School Zone Speeding Ticket Florida: Fines and Points

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

On a school zone speeding ticket Florida law sets a $50 fine for 1 to 5 mph over and doubles the regular speeding fine above that. In a posted construction zone, the fine doubles only when workers are present or operating equipment. Points do not change in either zone, and the Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) election is open unless another rule excludes the ticket.

Key Facts

School zone fine: $50 for up to 5 mph over; double the regular fine above that. See school zone fines.
Work zone fine: doubled only when posted and workers are present or operating equipment. See work zone fines.
Points: the same 3 or 4 points as any speeding ticket; phone use in a school safety zone adds 2. See points.
Cameras: school zone cameras ticket at more than 10 mph over, with a $100 fine and no points. See school zone cameras.
BDI: you can elect unless the ticket is excluded, such as 30 mph or more over. See BDI options.

School Zone Speed Limits and Their Hours

A school zone has its own lower limit. Section 316.1895 sets the range:

The limit “may not be less than 15 miles per hour except by local regulation.”
In an urbanized area, it may not be more than 20 mph.

The lower limit does not run all day. The statute says it “may be in force only during those times 30 minutes before, during, and 30 minutes after” the periods it lists. The posted signs show when it applies.

A school zone speeding violation “must be cited as a moving violation.” That makes it a noncriminal moving violation, like other speeding tickets.

What a School Zone Speeding Ticket Florida Drivers Get Costs

Section 318.18(3) has two school zone rules:

A driver cited for up to 5 mph over in a posted school zone “will be fined $50.”
Above that, a driver speeding in a school zone or designated school crossing pays “double the amount” of the regular fine.

Here is how those rules play out in a school zone. These are civil penalties before court costs.

School zone ticket	Fine rule
Officer ticket, 1 to 5 mph over	A flat $50
Officer ticket, 6 mph or more over	Double the regular fine for that speed
Officer ticket, 30 mph or more over	Double the regular fine, and a hearing is required
Camera ticket, more than 10 mph over	$100, with no points

The regular fine for each speed, which the doubling starts from, is in our speeding ticket cost guide. That guide also covers court costs.

Work Zone Fines

Work zones have their own speed rule. Section 316.183 says “No driver of a vehicle shall exceed the posted maximum speed limit in a work zone area.”

The fine doubles only when two conditions are met. Section 318.18(3) calls these construction zones:

The posting. The sign must include “notification of the speed limit and the doubling of fines.”
The workers. Construction personnel must be present, or operating equipment, on the road or immediately next to it.

If no workers are present, the regular fine applies. The doubling depends on workers being there.

Work Zones and Wireless Devices

The FLHSMV Driver Improvement Schools page lists a separate wireless communications device course. It says drivers with certain phone tickets “in a school or work zone” may elect it. That course is not the BDI course.

Points Do Not Change

Points for speeding come from s. 322.27(3)(d). The zone does not raise them:

15 mph over or less: 3 points.
More than 15 mph over: 4 points.
Speeding that causes a crash: 6 points.

There is one extra rule for phones. Unlawful use of a wireless communications device in a school safety zone adds 2 points, on top of the points for the moving violation.

FLHSMV says points stay on the record for at least 5 years from the disposition date, per its points page. Our guide to speeding ticket points covers them in depth.

Steps that set a Florida school zone or work zone speeding fine, from the zone to the points

School Zone Cameras

Some school zones use speed cameras. Section 316.1896 allows them to ticket a driver going “in excess of 10 miles per hour over the school zone speed limit.”

The camera window includes the time “within 30 minutes before through 30 minutes after the start of a regularly scheduled school session.”

A camera ticket has its own rules:

Fine: $100, under s. 318.18(3).
Points: none, under s. 322.27(3)(d)5.c.
Insurance: the violation “may not be used for purposes of setting motor vehicle insurance rates.”

A school zone ticket from a police officer is different. It follows the $50 or doubled fine and the usual points.

Can You Elect BDI?

Yes, if the ticket is not excluded. School and work zone tickets are not on the s. 318.14(9) exclusion list as a group. The usual rules decide.

Section 318.14(9) shuts the door in these cases:

Commercial license. A CDL or CLP holder cannot elect, whatever vehicle was involved.
High speed. A zone ticket at 30 mph or more over the limit is out.
Hearing ticket. Any infraction listed in s. 318.19 is out.
Recent election. An election within the preceding 12 months blocks a new one.
Lifetime cap. Eight elections is the limit; it was five until July 1, 2024.

If you elect, adjudication is withheld and no points are assessed for that ticket. The civil penalty under s. 318.18(3) is cut by 18 percent, and you still pay the rest.

The first step is the clerk. FLHSMV says to tell the clerk of court where the ticket was written, inside the 30-day window and before the course, and to pay the clerk’s election fee.

