How Much Is Traffic School in Florida? BDI Course Costs

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

If you searched how much is traffic school in Florida, there is no single statewide price for the BDI course, because each approved provider sets its own course fee. Florida law adds a $2.50 state assessment fee on top of that fee, and approved providers must disclose all of their fees. Your ticket costs, such as the civil penalty and the clerk’s election fee, are separate from the course price.

Key Facts

Course price: no statewide price; each provider sets its own fee. See no single price.
State fee: $2.50, collected on top of the course fee. See the state fee.
Disclosure: approved providers must disclose all fees. See fee disclosure.
Ticket costs: the civil penalty drops 18 percent after an election, and the clerk charges an election fee. See ticket costs.
Late finish: you pay back the 18 percent plus a processing fee of up to $18. See the cost of missing your date.

No Single Statewide Price

Florida law does not set a price for the Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course. Each approved provider sets its own fee.

The Escambia County Clerk says it plainly: “The costs for the Basic Driver Improvement Course vary depending on which course you choose to attend.” The Hillsborough County Clerk says the course is “an expense separate from your traffic ticket penalty.”

So the cost question has two parts. One part is what you pay the provider. The other is what you pay the clerk for the ticket.

How Much Is Traffic School in Florida: The Parts

Each cost has its own source and its own payee. This table shows who sets each one:

Cost	Who you pay	Who sets the amount
Course fee	The provider	The provider, with all fees disclosed
State assessment fee	The provider, which collects it	Florida law: $2.50
Civil penalty	The clerk	s. 318.18, cut 18 percent after an election
Election fee	The clerk	The clerk, with no statewide amount
Court costs	Added to the ticket	Florida law, such as $35 for a moving infraction

The sections below explain each line. None of them adds up to a single statewide total, because the course fee and the election fee differ.

The State Assessment Fee

Section 318.1451(4) adds one fixed charge. It says: “In addition to a regular course fee, an assessment fee in the amount of $2.50 shall be collected by the school.”

The fee applies to each person who attends a course under four laws:

s. 318.14(9): the ticket election.
s. 322.0261: courses FLHSMV requires after certain crashes or convictions.
s. 322.291: Advanced Driver Improvement after certain suspensions.
s. 627.06501: courses taken for an insurance discount.

So the $2.50 is on top of the course fee, not part of it. The school collects it from you.

Fee Disclosure Rules

Approved providers must be open about cost. Under s. 318.1451(6)(h), a provider must “disclose all fees associated with courses offered by the provider.” The same subsection says it must issue a certificate to people who successfully complete the course.

Before you pay, look for the full amount you will be charged, including the $2.50 state fee. If a fee is not shown, ask the provider before you enroll.

Approval itself is free to check. FLHSMV’s BDI provider list shows names, delivery methods and contact details, not prices. Our guide on how to choose a course lists other checks.

The cost steps of a Florida ticket election, from the civil penalty to the course fee and a late finish

Ticket Costs Are Separate

The course fee does not pay your ticket. The ticket has its own costs under s. 318.18:

Moving violations: the civil penalty is $60 for moving violations that do not require a court appearance, unless s. 318.18 sets another amount.
Speeding: civil penalties run from $25 for 6 to 9 mph over up to $250 for 30 mph or more over.
Court costs: costs set by law are added, such as $35 for a moving infraction. Section 318.121 limits other added costs.

Our speeding ticket cost guide has the full speeding table. Ticket totals depend on the county and the citation, so read your citation or ask the clerk.

What the Election Changes

An election lowers one part of the ticket. Under s. 318.14(9), the civil penalty imposed by s. 318.18(3) “must be reduced by 18 percent.” You still pay the reduced amount to the clerk.

FLHSMV notes a second charge. Drivers “must also pay an election fee to the clerk of court in the county where the citation was issued.” No statewide amount for it appears on the FLHSMV page.

Paying Versus Electing: The Cost Pieces

The two paths have different cost pieces. This table compares them for one eligible ticket:

Item	Pay the ticket only	Elect the BDI course
Civil penalty	The full amount	Reduced by 18 percent
Clerk’s election fee	Not charged	Charged, amount set locally
Course fee and $2.50 state fee	Not charged	Charged by the provider
Points for that ticket	Added	None assessed

Paying without electing counts as a conviction, and points are added, under s. 322.01 and the Orange County Clerk. A third path is a hearing, where the official may impose a civil penalty of up to $500 under s. 318.14(5).

This page does not tell you which path to take. Our guide to ticket options explains each one, and the clerk or a Florida attorney can help with your own case.

