The Do Points on Your License Go Away in Florida?

Yes, points on your Florida driver’s license do go away, but they don’t just disappear overnight. The points from a traffic ticket will stick to your driving record for at least 36 months starting from the day you were actually convicted.

Understanding How Florida License Points Expire

It helps to think of the Florida DMV point system less like a permanent mark and more like a temporary flag on your driving habits. Much like demerits you might get in school, they’re designed to track your recent behavior, not haunt you forever. A couple of points don’t have to define your entire driving career. The most important thing to remember is that the countdown starts on the conviction date, not the day the officer handed you the ticket. This is a critical distinction. If you decide to fight a ticket and the court case drags on for months, that 36-month clock only starts ticking after the judge officially rules against you.

The 36-Month Rule Explained

This 36-month (or three-year) window is the standard time that points count against you for suspension purposes. Once that time is up, the points from that specific ticket no longer add to the total that could get your license suspended. For example, say you got three points for speeding on June 1, 2024. Those points would “expire” and stop counting toward a potential suspension after June 1, 2027. But here�s the catch: while the points might “expire” for the DMV’s suspension math, the violation itself can linger on your complete driving history for a lot longer. Your insurance company, for instance, will almost certainly look at your driving record going back three to five years when deciding what to charge you for premiums.

Key Insight: The point system’s main job is to spot patterns of risky driving over a few years. After you�ve gone long enough without another incident, the system essentially considers that old violation ancient history.

It’s smart to keep tabs on your own record so there are no surprises. You can learn exactly how to do this by reading our guide on how to check your driving record in Florida. Being proactive lets you know precisely where you stand and when old points are set to drop off. The table below breaks down the timeline for you.

How Long Points Stay on Your Florida License

Here�s a quick summary of the timeline for point expiration and the key factors that influence your driving record.

Timeframe	Condition	Impact on Your Record
36 Months	From the date of conviction for a specific violation.	Points no longer count toward license suspension thresholds.
3-5 Years	Typical review period for insurance companies.	The violation may still impact your insurance rates.
Indefinitely	For your complete lifetime driving history.	The violation remains on your permanent record.

As you can see, even when points no longer threaten your license, the underlying violation can still be seen by insurers and others who check your complete history.

How the Florida DMV Point System Works

Before we dive into how points go away, it’s crucial to understand how you get them in the first place. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) uses a point system as a way to keep track of every driver’s behavior on the road. It�s designed to flag drivers who consistently bend or break the traffic laws. Think of it like a “safe driver” balance on your record. When you have a clean slate, your balance is zero. But with every moving violation conviction, the state adds points. A minor slip-up might just be a small addition, but a serious offense can add a hefty amount all at once.

How Points Are Assigned for Violations

The number of points you rack up is directly tied to how serious the violation is. For example, getting caught speeding less than 15 mph over the limit will land you three points. But actions that put others in serious danger carry much stiffer point penalties. A perfect illustration is leaving the scene of an accident where property damage is over $50. That single mistake will cost you a whopping six points. This tiered system makes it clear that Florida takes dangerous driving very seriously. The infographic below gives you a quick snapshot of how long those points will hang around and count toward a potential suspension.

As the visual shows, the clock starts ticking on the date you’re convicted, not the date you got the ticket. From that day, those points remain active and count against you for 36 months. To give you a clearer picture, here�s a breakdown of some common traffic violations in Florida and their corresponding point values.

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Common Florida Traffic Violations and Point Values

This table outlines several frequent offenses and helps you see how quickly points can add up if you’re not careful.

Violation Type	Assigned Points	Typical Scenario
Speeding (Less than 15 mph over limit)	3 points	Driving 45 mph in a 35 mph zone.
Speeding (16 mph or more over limit)	4 points	Clocked at 72 mph in a 55 mph zone.
Causing a Crash (Speeding)	6 points	Speeding leads to a collision, regardless of fault.
Leaving Scene of an Accident (>$50 damage)	6 points	A minor fender-bender in a parking lot that you drive away from.
Running a Red Light	4 points	Failing to stop at a red traffic signal.
Improper Lane Change	3 points	Weaving between lanes without signaling.
Violation of a Traffic Control Device	4 points	Ignoring a stop sign or yield sign.

As you can see, a couple of bad decisions in a short period can put your driving privileges in real jeopardy.

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Point Accumulation and License Suspension

The Florida DMV isn’t just looking at one-off tickets; they’re watching for patterns of risky behavior. Accumulating too many points too quickly is what triggers serious consequences, like getting your license suspended. Here are the thresholds that every Florida driver needs to have memorized:

• 12 points within a 12-month period = 30-day suspension.
• 18 points within an 18-month period = 3-month suspension.
• 24 points within a 36-month period = 1-year suspension.

This escalating scale is why even a few seemingly minor tickets can snowball into a massive headache. If you want to dig deeper into the official rules, you can get a complete overview by exploring the Florida state driving laws. And these systems work. When Spain implemented a similar point-based program back in 2006, they saw traffic accidents drop almost immediately. Studies found a remarkable 21% overall reduction in incidents, proving that these systems really do nudge people toward safer driving habits.

