Florida BDI Course for Out of State Drivers

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

The Florida BDI course for out of state drivers follows the same election rules as for Florida drivers, because s. 318.14(9) does not require a Florida license to elect. You must not hold a CDL or commercial learner’s permit, and you must have been driving a noncommercial vehicle. FLHSMV lists approved online providers, but the law says the course is attended “within this state,” so ask the clerk how that applies to you before you enroll.

Key Facts

License: the election law does not require a Florida license, but CDL and commercial learner’s permit holders cannot elect. See who can elect.
Same steps: elect within 30 days, tell the clerk, pay the clerk’s fee and get an 18 percent cut in the civil penalty. See same steps and results.
Online question: the statute says “within this state,” and no official source we read applies it to an online course taken from another state. See the within this state wording.
Hearing tickets: tickets that need a court hearing cannot be elected. See tickets you cannot elect.
Home state: Florida reports convictions to compact states, and your home state applies its own law. See your home state.

Who Can Elect With an Out-of-State License

The election rule is in s. 318.14, Florida Statutes. Subsection (9) opens with “Any person who does not hold a commercial driver license or commercial learner’s permit.” It then covers a person cited “while driving a noncommercial motor vehicle.”

The text does not say the person must hold a Florida license. So the license-state question is not one of the stated bars. These limits do apply:

No CDL or commercial learner’s permit, in any vehicle.
Not speeding 30 mph or more over the limit.
Not a ticket that needs a hearing under s. 318.19.
No election in the preceding 12 months.
No more than eight elections in a lifetime.

The lifetime limit was five before July 1, 2024. Some FLHSMV and clerk pages still say five, but the statute says eight.

A Note for Commercial Drivers

A person who holds a CDL or commercial learner’s permit cannot elect, even for a ticket in a personal car. If you hold a commercial license from another state, ask the clerk before you elect.

Federal rule 49 CFR 384.226 also bars states from masking a CDL or CLP holder’s conviction “in any type of motor vehicle.” Our guide on CDL holders and traffic school covers this in depth.

Same Steps and Results

Living out of state does not change the Florida steps. FLHSMV’s BDI provider page lists them:

Elect within 30 days of the citation date. You cannot elect after that.
Tell the clerk first. Inform the Clerk of Court in the county where the ticket was issued, before you attend.
Pay the clerk’s election fee. There is no statewide amount.

After a valid election, s. 318.14(9) sets the result. The civil penalty is still paid, but it is cut by 18 percent. Adjudication is withheld, and no points are assessed for that ticket.

Section 318.14(11) adds that a withheld adjudication “is not a conviction.” It is not a dismissal, though. The Escambia County Clerk says the record shows “adjudication withheld.”

The clerk in the county on your ticket handles your case. Call or write to that office, not one near your home. Our ticket election guide walks through each step.

The “Within This State” Wording

Here is the part that needs care. Section 318.14(9) says an eligible driver may “attend in the location of his or her choice within this state” an approved course.

FLHSMV also approves online courses. Under s. 318.1451, Florida Statutes, that includes “courses that use technology as a delivery method,” and online providers need statewide approval.

No official source we read says how “within this state” applies to an online course taken from another state. We will not guess. Ask the clerk in the county on your ticket before you enroll, and write down the answer.

Steps for an out-of-state driver handling a Florida ticket with the BDI course

Finding an Approved Provider

Start with the FLHSMV Approved BDI Course Providers list. Each row shows a name, a delivery method such as Classroom or Internet, and contact details. Some rows limit a provider to one county’s citations.

Every approved provider has the same filing duties under s. 318.1451(6)(f):

Report to FLHSMV within 5 days.
File with the clerk of the county where the ticket was issued, through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, within 3 days after getting the certificate number.

FLHSMV says to allow 24 to 72 hours for a completion to post. It also does not accept paper certificates for any licensing purpose. So you do not need to mail anything to Florida for the course itself, unless your clerk asks.

Tickets You Cannot Elect

Some tickets need a court hearing. Under s. 318.19, Florida Statutes, these cannot be paid or elected:

A crash causing death or serious bodily injury of another person.
Passing a stopped school bus on the side children enter and exit.
Certain load violations.
Speeding 30 mph or more over the limit.
Speeding 50 mph or more over the limit.

Criminal charges are outside the election rules too. Under s. 318.17, Florida Statutes, these include DUI, reckless driving, fleeing and leaving the scene of a crash.

Since July 1, 2025, going 50 mph or more over the limit, or 100 mph or more in a way that threatens people or property, is the crime of dangerous excessive speeding. If your citation shows a court date, follow it.

Your Home State and the Compact

Florida shares conviction reports with other states through the Driver License Compact. Under s. 322.44, Florida Statutes, a party state “shall report each conviction of a person from another party state” to the licensee’s home state.

What happens next is up to your home state. Under the compact law in s. 322.43, Florida Statutes and s. 322.44, the home state applies its own law. This article does not describe any other state’s rules.

Keep two Florida facts in mind when you ask:

Under Florida law, a withheld adjudication “is not a conviction” (s. 318.14(11)).
Paying without electing counts as a conviction under s. 322.01, Florida Statutes, as the Orange County Clerk also explains.

