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Florida uses what we call a “point system.” A point system is a method of assigning points to certain traffic violations to help authorities track drivers’ driving habits. These points are listed out in a point schedule, a table of violations and their corresponding points. Get too many points on your license at the same time and you’re in for some hefty penalties.
How Many Points Will Suspend a License in Florida
There are three tiers of suspensions that can find their way into your life depending on how many points you get. These suspensions can range from 30 days to one full year.
If you earn 12 points within 12 months, you can expect to have your license suspended for up to 30 days. Six more points in six months (18 total points in 18 total months) and you’re looking at a three-month suspension. That’s bad enough as-is, but the worst is yet to come. If you earn 24 points within 36 months (three years), you will have your driver license suspended for up to 12 months.
Minors License Suspension
For drivers under the age of 18 years old, the rules are a little different. Minors can have their licenses restricted after earning six or more points within one year. Note that we said, “restricted,” and not “suspended.” This restriction period will allow minors to drive for business purposes only.
During that 12-month restriction period, any additional points will extend the restriction period by another three months (90 days) for each point received.
Revoked License
Driver license suspensions and revocations are often talked about hand in hand because of how similar they are. But the differences between the two are important to know. Here’s the biggest one: When your driver license is suspended, you can eventually get it back. However, when your driver license is revoked, you can never get it back. Instead, you’ll have to go through the process of getting an entirely new license.
Florida’s state government will revoke your license if you are convicted of 15 or more point-inducing violations or major offenses within a five-year period.
Points from Other States for Florida Drivers
If a driver holds a Florida driver license and is found guilty of committing a traffic violation in another state, the out-of-state ticket will likely be sent to Florida and added to the driver’s Florida driving record.
Points will then be added to the Florida driver’s driver license if the ticket is considered a point-inducing violation according to Florida’s state laws. That means that out-of-state tickets for violations such as speeding, careless driving, or causing a car accident can (and likely will) affect your Florida driver license.
Hardship License
Sometimes, the state of Florida will show mercy on drivers who have had their driver licenses’ suspended. It does so by granting them a hardship license, a license that restricts their driving privileges to employment and business purposes only. That is, they can drive to and from work but nowhere else.
How to Apply for a Hardship License
To apply for a hardship license, you’ll need to go to an Administrative Reviews Office and fill out the necessary paperwork. You can find a list of Administrative Reviews Offices on the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ website.
In order for your application to be considered, it must include the following information:
- A certificate of completion of an Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) course.
- Payment for a reinstatement fee.
- Payment for other applicable licensing fees.
Points and Their Violation
There are quite a few violations that can add points to your driver license in Florida. Here are a few of the most common point-inducing violations in the state:
| DESCRIPTION | POINTS |
| RECKLESS DRIVING | 4 |
| CRASH – Leaving scene without giving information more than $50 damage (specify amount) | 6 |
| CRASH – Fail to leave information UNATTENDED vehicle – property damage | 6 |
| CARELESS DRIVING | 3 |
| SPEEDING | 3 |
| Violation of 316.183(2), 316.187, or 316.189, Speed in excess of 50 MPH | 4 |
| TOO fast for conditions | 3 |
| Passing on enter/exit side while bus is stopped [See 318.19(3) Mandatory Hearing Required] | 4 |
| SCHOOL BUS – failure to stop for (school election available to have adjudication withheld) | 4 |
| Fail to stop at STEADY RED signal, one-way street, before making left turn | 4 |
| Fail to obey traffic control signal (Failed to stop at traffic signal/red light) | 4 |
| Fail to stop at STEADY RED signal | 3 |
| Failed to yield right-of-way to pedestrian | 3 |
| TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE Fail to obey traffic control device (sign) | 3 |
| FAILED TO YIELD | 3 |
| BACKING – improper | 3 |
| CHILD RESTRAINT – Infant thru 3 years MUST be in SEPARATE carrier, 4-5 years in carrier/seat belt. Applies to ANY location in vehicle (Driver to be cited) | 3 |
| Child Restraint required | 3 |
How to Reinstate Your License
In order to reinstate a suspended Florida driver license, you must first wait until the suspension period has expired. Then you can apply for the reinstatement of your license by submitting a certificate of completion of an ADI course to the DMV and paying a reinstatement fee. You might also have to pay other licensing fees, depending on the county in which you live.
How Long Do Points Stay on My Record?
Points remain active on your Florida driver license for up to 36 months after the date you pay your ticket’s balance in full. See the below example for more information:
If you get a ticket on January 2, 2022, and pay it on January 20, 2022, those points will remain active on your driver license until January 20, 2025.
How Do I Remove Points from My Record?
Three years is a long time to wait with points on your record. If you’re looking to have a couple knocked off your record, you should enroll in a Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) program. To remove a violation from your record, you must notify the court of your intention to take a BDI course no more than 30 days after the date of your conviction.
You can only take a BDI course five times in your lifetime, so use each opportunity wisely.