Why Totals Matter: The key isn’t just having points; it’s how many you collect and how fast. The system is built to catch repeat offenders, not to penalize a single mistake forever. Your main goal should always be to avoid stacking up violations within those critical 12, 18, or 36-month windows.

The Real-World Consequences of Too Many Points

It�s easy to think of license points as just a number, but they carry very real consequences that can seriously disrupt your daily life. Florida has a strict system that tracks these points, and if you cross certain thresholds, you’ll find yourself unable to drive legally. These systems are no joke; they’re designed to get unsafe drivers off the road. Just look at Spain, where by 2011, a staggering 107,000 drivers had lost their licenses entirely due to points. This shows just how seriously authorities take repeat offenses.

Florida’s License Suspension Thresholds

The Florida DMV doesn’t just look at your lifetime record; it watches for patterns of bad driving over specific periods. If you rack up too many points too quickly, your license gets suspended. It’s that simple. Here�s exactly what you need to watch out for:

• 12 points within 12 months will get you a 30-day suspension.
• 18 points within 18 months results in a 90-day (3-month) suspension.
• 24 points within 36 months means you�re looking at a full 1-year suspension.

And losing your license is more than just an inconvenience. Getting it back means dealing with expensive reinstatement fees and being forced to complete a lengthy Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) course.

The Snowball Effect: A license suspension isn’t just one problem�it’s the start of many. Suddenly, you can’t drive to work, you’re hit with unexpected fees, and your job might even be at risk if it requires a clean driving record.

The Financial Impact on Your Wallet

The trouble doesn’t stop with the DMV. Every point you get is a red flag for your car insurance company, and that�s where the real financial pain begins. Insurers see points as a direct indicator of risk. After all, the statistics show that drivers with a history of violations are more likely to cause an accident. The more points you have, the higher your perceived risk, and the higher your insurance premiums will climb. Some insurers might even decide you’re too risky to cover at all, dropping your policy and leaving you scrambling for much more expensive coverage elsewhere. Digging into understanding how license points influence car insurance rates can shed more light on this. Ultimately, each point on your license is like a small tax on your future. Keeping your record clean isn’t just about avoiding a suspension�it’s about protecting yourself from years of inflated insurance costs. If you want to know more about the specifics, check out our guide on how points on your license affect insurance.

How to Remove Points with a Driver Improvement Course

So, you�ve got a ticket. While those points will eventually fade away, you don�t have to just sit around and wait for three years. Florida law actually gives you a pretty powerful tool to take charge of your driving record: electing to complete a Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course. The key thing to understand is this isn’t about removing points that are already there. It�s a proactive move to stop them from ever hitting your license in the first place. Think of it like this: getting a ticket is a warning bell. When you choose to take a BDI course, you’re essentially telling the court, “I heard the bell, and I’m taking this seriously.” In exchange for that good-faith effort, the court agrees not to slap those points onto your record. The outcome is a massive win for you. Once you pass the course, the court withholds adjudication. That�s a fancy legal term, but it just means you aren�t officially found guilty. No conviction equals no points. It�s the best-case scenario for your driving history and, just as importantly, your insurance premiums.

Who Is Eligible to Take the Course

Now, this option isn’t a free-for-all. Florida has some ground rules to make sure the BDI course is used for what it’s intended for�helping good drivers correct an occasional slip-up, not giving a pass to someone who consistently drives recklessly. Before you do anything else, you need to check if you qualify. You’re generally good to go if:

• You have a standard, non-commercial driver’s license (sorry, this doesn’t apply to CDL holders).
• Your ticket was for a non-criminal moving violation.
• You haven’t taken a driver improvement course for another ticket in the past 12 months.
• You haven’t used this option more than five times in your entire life.

These limits are set in stone. If you took a course 11 months ago, you’ll have to wait it out. And if you’ve already hit your lifetime limit of five, those points are going on your record, period.

The Step-by-Step Process to Avoid Points

Checked your eligibility and you’re in the clear? Great. The process itself is pretty straightforward, but you have to act fast. There’s a tight deadline.

1. Tell the Court You’re Taking the Course: You must notify the Clerk of Court in the county where you got the ticket that you elect to take a BDI course. You only have 30 days from the date on the citation to do this. Whatever you do, don’t just pay the ticket! Paying it is the same as pleading guilty, and you’ll lose your chance to take the course.
2. Pay the Ticket Fine: Even though you’re taking the course, you still have to pay the civil penalty for the ticket. The good news is that this payment, combined with the course, is what keeps the points off your record.
3. Enroll in a State-Approved School: You can’t just pick any online course. It has to be officially approved by the Florida DHSMV. You can find a state-approved online driver improvement course for Florida and knock out the four hours of material from home, completely on your own schedule.
4. Finish the Course and Turn in Your Certificate: Once you’re done, you’ll get a certificate of completion. It’s up to you to get this certificate to the Clerk of Court before their deadline. Don’t miss it!

