Florida Traffic Laws: Points, Tickets, License Suspension and DUI
Florida driving rules: point system, speeding points, traffic school, how to pay or fight a ticket, license suspension, DUI limits and penalties.
Quick answers for Florida
- Point system
- Yes. Points are assigned for moving-violation convictions, including out-of-state convictions. The department may suspend a license for up to 30 days at 12 points within 12 months, up to 3 months at 18 points within 18 months, and up to 1 year at 24 points within 36 months. Fla. Stat. § 322.27(3)
- Points for speeding
- Speeding not more than 15 mph over the limit: 3 points; more than 15 mph over: 4 points; unlawful speed resulting in a crash: 6 points. Fla. Stat. § 322.27(3)(d)
- Legal BAC limit
- 0.08 grams per 100 mL of blood or per 210 L of breath for drivers generally; 0.02 for drivers under 21. Fla. Stat. §§ 316.193(1), 322.2616(1)
- First-offense DUI penalties
- A first DUI conviction carries a fine of $500 to $1,000 and up to 6 months in jail, plus probation of up to 1 year that includes at least 50 hours of community service. Fla. Stat. §§ 316.193(2), (4), (5); 322.28(2)(a); 322.2615(1)
Last verified: 2026-10-27
Tickets and points
| Point system | Yes. Points are assigned for moving-violation convictions, including out-of-state convictions. The department may suspend a license for up to 30 days at 12 points within 12 months, up to 3 months at 18 points within 18 months, and up to 1 year at 24 points within 36 months. Drivers reaching the 'danger zone' may receive a warning letter. Three points are deducted for a person suspended only once under the point system who has been reinstated and met all other requirements. Source: Fla. Stat. § 322.27(3) |
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| Points for speeding | Speeding not more than 15 mph over the limit: 3 points; more than 15 mph over: 4 points; unlawful speed resulting in a crash: 6 points. Source: Fla. Stat. § 322.27(3)(d) |
| How long points last | Suspension levels are measured over 12-, 18- and 36-month periods from the convictions. How long points or convictions remain on the Florida driving record was not confirmed from an official page read for this record. Source: Fla. Stat. § 322.27(3) |
| Traffic school | A driver without a commercial license who is cited in a noncommercial vehicle for most noncriminal infractions (not, for example, speeding 30 mph or more over the limit) may elect to attend a state-approved basic driver improvement course instead of appearing in court. Adjudication is then withheld, the civil penalty is reduced by 18 percent, and no points are assessed. The election cannot be made if one was made in the preceding 12 months, and no more than eight times in a lifetime. Source: Fla. Stat. § 318.14(9) |
| Paying or fighting a ticket | For a noncriminal traffic infraction, within 30 days after the citation is issued, the driver may pay the civil penalty by mail or in person, enter into a payment plan with the clerk of court, elect the driver improvement course if eligible, or elect to appear for a hearing. Paying is treated as admitting the infraction and waiving a hearing. At a hearing, an official decides whether the infraction was committed and may impose a civil penalty. If the driver does not pay, enter or follow a payment plan, attend required driver improvement school, or appear at a hearing, the clerk notifies FLHSMV, which issues a license suspension effective 20 days later. |
| Paying or looking up a ticket online | Uniform Traffic Citations are paid to, or contested with, the Clerk of Court in the county where the violation occurred, and you have 30 days to choose: pay the civil penalty at the clerk's office or online at www.payflclerk.com (covering all 67 counties); contest the citation through the clerk; or, if eligible, elect a basic driver improvement course (fine reduced 18 percent, points may be withheld; allowed eight times in a lifetime). Paying counts as a conviction and points may be assessed; missing the 30-day deadline can bring extra fines and license suspension. Use FLHSMV's locations page to find the county clerk. |
License suspension
| License suspension | Suspensions include point suspensions, failure to pay or appear on a traffic citation (or to attend required driver improvement school), DUI-related administrative suspensions and court revocations, and court-directed suspensions for serious offenses. A first DUI conviction brings a revocation of at least 180 days and up to 1 year. |
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| Hardship or restricted license | A driver whose license has been suspended, canceled or revoked may ask the department for a hearing to show that it causes serious hardship and keeps them from carrying out their business, trade or employment. A license restricted to business purposes allows driving needed to maintain a livelihood, including work, school, church and medical; one restricted to employment purposes allows driving to and from work and required on-the-job driving. Eligibility waiting periods differ by type of suspension. Source: Fla. Stat. § 322.271 |
| Checking and reinstating a license | Check your status, including clearance of a suspension, with FLHSMV's free Online Driver License Check. For a citation or court suspension, meet the requirements of the traffic court in the county where the citation was issued; the county updates FLHSMV electronically, and you then pay any reinstatement fee at a driver license service center. FLHSMV fees: $45 to reinstate a suspension, $75 for a revocation, $75 for a disqualification, plus a $130 administrative fee for alcohol- or drug-related offenses; $60 for a D-6 suspension (court financial obligations); $60 for a court-ordered child support suspension; $45 for a Department of Revenue child support suspension; $55 for a worthless check suspension. Status check: https://mydmvportal.flhsmv.gov/home/en/publicweb/dlcheck/ ; fees: https://www.flhsmv.gov/fees/ |