The FLHSMV BDI page lists these steps. Our list of eligible violations has more detail.

Two Simple Fine Examples

These examples use only the statute’s numbers. They show the civil penalty before court costs.

12 mph over in a school zone during posted hours. The regular fine for 10 to 14 mph over is $100, so the school zone fine is $200. The ticket carries 3 points.
18 mph over in a posted construction zone with workers present. The regular fine for 15 to 19 mph over is $150, so the doubled fine is $300. The ticket carries 4 points.

If no workers were present in the second example, the fine would stay at the regular $150. The 4 points would not change.

If you elect BDI on either ticket, the civil penalty is cut by 18 percent and no points are assessed.

High Speeds in a Zone

Very high speeds add more rules, in a zone or not:

30 mph or more over: s. 318.19 requires a hearing, and no BDI election is allowed.
50 mph or more over: s. 318.19 also requires a hearing. Since July 1, 2025, this can also be dangerous excessive speeding under s. 316.1922, a criminal offense.

Court Costs Come on Top

The fines above are civil penalties only. Court costs set by s. 318.18(12) are added, such as $35 for a moving infraction.

Section 318.121 limits what else can be added. It says other “additional fees, fines, surcharges, or costs” may not be added beyond those the law allows. Your clerk can tell you the exact amount for your ticket.

Insurance and Zone Tickets

The camera rule is the clearest. Section 322.27 bars insurers from using a school zone camera violation to set auto insurance rates.

An officer-written zone ticket follows the general insurance rules. Under s. 626.9541(1)(o)4, an insurer may not surcharge or refuse to renew solely for one noncriminal infraction. The exceptions include a second infraction in 18 months and speeding more than 15 mph over.

After a valid BDI election with adjudication withheld and no points, s. 626.9541(1)(o)12 says an insurer may not raise the premium, cancel or non-renew because of that ticket. An at-fault crash where the insurer had a loss is the exception. Our guide to traffic tickets and car insurance explains these rules.

Missing a Deadline

Zone tickets follow the same deadlines as other tickets. You have 30 days from the citation date to respond, and the court or clerk sets the date to finish the course if you elect.

Missing either date has costs under s. 318.15:

No response. If you do not pay, do not appear at a scheduled hearing, or do not attend the school, the clerk notifies FLHSMV, which must issue a suspension order.
Course not finished. If you elected and paid but did not finish in time, you are adjudicated guilty and points are assessed. You also repay the 18 percent cut plus a processing fee of up to $18.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the statute pages we checked on October 27, 2026, s. 318.18(3) still set the $50 school zone fine and the double-fine rules. The construction zone rule still required posted notice and workers present.

Section 316.1896 still used the “in excess of 10 miles per hour” camera threshold. Section 322.27 still said no points for camera-enforced school zone speeding.

Florida school zone and work zone speeding rules at a glance: fines, worker rule, camera threshold and points

Common Mistakes

Each item below comes from a Florida statute or an FLHSMV page:

Expecting more points in a zone. The zone changes the fine, not the points.
Assuming every work zone doubles. It needs a posted notice and workers present or operating equipment.
Thinking 1 to 5 over is doubled. It is a flat $50.
Treating a camera ticket like an officer ticket. The camera fine is $100 with no points.
Assuming zone tickets cannot be elected. The usual s. 318.14(9) rules decide.
Forgetting the phone rule. Illegal phone use in a school safety zone adds 2 points.

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

Are school zone speeding fines doubled in Florida?

Yes, above 5 mph over. Up to 5 mph over in a posted school zone is a flat $50 fine. Above that, the fine is double the regular amount, before court costs.

Are work zone speeding fines doubled in Florida?

Only in a posted construction zone with a notice of doubled fines, and only when workers are present or operating equipment. Otherwise the regular fine applies.

Do school zone tickets add extra points?

No. Speeding is 3 points at 15 mph over or less and 4 points above that, in a zone or not. Illegal phone use in a school safety zone adds 2 points.

Can I take traffic school for a school zone ticket?

You can elect BDI unless the ticket is excluded under s. 318.14(9). For example, you cannot elect at 30 mph or more over, or if you hold a CDL.

How much is a school zone camera ticket?

The fine is $100 under s. 318.18(3). No points are imposed, and the violation may not be used to set insurance rates.

When do school zone speed limits apply?

Only at set times around the school periods listed in s. 316.1895. The posted signs show when the lower limit is in force.

What if no workers were in the work zone?

Then the fine is not doubled. Section 318.18(3) doubles construction zone fines only when personnel are present or operating equipment on or next to the road. The usual points still apply.

Conclusion

School and work zones change the fine, not the points. Check the speed, the zone and whether workers were present, then look at the 30-day options on your ticket.

For an eligible zone ticket, the clerk comes first and the course second. After the clerk accepts your election, 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.