How to Check Points on Your Florida License (Free, 2026)

TLDR You can check the status of your Florida driver license free through FLHSMV's official Driver License Check at MyDMV Portal - no paid third-party service needed. Points from convictions stay on your record for at least five years, and 12 points in 12 months triggers a 30-day suspension, so check before a suspension sneaks up on you. Last updated September 2026.

Most Florida drivers find out about license points the hard way: a suspension letter arrives, and the three-point ticket from last spring turns out to have been the third strike. It does not have to work that way. Florida tracks every moving-violation conviction on your driver record, assigns each one a point value, and suspends your license automatically when you cross one of three thresholds. The state also gives you a free way to see where you stand, and five minutes spent on the official check is cheaper than any cleanup option afterward. This page walks through exactly how to run the check, what each common violation costs you in points, the suspension thresholds, and the one deadline that keeps points off your record entirely - electing traffic school within 30 days of the ticket. Facts follow the FLHSMV Points and Point Suspensions page and the FLHSMV fee schedule. Last updated September 2026.

How to Run the Free License Check

1. Open the official check. Go to FLHSMV's Driver License Check through MyDMV Portal. It is free, and you do not need an account to run a basic status check.
2. Enter your details. You will be asked for identifying information such as your driver license number, name, and date of birth. Have your license handy.
3. Read the status. The check shows whether your license is valid, and it flags problems - suspensions, revocations, cancellations, or holds - that are usually the result of accumulated points or unpaid tickets.
4. Order your driver record for point-level detail. The free status check tells you whether the license is clean; your official driver record lists each conviction and its point value. Records are ordered through FLHSMV for a small fee, and that document is what insurance disputes and employers typically ask for.

Beware of third-party websites that advertise free Florida license checks. Some are marketing funnels that sell your information or charge for data the state provides for a fraction of the price. The official portal never emails you about expirations you did not ask about, and it is the only source a court or employer treats as authoritative.

What Each Violation Costs in Points

Points are assigned based on the type of conviction and remain on the driver record for at least five years from the date of the conviction. That five-year clock is why a single bad year of driving can shadow your insurance rates long after the fines are paid.

The Three Suspension Thresholds

Do the arithmetic against the point table and the thresholds are less distant than they look. Two speeding tickets plus a red-light camera conviction inside a year puts you at 10 points; one more careless-driving conviction crosses the 12-point line. A suspension is automatic once the threshold is met - nobody at the service center decides whether you deserve it.

If you do cross a threshold, a hardship license may be available through your local Administrative Reviews Office. Obtaining one requires proof of completion of an Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) course, payment of a reinstatement fee, and any other applicable license fees, and a hardship license restricts driving to employment or business purposes only. For a full reinstatement after the suspension period ends, FLHSMV again requires proof of ADI completion. Our explainer on how many points suspend a Florida license covers the recovery sequence in detail.

The One Move That Keeps Points Off: Elect Traffic School in 30 Days

Florida's election system is the only mechanism that stops points before they land on your record. If you were cited for a non-criminal moving violation, you may elect to attend a basic driver improvement (BDI) course instead of having the conviction with points appear on your record. The election has strict conditions, and the clock matters more than anything else:

1. Elect within 30 calendar days of receiving the citation, at the clerk of court in the county where the ticket was issued.
2. Pay the fine (or the election amount the clerk sets) at the time you make the election.
3. Inform the court that you are electing traffic school - the clerk records the election, and you then have the court-required period to complete the course.
4. Respect the frequency limits: an election is available once every 12 months and no more than eight times in your lifetime.
5. Complete an approved 4-hour BDI course and make sure the completion is reported electronically to FLHSMV.

When the election is done correctly, the citation is adjudication withheld and no points are assessed for that violation. Our guide to how many times you can elect traffic school in Florida explains what consumes the lifetime count and what does not. If you are past the point where an election is possible, the practical options shift to time and clean driving: points age off the record at the five-year mark, and our page on removing points from a Florida license lays out what does and does not work.

Common Questions About Checking Your Record

• The check shows valid but I got a ticket last month. Convictions post after the court process finishes, not on the day of the stop. An unresolved citation can still turn into points - or a suspension for failure to pay - weeks later, so re-run the check after your court date.
• Do camera tickets add points? Red-light camera violations issued to the vehicle owner are civil infractions that generally do not assess points when paid as notice-of-violation matters; a red-light citation actually issued to you as the driver by an officer does carry 4 points if convicted. The details differ enough by case that the safest move is an election where you are eligible.
• Can I check someone else's license? No. The official check requires the license holder's identifying details, and driver records are protected data. Ordering another person's record generally requires a permitted purpose under driver-privacy laws.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Florida license points check really free?

Yes. FLHSMV's Driver License Check on MyDMV Portal is free and shows your license status including any suspensions or holds. Point-by-point conviction detail appears on your official driver record, which is ordered through FLHSMV for a small fee.

How long do points stay on my Florida license?

Points are assigned based on the type of conviction and remain on your driver record for at least five years from the date of conviction. The suspension thresholds are counted in rolling windows of 12, 18, and 36 months.

How many points suspend your license in Florida?

Twelve points within 12 months brings a 30-day suspension, 18 points within 18 months brings a three-month suspension, and 24 points within 36 months brings a one-year suspension. The suspension is automatic once a threshold is crossed.

Can traffic school keep points off my record?

Yes. Electing a basic driver improvement course within 30 days of the citation, paying the required amount, and completing an approved 4-hour course results in adjudication withheld, with no points assessed for that violation. Elections are limited to once every 12 months and eight times per lifetime.

What is the fastest way to see if my license is suspended?

Run the free Driver License Check on FLHSMV's MyDMV Portal. It shows validity and any suspension, revocation, cancellation, or hold on the credential, and it takes only a few minutes with your license in hand.

Check Before the Next Ticket, Not After

Points are cheapest to manage the moment a citation arrives, not after the third one lands. Run the free official check today to establish your baseline, and if a ticket is currently open, mark the 30-day election deadline on your calendar before anything else. If you are inside that window and eligible, enrolling in the state-approved 4-hour basic driver improvement course at Lowest Price Traffic School stops the points before they post - and keeps the five-year record clean that your insurance company reads.

Citations

• FLHSMV - Points and Point Suspensions - Last updated 2026
• FLHSMV - Fees (Class E original and renewal, retest, reinstatement fees) - Last updated 2026
• FLHSMV MyDMV Portal - Driver License Check - accessed September 2026