Florida Traffic School Points: Does BDI Keep Points Off?

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

Florida traffic school points work this way: if you make a valid election and finish the course on time, adjudication is withheld and no points are assessed for that ticket. The election does not dismiss the ticket, and it does not take off points that are already on your record. If you pay without electing, or elect and do not finish, the points are entered.

Key Facts

Points for the elected ticket: none, if the election is valid and the course is done on time. See what an election does.
Not a dismissal: the record shows “adjudication withheld.” See does traffic school dismiss a ticket.
Old points: a course does not remove points already on your record. See points already on your record.
Paying instead: an admission, and points are entered. See paying without electing.
Insurance: an insurer may not surcharge, cancel or non-renew for an elected ticket, with one exception. See insurance.

What an Election Does to Points

The rule is in s. 318.14(9), Florida Statutes. When an eligible driver elects a Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course, “adjudication must be withheld.” The civil penalty is reduced by 18 percent. And “points, as provided by s. 322.27, may not be assessed.”

FLHSMV says it the same way on its BDI page: “Points may not be added to the driver license record and adjudication of guilt is withheld.”

Three things must happen for this result:

You are eligible. You hold no CDL or commercial learner’s permit, you were in a noncommercial vehicle, and the ticket is not left out by law.
You elect in time. You tell the clerk in the county on the ticket within 30 days of the citation date.
You finish on time. You complete an approved course by the date the clerk or court sets.

Does Traffic School Dismiss a Florida Ticket?

No. An election does not dismiss the ticket. It changes how the ticket ends.

Section 318.14(11) says that when adjudication is withheld, “such action is not a conviction.” The ticket still appears on your record, though. The Escambia County Clerk says the violation “will be entered on your driving record as an ‘adjudication withheld’.”

You also still pay. The civil penalty is due, at 18 percent less, along with the clerk’s election fee. So the best way to describe the result is “adjudication withheld, no points,” not “dismissed.”

Florida Traffic School Points You Avoid

The points you avoid are the ones the ticket would have added. Point values come from s. 322.27. Here are a few that apply to tickets an election can cover:

Ticket	Points if entered	Points after a valid election
Speeding 15 mph or less over	3	None for this ticket
Speeding more than 15 mph over, under 30	4	None for this ticket
Careless driving	3	None for this ticket
Other moving violations	3	None for this ticket

Note the speed line. Exactly 15 mph over is 3 points.

Only more than 15 over is 4 points. At 30 mph or more over, the ticket cannot be elected at all.

For every point value, see our points chart. For speeding alone, see speeding ticket points.

How one Florida ticket's points are decided, from a valid election to paying without electing

Why Avoided Points Matter

Points add up toward a suspension. Section 322.27 sets these levels and the longest suspension for each:

12 points in 12 months: up to 30 days.
18 points in 18 months: up to 3 months.
24 points in 36 months: up to 1 year.

These windows use offense dates. A simple example shows the math.

Three 4-point tickets in 12 months reach 12 points. If one of those tickets is elected and finished, it adds no points, and the total stays at 8.

Our guide to license suspension for points covers what happens at each level.

Young drivers face a lower bar. For a driver aged 15 to 17, 6 or more points in 12 months limits the license to “business purposes only” under s. 322.161. Our guide to teen driver points explains that rule.

Who Can Get the Point Benefit

Not every driver or ticket can use the election. Under s. 318.14(9), there is no election for:

CDL or CLP holders, for a ticket in any vehicle;
speeding 30 mph or more over the limit;
tickets that need a court hearing under s. 318.19;
crimes like DUI or reckless driving (s. 318.17).

The limits also apply. You cannot elect if you made an election in the preceding 12 months, or if you have made eight in your lifetime. See our guides to eligible violations and how many times you can elect.

Camera Tickets and Points

Some tickets carry no points to begin with. Under s. 322.27(3)(d), red light camera tickets and school zone speed camera tickets add no points. They also may not be used to set insurance rates.

So the point question does not arise for those tickets. Our guide to red light ticket points covers camera notices.

Points Already on Your Record

A course does not remove points already on your record. The election only keeps points off the one ticket you elect. No Florida law lets a BDI course take off old points.

FLHSMV’s points page says points “remain on the driver record for at least five years from the date of disposition.” That rule is separate from the suspension windows above.

There is only one deduction in the law. Under s. 322.27(3)(h), 3 points are deducted after a first points suspension, once the driver is reinstated. An FLHSMV court training document, Reading a Driving Record, says points added to the record cannot be removed unless the court that assigned them tells FLHSMV to remove them.

Our guide to getting points off your license covers this in depth. For time limits, see how long points stay.

