By the Ticket Dismissal HQ editorial teamReviewed Oct 20, 2026Sources cited at the endNot legal advice
In Florida, the way to keep a traffic ticket off your license is to elect a Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course. You tell the clerk of court within 30 days that you’re choosing traffic school, pay a reduced fine, complete a 4-hour online course, and the clerk withholds adjudication: no points, no insurance surcharge. It’s a right under Florida Statutes §318.14(9), not a favor from a judge. Here’s exactly how to do it.
Quick answer
- Deadline: elect within 30 days of the citation date, with the clerk of court in the county where you were cited (online, by mail, or in person).
- Pay: the civil penalty reduced by 18%, plus any county add-ons, when you elect.
- Take: an FLHSMV-approved 4-hour BDI course. Our pick: DefensiveDriving.com ($8 plus the state fee).
- Finish within: 60 or 90 days of your election, depending on the county. The school reports completion electronically; check the clerk’s portal to confirm.
- Result: adjudication withheld, no points, insurer barred from raising your premium for it.
- Limits: once per 12 months, eight times per lifetime; not for CDL holders or 30+ mph over.
Who can elect BDI
- You were cited for a non-criminal moving violation (speeding under 30 over, running a red light or stop sign, careless driving, improper lane change, and the like). Non-moving violations such as license, registration or insurance issues are handled differently and aren’t eligible.
- You don’t hold a commercial driver’s license.
- The ticket is not for 30 mph or more over the limit (those require a court appearance and can’t be resolved by election).
- You haven’t elected traffic school in the past 12 months, counted from violation date to violation date.
- You’ve elected fewer than eight times in your lifetime.
- The citation doesn’t require a mandatory hearing (a crash with injuries, for example).
You qualify? Start the course →
Step by step
- Find your clerk of court. It’s the clerk for the county named on the citation, not where you live. Every Florida clerk has an online traffic portal; search “[county] clerk of court traffic citation.”
- Elect the course within 30 days. On the portal, choose the “elect driver improvement school” or “school election” option (some counties call it an affidavit). You can also elect by mail or in person. Do this before you take the course.
- Pay the reduced civil penalty. The clerk collects the fine minus 18%, plus statutory county costs. This is due at election; some counties allow a short grace period.
- Take an approved BDI course. 4 hours, online, self-paced. Any school on FLHSMV’s approved list is accepted statewide. Our pick is DefensiveDriving.com: $8 plus the state processing fee, with a guarantee to pay your ticket if the court rejects the certificate.
- Confirm the school reported it. Florida schools must file completions electronically with the clerk. Log in to the clerk’s portal a few days after finishing and check that the case shows the certificate. If your county also wants a paper certificate, mail it before the deadline.
Day 30 is a hard stop. If you pay the ticket without electing, you’ve admitted the infraction and points are assessed; you can’t switch to traffic school afterward. If 30 days pass with no action, the clerk reports you to FLHSMV and your license is suspended for failure to comply, with a reinstatement fee on top.
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.
What it costs
| Item | Just pay the ticket | Elect BDI |
|---|---|---|
| Civil penalty (e.g., 10–14 over) | ≈ $200–$210 with county costs | Same, minus 18% of the base fine |
| Course | — | $8–$35 plus state fee |
| Points | 3 or 4 | 0 |
| Adjudication | Guilty | Withheld |
| Insurance | Surcharge likely for 3 years | Barred by statute for this citation |
For most drivers the course costs less than the 18% it saves on the fine, so electing BDI is cheaper than paying outright even before counting insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to go to court to elect traffic school in Florida?
No. The election is made with the clerk, usually online, and no hearing is involved.
Can I elect traffic school after the 30 days?
Only with a judge’s permission, by requesting a hearing. Some judges allow it; don’t count on it.
Does BDI remove points already on my license?
No. It prevents points for the cited violation only. Nothing removes existing points except time.
Can I take the 4-hour course before I elect?
Don’t. Elect first, then take the course, so the completion is matched to the citation.
What if I’m an out-of-state driver?
You can still elect BDI with the Florida clerk; Florida then reports “adjudication withheld” to your home state, which decides how to treat it.
How do I submit my traffic school certificate in Florida?
Usually you don’t: approved schools report completion electronically to the clerk. Check the clerk’s portal a few days later to confirm, and keep your certificate in case the county asks for a copy.
What happens if I don’t complete BDI in Florida?
If you elect but don’t finish within the county’s deadline, the clerk enters the conviction, points are assessed, and you may owe the remaining penalty and a late fee. Unpaid amounts can lead to a license suspension.
What does “BDI for TCAC” mean?
It refers to the Basic Driver Improvement course when taken for a traffic citation (court-elected). It’s the same 4-hour BDI course.
Sources: Florida Statutes §318.14(9)–(11); Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Basic Driver Improvement; county clerk of court election instructions (completion windows vary by county).