By the Ticket Dismissal HQ editorial teamReviewed Oct 20, 2026Sources cited at the endNot legal advice
Florida doesn’t dismiss traffic tickets the way Texas does, but it offers something almost as good: elect traffic school within 30 days and the state withholds adjudication, assesses no points, cuts the fine by 18%, and your insurer can’t surcharge you for the ticket. The course is a 4-hour Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) class you can take online for under $30. These guides cover the election, the points system, what tickets cost, and where to look up or pay a citation.
Florida at a glance
- Regulator: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV)
- Law: Florida Statutes §318.14(9)
- Course: 4-hour Basic Driver Improvement (BDI), online, roughly $8–$35 plus state fee
- Election deadline: 30 days from the citation date, with the clerk of court in the county where you were cited
- Completion window: 60–90 days depending on the county
- Result: adjudication withheld, no points, fine reduced 18%, no insurance surcharge
- Limits: once per 12 months; 8 elections in a lifetime
- Not eligible: CDL holders; 30+ mph over the limit; citations that require a court hearing
Start here
- How to elect the BDI course — the 30-day rule, what to tell the clerk, deadlines, and the paperwork.
- Florida traffic school online — what the 4-hour course involves, what it costs, and which approved course to take.
- Florida points system — points per violation and the 12/18/24-point suspension thresholds.
- How much a speeding ticket costs — statutory fines by mph over, county add-ons, and the 30-over mandatory hearing.
Our pick: the course to take
DefensiveDriving.com Our pick
$8 + state fee- FLHSMV-approved 4-hour Basic Driver Improvement course, accepted by every Florida clerk of court
- $8 course price plus the state certificate processing fee; shortest course allowed by law
- Completion reported to the state; certificate mailed (FedEx available)
- Guarantee: they pay your ticket (up to $250) if the court refuses the certificate
- Online since 2000; 114,000+ reviews averaging 4.7/5
We may earn a commission if you enroll through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
More Florida guides
- Pay a Florida traffic ticket online (and what to do first)
- Florida traffic ticket lookup
- PayFLClerk: paying a Florida ticket online (read this first)
- Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI): the 12-hour course for suspensions
Florida traffic school FAQ
Does traffic school dismiss a ticket in Florida?
Not exactly. The citation stays on your record as “adjudication withheld,” but no points are assessed and insurers can’t raise your rate because of it. For practical purposes it’s as good as a dismissal.
Can I take Florida traffic school online?
Yes. FLHSMV approves online BDI courses and every county clerk accepts them.
Do I still pay the ticket if I go to traffic school?
Yes, but reduced by 18%. You pay the clerk the reduced civil penalty when you elect, plus the course fee to the school.
How many times can I elect traffic school in Florida?
Once in any 12-month period, counted from violation date to violation date, and eight times in your lifetime.
Sources: Florida Statutes §§318.14, 318.18, 322.27; Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; county clerk of court instructions. Rules and fees change; confirm with the clerk in the county of your citation.