Florida Points System Explained (2026): Points per Violation & Suspension Thresholds

TLDR Florida's points system assigns 3, 4, or 6 points to most traffic convictions. Accumulate 12 points within 12 months and your license is suspended for 30 days; 18 points within 18 months for 3 months; 24 points within 36 months for 1 year. Points count toward suspension for 3 years, and a BDI traffic-school election keeps points off an eligible citation.

Facts verified against official Florida sources (FLHSMV and F.S. 322.27), updated August 2026.

How Many Points Is Each Violation in Florida?

The FLHSMV assigns point values under Florida Statute 322.27(3). Speeding carries 3 or 4 points depending on how far over the limit you go, and the most serious violations (leaving the scene, causing a crash while speeding) carry 6 points. If a moving violation causes a crash, one additional point is added to its base value.

Florida License Suspension Thresholds

Points trigger an automatic suspension when they cross a threshold within a set window. The state counts points based on the offense dates of the convictions.

How Long Do Points Stay on Your Florida License?

Points count toward suspension for 3 years from the violation date. The underlying conviction stays on your driving record longer - the FLHSMV keeps conviction history for at least 5 years from the disposition date - but the points that affect your license expire after 36 months. Because the thresholds are based on rolling time windows, an old point falling off can keep you under the limit.

How to Keep Points Off a Florida Ticket

1. Check your point total: Review your 3-year driving record through the FLHSMV driver license check or your local tax collector.
2. Elect the BDI course for an eligible new ticket: If you receive an eligible non-criminal moving violation, you can elect a 4-hour Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course within 30 days to keep adjudication withheld - so that citation adds no points (F.S. 318.14(9)).
3. Watch the limits: The BDI election is available once every 12 months and up to 8 times in a lifetime.
4. Avoid the next threshold: If you are near 12 points in 12 months, slow down and avoid any additional moving violations until older points fall off.
5. If suspended: Complete any required ADI course and pay the reinstatement fee (reinstatement fees run in the $45-$60 range; confirm the current amount with FLHSMV).

Frequently Asked Questions

How many points before your license is suspended in Florida?

12 points within 12 months triggers a 30-day suspension; 18 points within 18 months triggers a 3-month suspension; 24 points within 36 months triggers a 1-year suspension. Teens face a business-purposes-only restriction at 6 points in 12 months.

How many points is a speeding ticket in Florida?

3 points for speeding 15 mph or less over the limit, 4 points for more than 15 mph over, and 6 points if the speeding caused a crash.

How long do points stay on your license in Florida?

Points count toward suspension for 3 years from the violation date. The conviction itself stays on your record longer (at least 5 years).

Can you remove points from your Florida license?

You cannot erase points already assessed. However, electing a BDI traffic-school course for an eligible new citation withholds adjudication, so that citation adds no points at all.

Do out-of-state tickets add points in Florida?

Florida can assess points for out-of-state convictions if the offense would be a violation under Florida law, through the Driver's License Compact.

Start Your Course Now

Protect your license before a ticket becomes points. If you have an eligible citation, elect the state-approved 4-hour BDI course within 30 days. Start your BDI course at LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com, ranked #1 by the Florida DHSMV and approved in all 67 counties. First-time drivers under 18 should also complete the 6-hour DETS course - see LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com/driver-education-dets-course.

Citations

• https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/driver-license-suspensions-revocations/points-point-suspensions/
• https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/driver-license-suspensions-revocations/
• https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_Mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0322/Sec27.htm
• https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2022/318.14