How to Remove Points from a Driving License in Florida

If you want to maintain your driving privileges in Florida state, you should know how the points system works. This helps you keep a clean driving record. It’s also important to know how to remove points from a driving license in Florida. There are options if you do get points.

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in Florida is responsible for tracking point violations on your Florida driving record.

How the Florida Point System Works

Most common traffic violations in Florida law are assigned a number value that are recorded as points. Those points are given to keep track of infractions. If you get a set amount of infractions within a set amount of time, you can lose some to all of your driving privileges.

How many points you get for an infraction of Florida law depends on the infraction itself, and the length of suspension depends on the number of points. Getting 12 points within 12 months leads to a 30 day suspension, 18 points within 18 months is a 3 month suspension, and 24 points within 36 months is a year-long suspension.

Common Florida Point Infractions

The most common infractions that lead to points against your license in Florida are:

• Speeding
  • Up to 15 MPH over the limit = 3 points
  • Over 15 MPH above the limit = 4 points
  • Speeding resulting in an accident = 6 points
• Driving with an open alcohol container = 3 points
• Child safety restraint violations = 3 points
• Littering = 3 points
• Fleeing from the scene of an accident with property damage over $50 = 6 points
• Reckless driving = 4 points
• Collision caused by a moving violation = 4 points
• Passing a stopped school bus = 4 points

How long those points remain on your record depends on the severity of the infraction. They will generally stay on your record for 3 – 5 years. The most serious infractions can remain on your record for ten years or more. If you don’t want to wait that long to clear them up, then one way you can reduce your number of points is through traffic school and defensive driving courses.

Florida Traffic School

Certain traffic violations may require you to attend a state-approved drive improvement course. This course may lead to the points being taken off of your license. The kind of traffic school course you have to take depends on the offense in question. The categories of driver improvement courses for Florida are:

• Basic driver improvement classes
  • For most infractions, including;
    • Reckless driving
    • Passing a stopped school bus
    • Speed violations
    • Collisions where you are the one at fault
• 3-in-3 driver change course
  • This is required if you commit 3 violations that cause a crash within 36 months
    • This includes behind-the-wheel training and an assessment to complete the course
• Advanced driver improvement
  • Required for individuals that have their license suspended or ordered to attend through a court order
  • For non-DUI offenses

Please note that while these defensive driving courses can help you get points taken off of your license, you may need to a separate program if you have a violation related to getting a DUI. There are also restrictions on traffic school programs. You can only attend them five times in your life time, and only one time every 12 months. If you hold a commercial driver’s license, then you are not eligible to remove points through a driver improvement course and must wait for the points to expire over time.