In Florida, as with many other states, your driver’s license has a point system for traffic offenses. The more offenses that you accumulate in a particular period of time, the higher the points and the greater the chances are that you will be suspended.
Some states operate in which points are deducted from a set number. However, Florida adds multiple points for each violation. After accumulating these points over a period of time, the authorities automatically suspend your license which means that you are not allowed to drive a vehicle for a certain period of time.
What Happens if I Get a Points Assessment?
Although the police will not be watching you individually to ensure that you obey, if you are pulled over for any reason and the officer identifies that you have been driving on a suspended license, the consequences could be severe. You could even be looking at time in jail. The points that are accumulated on your license in Florida are not permanent.
The points stay on your license for up to 3 years but then they are removed. Your driving record will always show the history of the ticket but you do not have to worry about points from many years ago affecting your license now.
Any points that are accumulated in other states can also be added to your Florida driver’s license because of reciprocity rules. Nearly every state in the country has signed the reciprocity compact. This means that each state respects the other’s laws and will make sure that their citizens do the same. If a driver from outside of Florida receives a ticket in Florida, it will likely show on their home license and the same goes for if you accumulate tickets outside the state of Florida. Suspension of your license has to do with the accumulation of points and the period of time in which you got them. They include:
- 12 points in 12 months leads to a 30-day license suspension
- 18 points in 18 months gets you a 3-month suspension
- 24 points in 3 years gets a you a full year of suspended license
While there are other ways to get a license suspended, being aware of the points accumulating on the license can help you to avoid a license suspension.
You can always check on the Florida’s DMV website to find out how many points you’ve already accumulated. Receiving any ticket does not necessarily mean that you’ll have points on your license. Sometimes certain violations allow you to attend driving school, for example to get those points removed.
This does not delete the ticket from existing on your record, but you can eliminate or minimize points this way, in the event that you are concerned that you have already accumulated enough points to get a suspension. There are limits to this opportunity as well; you can only go to driving school voluntarily once in any 12-month period, and you cannot attend more than 5 times every 10 years. If you try to fight the ticket and the judge orders you to attend driving school, you have not used up your opportunity to choose driving school instead of points. If a judge orders driving school on Monday and you get a second ticket on Tuesday, you can still go to a driving school.
Other Penalties for Speeding Tickets in Florida
Speeding is the most common traffic violation given in Florida and more than 500,000 tickets are given every single year, and this is does not include the many people who are pulled over and given a warning by the officer.
If you were going 15 mph or less over the speed limit, pay the ticket or are found guilty, you’ll receive 3 points on your license plus a fine that varies that from one county to another.
If you were traveling 16 mph or more over the speed limit, pay the ticket or are found guilty, the fine will be higher and you will get up to 4 points on your license.
If caught going 30 mph or more, pay the ticket or are found guilty, this comes with a mandatory court date and failing to show up for the hearing could get your license suspended.
A third offense of this type is a third-degree felony which can lead to $5000 in fines and having your license revoked for up to 10 full years. Because of these serious consequences, you need to be prepared to talk to an experienced traffic ticket lawyer in Florida as soon as possible after the incident happens. Call 1-800-CITATION for a free consultation.
