Florida Traffic School Online

The Florida Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course is a minimum of 4 hours. Online courses must enforce this minimum duration through timed sections — you cannot fast-forward or skip ahead. Most drivers complete the course in 4 to 5 hours, though you can log in and out and complete it across multiple sessions at your own pace.

Yes, Florida allows drivers to complete the Basic Driver Improvement course 100% online. The course must be offered by a DHSMV-approved provider. You can take the course from any computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access, at any time of day or night. There is no requirement to attend in person.

The traffic school course itself typically costs between $25 and $50, depending on the provider. However, this is not the only cost. You must also pay a court election fee (typically $16 to $20) to notify the clerk of court that you are electing traffic school. And you must still pay the full fine amount for your ticket. The total cost is the ticket fine plus the election fee plus the course fee.

Traffic school does not remove points from your Florida DMV driving record. What it does is prevent the points from being reported to your insurance company. The violation and points still appear on your official DHSMV driving record, but your insurer will not see them as long as you complete the course by the deadline. This means your insurance rates should not increase from the ticket.

Florida law limits traffic school elections to once every 12 months and a maximum of five times in your lifetime. This applies to the Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course elected under Florida Statute 318.14(9). If you have already used your annual election, you cannot elect traffic school again until 12 months have passed from your last election date.

It depends on your situation. Traffic school hides points from your insurance company, which can save you hundreds per year in premium increases. However, you still pay the full fine and the violation remains on your DHSMV record. If you have a strong defense, fighting your ticket could result in a full dismissal — no fine, no points, nothing on your record at all. An attorney can evaluate whether fighting gives you a better outcome than traffic school.

If you elect traffic school but fail to complete the course by the court-imposed deadline (typically 60 to 90 days), the court will adjudicate you guilty of the original violation. This means points will be added to your license, your insurance company will be notified, and you may face additional late fees or penalties. Some courts allow a one-time extension if you request it before the deadline, but this is not guaranteed.

Yes, you can elect traffic school for most civil traffic infractions in Florida, including speeding tickets. However, there are exceptions. If you were cited for a criminal traffic offense, if you hold a commercial driver's license (CDL), or if you have already elected traffic school within the past 12 months, you are not eligible. Speeding tickets involving school zones or construction zones may have additional restrictions depending on the county.

Yes. Electing traffic school does not eliminate or reduce your fine. You must pay the full fine amount for your citation, plus a court election fee (typically $16 to $20), plus the cost of the traffic school course itself ($25 to $50). Traffic school only prevents the points from being reported to your insurance company — it does not affect the financial penalty.