Ask your home state’s licensing agency how it treats a Florida withheld adjudication. Our guide to out-of-state drivers with a Florida ticket covers the compact in more detail.

If You Miss the Finish Date

The court or clerk sets the date to finish. There is no statewide window. The Hillsborough County Clerk gives 60 calendar days, and the Miami-Dade Clerk gives 120 days.

If you elect and do not finish in time, s. 318.15, Florida Statutes applies:

You are found guilty, and points are assessed.
You pay back the 18 percent plus a processing fee of up to $18.
The clerk notifies FLHSMV. These results come from s. 318.15(1)(b).

Separately, s. 318.15(1)(a) lists failing to attend driver improvement school among the failures the clerk reports to FLHSMV, which then suspends the license.

Clerk forms also say the election still counts toward your lifetime limit.

Florida BDI Course for Out of State Drivers: Questions for the Clerk

Distance makes clear answers more important. Before you enroll, ask the clerk in the county on your ticket:

Can I elect the BDI course for this ticket?
How do I tell you about my election and pay the election fee from out of state?
Does an online course taken from my home state meet the “within this state” wording?
What date must I finish by?
How can I confirm my completion was filed?

Keep the date, the name of the person you spoke with and the answers in one place.

Keep a Paper Trail From Afar

You cannot walk into the clerk’s office from another state, so records matter more. Keep these items together:

Your citation, with the citation number and county.
Proof of your election and of the fee and penalty you paid.
The clerk’s written finish date and any answers about online courses.
Your course certificate and the date you finished.

After you finish, allow 24 to 72 hours for the completion to post, as FLHSMV advises. Then confirm with the clerk that the provider filed it.

If something is missing, ask the provider first. Providers must keep course records for 5 years under s. 318.1451(5)(a).

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the statute and FLHSMV pages we checked on October 27, 2026, s. 318.14(9) named no Florida license requirement. It still contained the words “within this state.” No FLHSMV or clerk page we read explained how those words apply to an online course taken from another state.

The FLHSMV provider list showed Internet providers. It did not say where students must be when they take an online course.

Florida rules versus home state rules for an out-of-state driver who elects traffic school

Common Mistakes

Each item comes from Florida law or an FLHSMV or clerk page:

Calling your home state’s court. The clerk in the Florida county on the ticket handles the election.
Waiting past 30 days. FLHSMV says you cannot elect after the 30-day period.
Electing with a CDL. CDL and commercial learner’s permit holders cannot elect.
Starting before you ask about “within this state.” Get the clerk’s answer first.
Assuming your home state will ignore it. Your home state applies its own law.
Expecting a course to clear old points. A course does not remove points already on a record.

How Requirements Can Vary

Florida’s election rules, point values and suspension levels come from Florida Statutes and FLHSMV, and they apply statewide. The election fee, the date to finish the course and how proof is filed are set by the Clerk of Court in the county on your ticket, or by the court. A court order sets its own deadline and proof steps.

Laws, fees and clerk practice can change. Check your citation, your clerk’s instructions, any court order and the FLHSMV website before you enroll or file anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Florida license to elect traffic school?

No. Section 318.14(9) does not require a Florida license. You must not hold a CDL or commercial learner’s permit, and you must have been driving a noncommercial vehicle.

Can I take the Florida BDI course online from my home state?

The statute says the course is attended “within this state.” No official source we read explains how that applies to an online course taken from another state. Ask the clerk in the county on your ticket before you enroll.

Will my home state see the ticket?

Florida reports convictions to the home state when it is a compact member. Your home state then applies its own law. Ask your home state’s licensing agency how it treats a Florida withheld adjudication.

Is a withheld adjudication a conviction?

Under Florida law, s. 318.14(11) says it “is not a conviction.” It is not a dismissal, and the record shows “adjudication withheld.” Other states apply their own law.

Does the 18 percent reduction apply to out-of-state drivers?

Yes, if you make a valid election. Section 318.14(9) cuts the civil penalty by 18 percent for any eligible driver. You still pay the clerk’s election fee.

What if my ticket requires a court hearing?

Tickets listed in s. 318.19 cannot be paid or elected. Follow the court date on your citation, and contact the clerk with questions.

Does a Florida election count toward my lifetime limit?

Yes. Section 318.14(9) allows no more than eight elections in a lifetime and none within 12 months of the last one. Clerk forms say an election still counts even if you do not finish.

What if I hold a CDL from another state?

The election law bars anyone who holds a CDL or CLP, and federal rule 49 CFR 384.226 bars masking any CDL or CLP holder’s conviction. Ask the clerk before you elect.

Conclusion

Out-of-state drivers follow the same Florida election rules, and a Florida license is not one of them. Confirm you can elect, contact the clerk within 30 days and ask how “within this state” applies before you enroll.

Then ask your home state’s licensing agency how it treats a Florida withheld adjudication. When you are ready, you can take the Florida BDI course online.

Sources

Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, a driver improvement course provider serving Florida and other U.S. states.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Election rules, deadlines, fines and penalties depend on your citation, county, court and case facts, and they can change. Use official FLHSMV, Florida Statutes and Clerk of Court sources, and consult a qualified Florida attorney for advice about your own case.