Who Cannot Use the Election

The election costs above apply only to drivers who can elect. Under s. 318.14(9), these drivers cannot:

holders of a CDL or a commercial learner’s permit, in any vehicle;
drivers cited for speeding 30 mph or more over the limit;
drivers with a ticket that needs a court hearing under s. 318.19;
drivers who elected in the preceding 12 months or have made eight elections.

If one of these applies, the course fee does not buy an election. Check with the clerk in the county on your ticket.

The Cost of Missing Your Date

The court or clerk sets your finish date. A late finish after an election triggers s. 318.15(1)(b).

You must pay the clerk the 18 percent you saved, plus a processing fee of up to $18. The statute then says no additional penalties, court costs or surcharges may be imposed for that violation. You are also found guilty, and points are added.

The Miami-Dade Clerk lists an $18 “Processing Fee for Failure to Complete Driving School.” Also, 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. See our completion deadline guide.

Dollar amounts in Florida law that touch traffic school, from the $2.50 state fee to the $18 processing fee

Costs Outside a Ticket Election

Not everyone takes the course for a ticket election. The cost pieces change with the reason:

FLHSMV notice under s. 322.0261. There is no election and no 18 percent cut. The $2.50 state fee still applies, and you must finish within 90 days after the notice.
Court order. The court sets the terms. Read the order for any fee or proof it requires.
ADI after a suspension. Advanced Driver Improvement is a different course, and the $2.50 state fee also applies to it.

In each case, the provider must still disclose all fees. Our complete BDI guide explains the reasons for taking the course.

Questions to Ask Before You Pay

Two offices hold the answers to your cost questions. Ask each one the questions that match its role.

Ask the provider:

What is the full amount, including the $2.50 state fee?
Are any other fees charged, and when?

Ask the clerk in the county on your ticket:

What is the election fee?
What is my civil penalty after the 18 percent cut, and what court costs apply?
What is my finish date?

Insurance Is a Separate Question

Insurance does not change the course price, but it is part of the cost picture. Florida’s unfair insurance practices law, s. 626.9541(1)(o), bars an insurer from raising the premium, canceling or non-renewing over a ticket with adjudication withheld and no points under s. 318.14(9). The exception is a crash where the insurer had a loss due to your fault.

A course taken for a ticket election does not earn the driver improvement discount in s. 627.06501. Our insurance discount guide explains both laws.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the FLHSMV and clerk pages we checked on October 27, 2026, no page listed a statewide course price. The FLHSMV provider list showed names, delivery methods and contact information only.

FLHSMV said drivers pay an election fee to the clerk but gave no amount. Escambia said course costs vary by course, and Hillsborough called the course a separate expense.

The Miami-Dade Clerk listed an $18 processing fee for failing to complete driving school. That matches the top of the range in s. 318.15(1)(b).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Each item comes from Florida law, FLHSMV or a clerk page:

Expecting one statewide price. Each provider sets its own course fee.
Forgetting the $2.50. The state assessment is added to the course fee.
Paying the full ticket by mistake. Paying without electing counts as a conviction, and points are added.
Thinking the course fee covers the ticket. The civil penalty and election fee go to the clerk.
Missing the finish date. You repay the 18 percent plus up to $18, and points are added.
Counting on a discount from an elected course. Section 627.06501 excludes it.

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

How much is traffic school in Florida?

There is no single statewide price. Each approved provider sets its course fee, and a $2.50 state assessment fee is added on top.

Is the $2.50 fee part of the course price?

No. Section 318.1451(4) says it is collected “in addition to a regular course fee.” The school collects it from you.

How much is the clerk’s election fee?

FLHSMV says drivers must pay an election fee to the clerk, but no statewide amount is given. Ask the clerk in the county where the ticket was issued.

Do I still pay my ticket if I take traffic school?

Yes. After an election, you pay the civil penalty reduced by 18 percent, plus the clerk’s election fee and any court costs set by law.

What does a speeding ticket cost in Florida?

The civil penalty runs from $25 to $250, based on how far over the limit you were. Court costs set by law are added.

What does it cost if I miss my deadline?

You pay back the 18 percent reduction plus a processing fee of up to $18. You are also found guilty, and points are added.

Does traffic school lower my insurance costs?

An elected course does not earn the s. 627.06501 discount. But an insurer may not raise your premium because of the elected ticket, unless it was a crash where the insurer had a loss due to your fault.

Conclusion

Florida traffic school has no single statewide price: the provider sets the course fee, the law adds $2.50 and your ticket costs are paid to the clerk. Read each provider’s full fee disclosure and ask your clerk about the election fee before you elect.

If a court ordered the course, its order controls, so ask the court or clerk if you have questions. After you check the costs, 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.