Traffic tickets in Florida: points, fines and traffic school
How Florida treats a traffic ticket: whether the points stick, whether a course can clear it, what the fine really costs, and which court or agency actually handles it. Prefer your own city? Jump to the 5 Florida city guides below.
1Do points matter in Florida?
Florida adds 3, 4 or 6 points per moving violation and suspends at 12 points in 12 months, 18 in 18, or 24 in 36. Points stay on your record three years.2Can you keep it off your record?
Florida lets you elect a 4-hour Basic Driver Improvement course to keep points off your record, generally within 30 days of the citation and once in a 12-month period. That election is the single biggest decision on a Miami moving violation.Compare how traffic school works in every state we cover →
3What will it cost?
A fine in Florida is set by statute or by the court named on your citation — never by the officer who wrote it. Here is where the real number comes from:
Florida's fine comes from the statewide penalty schedule plus county surcharges, printed on your citation. The Clerk of Courts collects it, not a city court.4Who handles your ticket in Florida?
Florida traffic infractions are county cases, not city ones: the Clerk of Courts for the county where you were cited collects the fine, takes your school election and sets your hearing. A city police officer can write the ticket, but the Clerk handles it.Check your licence status and driving record with FLHSMV - Florida driver licences and records.
Pick your city in Florida
Same six questions on every page, in the same order: where to pay, whether to fight it, traffic school, and when a lawyer is worth it.
Common questions
Can traffic school keep a Florida ticket off my record?
Yes, if you elect it in time: Florida lets you take a 4-hour Basic Driver Improvement course instead of paying points — adjudication is withheld and no points are assessed. You generally have 30 days from the citation, once in a 12-month period.
How many points suspend a Florida licence?
Florida adds 3, 4 or 6 points per moving violation and suspends at 12 points in 12 months, 18 in 18 months or 24 in 36 months. Points stay on your record three years.
How much is a Florida traffic ticket?
The fine comes from a statewide penalty schedule plus county surcharges, and it is printed on your citation. The Clerk of Courts in that county collects it.
Informational only, not legal advice. Rules, deadlines and fine schedules change — always confirm the detail with the court or agency named on your ticket. Last checked 2026-10-12.