DUI / DWI
| Legal BAC limit | 0.08 grams per 100 mL of blood or per 210 L of breath for drivers generally; 0.02 for drivers under 21. The commercial-driver limit was not confirmed from a statute page read for this record. |
|---|---|
| First-offense DUI penalties | A first DUI conviction carries a fine of $500 to $1,000 and up to 6 months in jail, plus probation of up to 1 year that includes at least 50 hours of community service. With a BAC of 0.15 or higher or a passenger under 18, the fine is $1,000 to $2,000 and jail up to 9 months. The court may order an ignition interlock for at least 6 months if BAC was 0.08 or higher (mandatory in the 0.15/minor-passenger cases). The license is revoked for at least 180 days up to 1 year. Administratively, a BAC of 0.08 or higher brings a 6-month suspension for a first offense. |
| When a DUI is a felony | DUI is a third-degree felony when it is: (1) a third DUI conviction for an offense within 10 years of a prior DUI conviction; (2) a fourth or later DUI conviction, no matter when the earlier convictions happened; or (3) a DUI that causes or contributes to serious bodily injury to another person. A DUI that causes a death is DUI manslaughter, a second-degree felony, or a first-degree felony if the driver knew or should have known of the crash and failed to give information and render aid, or has a prior DUI manslaughter or vehicular homicide conviction. |
| Refusing a breath test | Refusing a lawful breath, blood or urine test leads to an administrative suspension of 1 year for a first refusal, or 18 months if the license was previously suspended for a refusal. The officer takes the license and issues a 10-day temporary permit. Source: Fla. Stat. § 322.2615 |
| DUI lookback period | A second conviction within 5 years of a prior conviction requires at least 10 days in jail; a third conviction within 10 years of a prior conviction is a third-degree felony with at least 30 days in jail and an ignition interlock for at least 2 years. Source: Fla. Stat. § 316.193(2)(b), (6) |
| How long a DUI stays on your record | FLHSMV says DUI convictions must remain on the driving record for 75 years. Florida courts may not withhold adjudication of guilt for a DUI, so a DUI case that ends in a guilty finding is a conviction. Florida's court-ordered sealing law is only available to people who have never been adjudicated guilty of a criminal offense in Florida and were not adjudicated guilty in the case they want sealed, so a DUI conviction generally cannot be sealed. |
| Sobriety checkpoints | Yes, they are used. The Florida Highway Patrol's policy manual sets rules for 'Comprehensive Roadside Safety Checkpoints,' including sobriety checkpoints, whose stated purpose is to deter offenses such as driving under the influence. Troop commanders approve each checkpoint plan. No Florida statute that specifically authorizes or bans sobriety checkpoints was found; the policy cites the patrol's general authority under Fla. Stat. § 321.05. |
Phones and distracted driving
| Phone and texting laws | Drivers may not type or enter characters into a handheld wireless device, or send or read data on one, for texting, email or instant messaging while driving. A first violation is a noncriminal nonmoving infraction; a second within 5 years is a moving infraction. Using a wireless device in a handheld manner is prohibited in school zones and active work zones. Unlawful device use that causes a crash adds 6 points, and a moving violation combined with device use in a school safety zone adds 2 points. |
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Where to get help in Florida
Traffic Tickets & DUI FAQ
How does the driver point system work in Florida?
Yes. Points are assigned for moving-violation convictions, including out-of-state convictions. The department may suspend a license for up to 30 days at 12 points within 12 months, up to 3 months at 18 points within 18 months, and up to 1 year at 24 points within 36 months. Drivers reaching the 'danger zone' may receive a warning letter. Three points are deducted for a person suspended only once under the point system who has been reinstated and met all other requirements.
How many points is a speeding ticket in Florida?
Speeding not more than 15 mph over the limit: 3 points; more than 15 mph over: 4 points; unlawful speed resulting in a crash: 6 points.
How long do points stay on your license in Florida?
Suspension levels are measured over 12-, 18- and 36-month periods from the convictions.
Can traffic school remove a ticket or points in Florida?
A driver without a commercial license who is cited in a noncommercial vehicle for most noncriminal infractions (not, for example, speeding 30 mph or more over the limit) may elect to attend a state-approved basic driver improvement course instead of appearing in court. Adjudication is then withheld, the civil penalty is reduced by 18 percent, and no points are assessed. The election cannot be made if one was made in the preceding 12 months, and no more than eight times in a lifetime.
How do I pay or look up a traffic ticket online in Florida?
Uniform Traffic Citations are paid to, or contested with, the Clerk of Court in the county where the violation occurred, and you have 30 days to choose: pay the civil penalty at the clerk's office or online at www.payflclerk.com (covering all 67 counties); contest the citation through the clerk; or, if eligible, elect a basic driver improvement course (fine reduced 18 percent, points may be withheld; allowed eight times in a lifetime). Paying counts as a conviction and points may be assessed; missing the 30-day deadline can bring extra fines and license suspension. Use FLHSMV's locations page to find the county clerk.