How to See Your Points

Your driving record shows your points. You can order it from FLHSMV through the MyDMV Portal, or from a clerk or tax collector office.

A free online license status check also exists. It shows whether your license is valid, but it does not show points.

After an elected ticket, look for the “adjudication withheld” entry and no new points for it. Our guide to checking your points walks through the steps.

Paying Without Electing

Paying alone is not an election, and it brings points. Under s. 318.14(4)(b), a person who pays is “deemed to have admitted the infraction” and waives a hearing. Under s. 318.14(8), FLHSMV then enters “the proper number of points” on the record.

The Orange County Clerk says “Payment of the civil penalty is considered a conviction.” The definition of conviction in s. 322.01 includes an admission of a noncriminal infraction.

So if you plan to elect, the election must be made with the clerk, not by payment alone. Our election guide shows each step.

If You Elect and Do Not Finish

An unfinished course loses the point benefit. Section 318.15(1)(b) covers a driver who elects and pays but misses the course date. The driver is treated as admitting the ticket and is adjudicated guilty, and “points shall be assessed pursuant to s. 322.27.”

The person must also pay back the 18 percent reduction plus a processing fee of up to $18. Clerk forms say the election still counts toward your limit. See our completion deadline guide.

Insurance and an Elected Ticket

Florida insurance law protects an elected ticket. The rule is in s. 626.9541(1)(o). No insurer may “impose or request an additional premium, cancel a policy, or issue a nonrenewal notice” because of an infraction “when adjudication has been withheld and no points have been assessed.”

There is one exception. The rule does not apply to a crash where the insurer had a loss due to the insured’s fault.

A course taken for a ticket election does not earn a discount under s. 627.06501. That law covers driver improvement courses taken for other reasons. Our guide to tickets and car insurance has more.

What a Florida traffic school election changes and what it does not, from points to the record entry

What We Found on the Official Pages

Our October 27, 2026 review of FLHSMV and clerk pages found the point rule matched the statute. The FLHSMV BDI page said points may not be added and adjudication of guilt is withheld. The FLHSMV points page gave the 5-year rule.

None of the official pages we read said a BDI course takes points off a record. The Escambia County Clerk described the record entry as “adjudication withheld,” not a dismissal.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Each item comes from a statute, FLHSMV or a clerk page:

Calling the election a dismissal. The record shows “adjudication withheld.”
Expecting old points to go away. The election only covers the ticket you elect.
Paying without telling the clerk. Payment alone is an admission, and points follow.
Missing the finish date. Points are then assessed, and you repay the 18 percent.
Reading 15 over as 4 points. Exactly 15 over is 3 points; more than 15 is 4.
Expecting an insurance discount for the election course. Section 627.06501 does not apply to it.
Mixing up the two time rules. Points stay at least 5 years, but suspension windows use offense dates.
Expecting points from a camera ticket. Red light and school zone camera tickets add no points (s. 322.27(3)(d)).

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

Does traffic school keep points off my Florida license?

Yes, for the ticket you elect, if you are eligible, elect within 30 days and finish on time. Adjudication is withheld and no points are assessed for that ticket under s. 318.14(9).

Does traffic school dismiss a Florida ticket?

No. The ticket is entered as “adjudication withheld,” according to the Escambia County Clerk. You still pay the civil penalty, reduced by 18 percent.

Can traffic school take off points from an old ticket?

No. The election only affects the ticket you elect. Points already on your record stay at least 5 years from the disposition date, per FLHSMV.

Is a withheld adjudication a conviction?

Section 318.14(11) says a withheld adjudication “is not a conviction.” Paying the ticket without electing is different, since payment is deemed an admission.

Will an elected ticket raise my insurance?

Under s. 626.9541(1)(o), an insurer may not raise your premium, cancel or non-renew because of it. The exception is a crash where the insurer had a loss due to your fault.

What if I elected but did not finish the course?

You are found guilty and points are assessed under s. 318.15(1)(b). You also pay back the 18 percent reduction plus a processing fee of up to $18.

Do camera tickets carry points in Florida?

No. Under s. 322.27(3)(d), red light camera and school zone speed camera tickets add no points. They also may not be used to set insurance rates.

How many points would my ticket carry without an election?

It depends on the violation. For example, speeding 15 mph or less over is 3 points, and more than 15 over is 4 points, under s. 322.27.

Conclusion

A valid traffic school election keeps points off the one ticket you elect, and the record shows “adjudication withheld.” It does not dismiss the ticket or take off points already on your record. Drivers with a court order should follow that order and check with the court or clerk on any doubt. 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.