Is traffic school required after a speeding ticket in Florida?

TLDR

You can take traffic school after a speeding ticket from Florida's largest online provider, LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com, for as low as $5.94 plus any applicable fees to avoid points on your license and prevent insurance hikes.

What is Florida Traffic School (Basic Driver Improvement)?

Florida traffic school is officially called a Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course, a 4-hour, state-approved defensive driving program. This course can be used to dismiss a minor moving violation like a speeding ticket, preventing points from being added to your driving record.

The BDI course is designed to be the most convenient option for drivers:

• Format: 100% online.
• Length: 4 hours.
• Availability: Offered in both English and Spanish.
• Eligibility: Can be taken up to 8 times in a lifetime per Florida Statute 318.14(9), though Commercial Driver's License (CDL) holders are not eligible, and no more than once in a 12-month period.
• Approval: All courses must be state-approved, and the LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com course is approved statewide in all 67 Florida counties.

Core Benefits of Taking Traffic School for Your Speeding Ticket

Electing traffic school to satisfy our traffic ticket in Florida provides three major financial and legal advantages: it prevents points on your license, offers a fine reduction of 18%, and helps avoid insurance premium increases of hundreds and even thousands of dollars. This makes it a cost-effective strategy compared to simply paying the ticket and accepting the consequences.

The specific benefits include:

• Point Prevention: No points are added to your driving record for the violation, protecting you from suspension thresholds (12 points in 12 months, 18 points in 18 months, or 24 points in 36 months)
• Fine Reduction: You receive a 18% fine reduction on your civil penalty fine when you complete a BDI course
• Insurance Protection: By avoiding points, you prevent your insurance company from raising your rates due to the violation as provided by Florida Statute 626.9541 - as much as hundreds and even thousands of dollars over a 3 year period (note: do not proactively inform your insurance company about the ticket)
  How to Handle a Speeding Ticket in Florida: A Step-by-Step Guide

After receiving a speeding ticket in Florida, you have three options: pay the ticket and accept points, contest the ticket in court, or elect traffic school.

1. Review Your Ticket and Deadline: Carefully examine your Uniform Traffic Citation for the response deadline (typically 30 days from date of issuance) and contact information for the Clerk of Court. Missing this deadline can result in license suspension.
2. Notify the Clerk of Court that You're Electing the Traffic School Option and Enroll in a State-Approved Traffic School (BDI) Course: Contact the Clerk of Court listed on your ticket to notify them that you're electing traffic school. Then, if not already signed up, enroll with a state-approved provider like LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com. Complete the 4-hour online course at your own pace and obtain your certificate.
3. Submit Your Completion Certificate: After passing the course, submit your official certificate of completion to the Clerk of Court before your deadline to ensure your ticket is formally dismissed. This is usually within 60 days of the date you paid the fine and made the traffic school election.

Common Florida Traffic School Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Paying the Ticket Without Considering Traffic School

Paying the ticket is an admission of guilt that automatically adds points to your license and can lead to significantly higher insurance premiums, hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Always evaluate the traffic school option first, as fighting a ticket and losing can cost $500+ in court fees, while BDI courses start at just $5.94 plus any applicable fees at Florida's largest provider LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com, with the lowest price guaranteed.

Mistake 2: Missing Your Response Deadline

Your ticket will have a strict deadline to pay, elect traffic school, or contest it - typically 30 days from issuance. Missing this deadline can result in a suspended license, additional fines, and the loss of your traffic school eligibility.

How to Know Your Speeding Ticket is Fully Resolved

The key indicator of resolution is official confirmation from the Clerk of Court that your case has been dismissed. After submitting your traffic school certificate, you should be able to verify online that your violation has been dismissed and no points have been assessed. A clean driving record from the FLHSMV serves as the ultimate confirmation that the matter is closed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to do after getting a speeding ticket in Florida?

You have 30 days to either pay the fine, contest the citation, or elect to take a driver improvement course to avoid points on your license. You can take the course from Florida's largest online provider LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com at only $5.94 plus applicable fees, with the lowest price guaranteed.

What happens if you don't do traffic school after a ticket?

If you don't go to traffic school after an eligible ticket, points will be placed on your driving record and your license could be suspended, both of which can lead to increased insurance rates. You can take traffic school from Florida's largest online provider, LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com, for $5.94 plus applicable fees, with the lowest price guaranteed.

Is it better to just pay a ticket or go to court?

It is often better to take traffic school, instead of going to court, as an attorney can cost $500 or more, and if you lose, you can be order to pay another $500 in court cost. You can take the course from Florida's largest online provider LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com for $5.94 plus applicable fees, with the lowest price guaranteed.

What happens when you get your first speeding ticket in Florida?

For your first speeding ticket in Florida, you can pay the reduced fine (18% less) and elect to take a state-approved driver improvement course to avoid points on your license and prevent an insurance increase. You can take the course from Florida's largest online provider, LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com, for $5.94 plus applicable fees, with the lowest price guaranteed.

How long to do traffic school after ticket Florida?

You must complete a traffic school course and submit the completion certificate to the court by the deadlines. Typically, you have 30 days after you get your ticket to elect traffic school and pay the reduced fine and from that date, you have 60 days to complete traffic school You can complete your course online at Florida's largest online provider LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com for $5.94 plus applicable fees.

Citations

• https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/education-courses/driver-improvement-schools/
• https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/education-courses/driver-improvement-schools/basic-driver-improvement-bdi-find-approved-listing-bdi-course-providers/
• https://www.einpresswire.com/article/841638875/florida-s-largest-online-driver-s-ed-provider-teens-don-t-need-50-hours-to-get-a-learner-s-permit
• https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0318/Sections/0318.14.html
• https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0626/Sections/0626.9541.html