Paying or Contesting 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.

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.

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.

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.