Florida uses courses both to punish and to reward. Some crashes and violations require you to attend a course to keep your license. For many ordinary tickets you can choose a course instead of taking points.
Know the rule
Before your first Florida license, you must take a TLSAE course if you have never held a license anywhere, or don't have one with you. Some county school board driver education courses can substitute.
Handbook p. 25 ↗A Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course is required to keep your license if you:
- Were an at-fault driver in a crash where someone was taken to the hospital
- Had two crashes in two years, each with property damage over $500
- Were convicted of running a red light or passing a school bus showing its stop signal
- Were convicted of racing on the highway or reckless driving
Know the rule
For a non-criminal moving violation (not in a CMV, and you hold no CDL) you may elect BDI instead of points. You can't elect it if you were charged with going more than 30 mph over.
Handbook p. 25 ↗Electing BDI for a ticket
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Civil penalty reduction | 18 percent |
| How often | Not if you elected in the past 12 months |
| Lifetime limit | No more than 5 elections |
| Deadline | 30 days from the citation to tell the Clerk and pay |
Know the rule
After BDI, insurers can't raise your premium or refuse to renew just for that infraction, except for a 2nd infraction in 18 months, a 3rd in 36 months, or speeding more than 15 mph over.
Handbook p. 26 ↗Know the rule
An Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) course is required to reinstate a license suspended for points, as a non-DUI habitual traffic offender, or by court order.
Handbook p. 26 ↗Three Crashes in Three Years law: after a 3rd crash-causing offense within 36 months you must:
- Complete a 12-hour Advanced Driver Improvement course
- Get 4 hours of behind-the-wheel training from a licensed commercial driving school
- Pass the extended driving test with a license examiner
- Finish within 90 days, or your license is canceled
Know the rule
If a crash leads to charges, you may have to go to court and the court decides the penalty. Others who saw the crash may be called as witnesses.
Handbook p. 37 ↗Know the rule
Courses for drivers 65 and older update them on traffic laws and aging. Some qualify for lower auto insurance costs.
Handbook p. 26 ↗Put it into practice
You get a ticket for an illegal lane change, a non-criminal moving violation, and you haven't elected traffic school before. Within 30 days, tell the Clerk of Court you choose BDI and pay the election fee. With adjudication withheld, no points are added.