws | 3 Points |
Looking at this, it’s easy to see why a cheap traffic school Florida course is a smart choice to avoid the long-term problems these points cause.
The Real-World Impact of Racking Up Points
Getting points on your Florida license is a real signal that trouble is coming for your driving and your money. The state has a very clear system for what happens when you get too many points in a short time.
Think about it like this. You get a couple of speeding tickets in one year. They might not seem like a big deal by themselves. But those points add up fast. In fact, just three 4-point tickets in 12 months is all it takes to have your license taken away. That’s more than a small problem—it can mess up your whole life, making it hard to get to work, school, and do daily things.
Understanding the Suspension Timelines
Florida is serious about taking away licenses. The punishments get worse based on how many points you get and how fast you get them. The state keeps track, and if you reach certain numbers, your license will be taken away.
This list shows how fast you can lose your driving rights if you’re not careful.
The system is made to have bigger and bigger consequences to stop unsafe driving before it gets worse.
- Get 12 points within 12 months, and your license will be taken for 30 days.
- Get 18 points within 18 months, and it jumps to 3 months.
- If you get 24 points over 36 months, you’ll lose your license for a full 1 year.
And it’s not just about losing your license for a month or a year. These points can cause problems for a long time. Insurance companies check your driving record, and a high number of points almost always means your bill will go up. A clean record, on the other hand, can save you a lot of money over time.
How to Sidestep These Penalties
So, how do you avoid this trouble? The best way is to act first and stop points from ever getting on your record. When you get a traffic ticket, you have an important choice to make. You can pay it and take the points, or you can do something simple to protect your record.
The smartest choice in most cases is to finish a state-approved driver improvement course. Taking this one step for a qualifying ticket can stop the points from being added, keeping your license clean and your insurance bill from going way up.
Signing up for an online traffic school is the easiest way to handle a traffic citation. You can do it from anywhere, on your own time, without messing up your life. Our Florida online traffic school, for example, is made to be fast, simple, and cheap. It’s a small amount of your time that helps you avoid the serious problems that come with getting too many points.
How to Check Your Points and Protect Your Record
It’s not a good idea to guess how many points are on your license. The first step to managing your driving record is to know exactly what it says. Lucky for you, checking your Florida points on license is easy and you can do it from your computer.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) is required by Florida Statute 322.20 to keep a detailed record for every licensed driver. This includes traffic tickets and any points they have. Your official record is available, and you can see it. You can review the full text of the law on the official Florida Senate website.
Using the Official FLHSMV Portal
The fastest way to see your driver’s license status is by going to the state’s official website. They have a tool made just to give you a quick look at your record.
This picture shows the official FLHSMV Driver License Check page. Just type in your Florida driver’s license number. It’s the safest and most direct way to check your license and see any problems.
So, you’ve checked your status. What’s next? If you have a recent traffic citation, your main goal should be stopping new points from getting on your record. The best tool for that is choosing to take a state-approved BDI course. To see your full driving history, look at our guide on how to do a Florida driving record check.
The Best Way to Protect Your Driving Record
Finding out you have points—or are about to get them—is scary. But Florida law gives you a great way to keep your record clean. When you choose to finish a Basic Driver Improvement course, you can stop the points from a qualifying ticket from being added to your license.
This is a huge plus for drivers in Florida. By spending a few hours on a simple driver improvement school online, you can:
- Stop points from ever getting on your license.
- Avoid big insurance rate increases that almost always come after a moving violation.
- Meet court requirements easily.
Think of it this way: choosing a bdi course online is not just about one ticket. It’s a smart choice to protect your money and your right to drive. A few hours of your time now can save you hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars in higher insurance costs over the next few years.
Our course is made for busy people. We give you everything you need to finish the course on your own time, get your certificate right away, and forget about the ticket. Everything is online, from signing up to finishing the last quiz.
Don’t wait for points to add up and cause a real problem. If you have a ticket, now is the time to act. You can sign up for our fast, easy, and cheap traffic school online in just a few minutes. Take control of your record today and keep your license clean and your insurance costs down.
Choosing the Right Course to Avoid Points
You know how Florida’s point system works and the trouble points can cause. Now for the good news: you have a lot of control.
When you get a traffic citation, you have a choice. You can pay the fine and accept the points, or you can take action. Choosing the right driver education course is the smartest move to protect your license and stop your insurance from going up.
We offer many courses to help Florida drivers in different situations. Think of it as having the right tool for the job. You can see all our state-approved options at https://bdischool.com/courses, where finding the right fit is easy.
As you can see, we explain everything clearly. Each course has a simple description so you can quickly find the one that fits your ticket, whether it’s for a small moving violation or a more serious court order.
Choosing can feel like a lot, so we made a simple table to help you find the perfect course for you.
