Vehicle · License points
Driver's License Points in Florida
How many points each moving violation adds in Florida, how many points suspend your license and over what period, and how points come off your record. Cited to the statute.
How license points add up in Florida
The points common violations carry, the totals that trigger a suspension, and how points come off your record.
Florida point values, the suspension thresholds, and the driver improvement rules are amended from time to time. Confirm the current figures with the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department before relying on them.
| How points add up | What it means |
|---|---|
| Most moving violations: 3 points | Under section 322.27(3), most moving violations carry 3 points, including running a red light or stop sign and unlawful speed of not more than 15 miles per hour over the limit. |
| Speeding more than 15 mph over: 4 points | Unlawful speed of more than 15 miles per hour over the posted limit carries 4 points. |
| Reckless driving or passing a stopped school bus: 4 points | Reckless driving carries 4 points, and passing a stopped school bus carries 4 points. |
| A moving violation that causes a crash: 4 points | Any moving violation that results in a crash carries 4 points. |
| Unlawful speed causing a crash: 6 points | Unlawful speed that results in a crash carries 6 points, the highest tier on the schedule. |
| Leaving the scene of a crash (property over $50): 6 points | Leaving the scene of a crash that results in property damage of more than $50 carries 6 points. |
| What triggers a suspension | What it means |
|---|---|
| Suspension thresholds and windows | The department suspends a license for 30 days at 12 points in 12 months, for 3 months at 18 points in 18 months, and for 1 year at 24 points in 36 months. Each window is measured from the dates of the violations. |
| Teen and young drivers | A driver under 18 who accumulates 6 points within a 12-month period is restricted to business-purposes-only driving for 12 months. Each additional point during that period extends the restriction by 90 days. |
| Point reduction through driver improvement | Electing an approved basic driver improvement course for an eligible ticket lets you have adjudication withheld with no points assessed for that violation. The election is available once in any 12-month period and up to five times in a lifetime. |
| How long points stay | Points count toward a suspension only inside their 12-month, 18-month, or 36-month window. The underlying conviction stays on your driving record for years after the points stop counting. Confirm the current retention period with the department. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps to check and manage your points in Florida. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check your driving record
Request your driver record from the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department so you know your current point total and the windows that apply.
- Consider a basic driver improvement course
For an eligible ticket, ask the clerk of court about electing an approved basic driver improvement course, which can keep points off your record once in any 12-month period.
- Address a ticket before it is a conviction
Points attach when a citation becomes a conviction. You can contest the ticket, and a lawyer referral service can point you to help if a suspension is at stake.
Points follow from a conviction, and a suspension can cost you your license and raise your insurance. A licensed traffic attorney can explain your options; the state bar can refer you to one.
→ The Florida Bar, Lawyer Referral ServiceThis is general legal information, not legal advice. Point values, thresholds, and reduction rules turn on the exact statute and your record, so confirm your situation with the DMV and, if needed, a lawyer.
What drivers in Florida get wrong about license points
Florida assigns license points under Florida Statute 322.27. Most moving violations, including running a red light and speeding up to 15 miles per hour over the limit, carry 3 points. Speeding more than 15 miles per hour over, reckless driving, passing a stopped school bus, and any moving violation that causes a crash each carry 4 points. Unlawful speed that causes a crash, and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage over $50, each carry 6 points. The state suspends your license for 30 days at 12 points in 12 months, for 3 months at 18 points in 18 months, and for 1 year at 24 points in 36 months. A driver under 18 who reaches 6 points in 12 months is restricted to business-purposes-only driving. You can keep points off your record for an eligible ticket by electing an approved basic driver improvement course, available once in any 12-month period and up to five times in a lifetime. Points count toward a suspension only inside their window, but the conviction stays on your record longer. This is legal information, not legal advice.
Common questions
How many points suspend your license in Florida?
Florida suspends your license for 30 days at 12 points in 12 months, for 3 months at 18 points in 18 months, and for 1 year at 24 points in 36 months, under Florida Statute 322.27.
How long do points stay on your record in Florida?
A point counts toward a suspension only inside its 12-month, 18-month, or 36-month window. The underlying conviction stays on your driving record for years after the point stops counting. Confirm the current period with the department.
How can you reduce points in Florida?
For an eligible ticket, electing an approved basic driver improvement course lets you have adjudication withheld with no points assessed. The option is available once in any 12-month period and up to five times in a lifetime.
Are DMV points the same as insurance points in Florida?
No. License points and an insurer’s own surcharge system are separate. Choosing a driver improvement course to avoid a conviction also blocks an insurer from raising your premium solely for that non-criminal infraction.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.