Crucial Takeaway: When you successfully complete a BDI course, the violation doesn’t go on your record as a conviction. Because of this, Florida law says your insurance company cannot legally raise your rates or drop your policy over that specific ticket. It is hands down the most effective way to prevent one mistake from costing you hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the next few years.

When a Driving Course Is Not an Option

While taking a Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course is a fantastic tool, it isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card for every traffic ticket. The state of Florida has put some firm rules in place to limit when you can use this option. Knowing these rules is just as crucial as understanding the course itself�it helps you know exactly where you stand when you get pulled over. These limits are designed to make sure the BDI course serves its real purpose: helping good drivers correct occasional mistakes, not giving habitual offenders a way to wipe the slate clean repeatedly. The state is pretty strict about these rules, and there’s no wiggle room.

Key Disqualifiers for Taking a BDI Course

Right off the bat, professional drivers face the biggest restriction. If you hold a Commercial Driver�s License (CDL), you can’t elect to take a BDI course to avoid points. This applies even if you got the ticket while driving your personal car. The state simply holds commercial drivers to a higher standard. The type of violation also matters�a lot. You can’t use a BDI course to get out of serious criminal traffic offenses. This bucket includes major violations like:

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
• Reckless driving that causes an injury
• Leaving the scene of an accident where someone was hurt

Violations this severe carry much heavier consequences, and a four-hour online course just isn’t on the table for dealing with them.

The Bottom Line: The BDI course is for non-criminal moving violations. For anything more serious, you’ll be dealing directly with the court system, and removing points with a course won’t be an option.

Frequency and Lifetime Limits

Florida also limits how often you can turn to a BDI course to keep drivers accountable for their actions on the road. Think of it as having a limited number of “do-overs.”

• Once Every 12 Months: You can only choose to take a BDI course once in any rolling 12-month period. That clock starts ticking from the date you got the ticket, not the date you finished your last course.
• Five Times in a Lifetime: There’s also a hard cap of five times over your entire driving life.

Once you hit either of those limits, any points from your next ticket will go straight onto your record. This approach is common worldwide. In France, for example, authorities removed a staggering 16.3 million points from licenses in 2022 alone, which shows how actively these systems are used. You can learn more about global demerit point systems on onisr.securite-routiere.gouv.fr.

Your Florida License Points Questions, Answered

Alright, even with the basics covered, you probably still have a few “what if” questions rattling around. That’s completely normal. Let’s dig into some of the most common scenarios people ask about when it comes to the Florida points system.

How Can I Check the Points on My Florida License?

The only way to know for sure where you stand is to pull your official driving record from the source: the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). You can easily order it right from their website. For a small fee, you can get a few different versions of your record:

• A 3-year history, which is what your insurance company typically cares about.
• A 7-year history if you need a more complete picture.
• Your complete lifetime driving history.

This report is your official scorecard. It will show every violation, the exact dates they occurred, your current point total, and when each set of points is scheduled to drop off for suspension purposes. It�s the single best way to get a clear, accurate snapshot of your driving record.

Do Points from an Out-of-State Ticket Affect My Florida License?

Yes, they almost certainly will. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking an out-of-state ticket will just disappear. Florida is part of the Driver License Compact, an agreement among most states to share driver information. Think of it like a neighborhood watch for DMVs. If you get a speeding ticket in Georgia, for example, Georgia’s DMV will report that conviction back to Florida. The FLHSMV will then add the points to your license as if the ticket happened right here.

Important Reminder: Just because a violation happened hundreds of miles away doesn’t mean it won’t follow you home. The Driver License Compact ensures states work together to hold drivers accountable, no matter where they’re licensed.

Can I Take a Driver Improvement Course After Paying the Ticket?

This is a huge one, and the answer is a firm no. In Florida, paying a traffic ticket is the same as pleading guilty in court. The moment you pay that fine, you’ve been convicted, and the points are officially going on your record. You must choose to take the course with the Clerk of Court in the county where you got the ticket before you pay the fine. You have a 30-day window from the day you received the citation to make this decision. If you let that deadline pass or just pay the ticket, you’ve lost your chance to use a BDI course to avoid the points for that violation.

What Happens if My License Gets Suspended for Points?

If you rack up too many points too quickly, the state will suspend your driving privilege. A suspension is exactly what it sounds like�you are legally prohibited from driving for a specific amount of time. This could be 30 days, 90 days, or even a full year, depending on how many points you accumulated. Getting your license back isn’t automatic. Once the suspension period is over, you’ll need to:

• Pay a reinstatement fee to the FLHSMV.
• Complete a mandatory 12-hour Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) course.

In some situations, you might be able to get a hardship license, which lets you drive for essential reasons only, like work, school, or medical appointments. This isn�t a given, though; it�s approved on a case-by-case basis. Whatever you do, don’t drive on a suspended license�that’s a serious offense that will only dig you into a deeper hole.

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Don’t let a simple traffic ticket jeopardize your license and skyrocket your insurance rates. At BDISchool, our state-approved Basic Driver Improvement course is the most straightforward way to keep points off your Florida license in the first place. Enroll today and protect your driving record.