Choose the Right Florida Driver Improvement Course
| Course Name | Who It’s For | Key Benefit for the Driver |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Hour Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) | Drivers with a normal, non-criminal moving ticket who want to avoid points. | Benefit: Keeps points off your license, which stops your insurance from going up because of the ticket. |
| 8-Hour Intermediate Driver Improvement (IDI) | Drivers who a judge ordered to take a longer traffic school course. | Benefit: Does what the court asks, helping you avoid worse punishments like losing your license. |
| 12-Hour Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) | Drivers with a taken-away license who need to ask for a hardship license to drive again. | Benefit: A required step to get a hardship license, letting you drive for work and important needs. |
| First Time Driver Course (DETS / TLSAE) | New drivers getting their first Florida learner’s permit. | Benefit: Teaches you the rules of the road and lets you take your permit test online, so you can start driving safely. |
| Permit Test Online | New drivers who have finished the DETS / TLSAE courses and are ready for their permit exam. | Benefit: You can take the official Florida permit test from home, which is much easier than going to the DMV. |
| Official Florida Driver’s Handbook Course | Anyone who wants to learn or review Florida’s driving rules and laws. | Benefit: Gives you all the knowledge you need to be a safe and confident driver in Florida. |
Let’s look closer at what each course does and who it’s for.
The 4-Hour Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) Course
This is the main course for most Florida drivers. If you got a common moving ticket—like for speeding, not stopping at a stop sign, or changing lanes wrong—the bdi course is your answer. It’s how you make that ticket (and its points) disappear.
The benefits are big:
- No Points on Your License: When you finish the BDI driving course, the state agrees not to add the points from your ticket to your record.
- No Insurance Rate Hikes: Because no points are on your record, your insurance company won’t have a reason to raise your bill for that ticket. This simple step can save you hundreds of dollars.
- Fast and Easy: Our BDI course online is made to be easy for you. Log in and out when you want, finish at your own speed from home, and get your certificate right away.
This is the most common way Florida drivers handle a ticket. In fact, Florida Statute 318.14(9) gives drivers the right to choose this option to avoid points. You can sign up in minutes and take back control.
The 8-Hour Intermediate Driver Improvement (IDI) Course
Sometimes, a ticket is more serious. A judge might order you to take a longer course, especially if you have had many tickets or a bigger violation. The 8-Hour IDI course is made to meet these court orders.
The main goal here is to follow the rules. Finishing this driver safety course shows the court you are taking it seriously. It can be the thing that keeps you from facing worse punishments, like a taken-away license.
The 12-Hour Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) Course
The 12-Hour ADI course is for drivers whose licenses have already been taken away. If you are in this hard spot and need to ask for a hardship license to drive to work or for other important reasons, this is the course you need.
Finishing this course is a very important step to getting your life back to normal. A hardship license lets you keep your job and do important tasks, and the ADI course is a required part of showing the FLHSMV that you are ready to drive safely again.
Common Questions We Hear About Florida Traffic Tickets
Let’s be honest, understanding the rules about Florida points on your license can feel like a lot. But it doesn’t have to be. We’ve heard almost every question a Florida driver can ask about tickets, points, and our driver improvement school online. Here are the simple answers you need.
Can I Take a BDI Course for Any Ticket?
That’s the most common question we get. The BDI course is a great tool, but it’s for non-criminal moving violations. Think of it as a way to fix everyday mistakes like a speeding ticket (not too fast!), not stopping at a stop sign, or changing lanes wrong.
But you can’t use the course for very serious problems. It won’t work for criminal violations like a DUI or for leaving a crash with injuries. Also, if you were caught speeding 30 MPH or more over the limit, you usually can’t choose traffic school for that ticket. The BDI option is to help safe drivers fix a simple mistake.
How Many Times Can I Take Traffic School in Florida?
Florida law is very clear on this. You can choose to take a basic driver improvement course to keep points off your record once every 12 months. You can also only do it five times in your whole life.
This rule is in Florida Statute 318.14(9). This is why you need to be smart about it. Since you only have a few chances, you want to use a trusted, Florida-approved traffic school so you know it will work the first time.
Will an Out-of-State Ticket Add Points to My Florida License?
Yes, it probably will. Florida is part of a group called the Driver License Compact, where states share information about traffic tickets. So, if you get a speeding ticket in another state, that state will tell the Florida DHSMV.
Florida will then add the points to your license just like the ticket happened here. You can’t get away from Florida points on license by crossing state lines. For more information on how states share this data, you can check federal websites like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
What Happens if I Just Pay the Ticket?
Just paying the ticket is the same as saying you are “guilty.” The court case is closed, but the ticket and all its points are put on your driving record. That’s when the real problems begin.
Once those points are on your record, it’s like a ticking clock. Your insurance company will see them when it’s time to renew your plan, and that almost always leads to a higher bill that can last for three to five years. Choosing a cheap traffic school Florida course is a small price to pay to avoid hundreds, or even thousands, in higher insurance costs.
Is There a Free BDI Course in Florida?
Many drivers look for a “free bdi course florida,” but any state-approved course that follows all the rules will cost money. The price covers state fees, the technology for the website, and the instant sending of your certificate.
Our lowest price on florida traffic school promise means you get a great, fully approved course without paying too much. Think of it as a cheap way to protect your driving record.
How Long Does the BDI Course Take?
The state says the course must be at least four hours long, so our 4 hour traffic school florida is made to meet that rule. But here’s the best part about our online traffic school: it’s totally flexible. You are in charge of how fast you go.
You can log in and out whenever you want. Do a chapter during your lunch break, and another after dinner—the system saves your place. Finish it all at once or over a few days. As soon as you’re done, your certificate is ready right away.
Don’t let one traffic ticket mess up your life or your money. BDISchool offers the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to handle your ticket and keep your driving record clean. Our state-approved courses are made for your schedule, so you can get back on the road without worry.
Take control of your driving future and register for your course today at https://bdischool.com/register.