How do I check if my license is suspended and get it reinstated in Florida?
Check your status, including clearance of a suspension, with FLHSMV's free Online Driver License Check. For a citation or court suspension, meet the requirements of the traffic court in the county where the citation was issued; the county updates FLHSMV electronically, and you then pay any reinstatement fee at a driver license service center. FLHSMV fees: $45 to reinstate a suspension, $75 for a revocation, $75 for a disqualification, plus a $130 administrative fee for alcohol- or drug-related offenses; $60 for a D-6 suspension (court financial obligations); $60 for a court-ordered child support suspension; $45 for a Department of Revenue child support suspension; $55 for a worthless check suspension.
How do you pay or contest a traffic ticket in Florida?
For a noncriminal traffic infraction, within 30 days after the citation is issued, the driver may pay the civil penalty by mail or in person, enter into a payment plan with the clerk of court, elect the driver improvement course if eligible, or elect to appear for a hearing. Paying is treated as admitting the infraction and waiving a hearing. At a hearing, an official decides whether the infraction was committed and may impose a civil penalty. If the driver does not pay, enter or follow a payment plan, attend required driver improvement school, or appear at a hearing, the clerk notifies FLHSMV, which issues a license suspension effective 20 days later.
What gets your license suspended in Florida?
Suspensions include point suspensions, failure to pay or appear on a traffic citation (or to attend required driver improvement school), DUI-related administrative suspensions and court revocations, and court-directed suspensions for serious offenses. A first DUI conviction brings a revocation of at least 180 days and up to 1 year.
What is the legal blood alcohol limit in Florida?
0.08 grams per 100 mL of blood or per 210 L of breath for drivers generally; 0.02 for drivers under 21.
What is the penalty for a first DUI in Florida?
A first DUI conviction carries a fine of $500 to $1,000 and up to 6 months in jail, plus probation of up to 1 year that includes at least 50 hours of community service. With a BAC of 0.15 or higher or a passenger under 18, the fine is $1,000 to $2,000 and jail up to 9 months. The court may order an ignition interlock for at least 6 months if BAC was 0.08 or higher (mandatory in the 0.15/minor-passenger cases). The license is revoked for at least 180 days up to 1 year. Administratively, a BAC of 0.08 or higher brings a 6-month suspension for a first offense.
What happens if you refuse a breathalyzer in Florida?
Refusing a lawful breath, blood or urine test leads to an administrative suspension of 1 year for a first refusal, or 18 months if the license was previously suspended for a refusal. The officer takes the license and issues a 10-day temporary permit.
How long does a DUI count as a prior offense in Florida?
A second conviction within 5 years of a prior conviction requires at least 10 days in jail; a third conviction within 10 years of a prior conviction is a third-degree felony with at least 30 days in jail and an ignition interlock for at least 2 years.
Can you get a hardship license in Florida?
A driver whose license has been suspended, canceled or revoked may ask the department for a hearing to show that it causes serious hardship and keeps them from carrying out their business, trade or employment. A license restricted to business purposes allows driving needed to maintain a livelihood, including work, school, church and medical; one restricted to employment purposes allows driving to and from work and required on-the-job driving.
Is it illegal to hold your phone while driving in Florida?
Drivers may not type or enter characters into a handheld wireless device, or send or read data on one, for texting, email or instant messaging while driving. A first violation is a noncriminal nonmoving infraction; a second within 5 years is a moving infraction. Using a wireless device in a handheld manner is prohibited in school zones and active work zones. Unlawful device use that causes a crash adds 6 points, and a moving violation combined with device use in a school safety zone adds 2 points.
Is a DUI a felony in Florida?
DUI is a third-degree felony when it is: (1) a third DUI conviction for an offense within 10 years of a prior DUI conviction; (2) a fourth or later DUI conviction, no matter when the earlier convictions happened; or (3) a DUI that causes or contributes to serious bodily injury to another person. A DUI that causes a death is DUI manslaughter, a second-degree felony, or a first-degree felony if the driver knew or should have known of the crash and failed to give information and render aid, or has a prior DUI manslaughter or vehicular homicide conviction.
How long does a DUI stay on your record in Florida?
FLHSMV says DUI convictions must remain on the driving record for 75 years. Florida courts may not withhold adjudication of guilt for a DUI, so a DUI case that ends in a guilty finding is a conviction. Florida's court-ordered sealing law is only available to people who have never been adjudicated guilty of a criminal offense in Florida and were not adjudicated guilty in the case they want sealed, so a DUI conviction generally cannot be sealed.
Are DUI checkpoints legal in Florida?
Yes, they are used. The Florida Highway Patrol's policy manual sets rules for 'Comprehensive Roadside Safety Checkpoints,' including sobriety checkpoints, whose stated purpose is to deter offenses such as driving under the influence. Troop commanders approve each checkpoint plan.
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