Florida ADI Course vs. BDI: What's the Difference?

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

The Florida ADI course is for drivers whose license was suspended for points, as a habitual traffic offender (non-DUI) or by court order, while the Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course is used for ticket elections, court orders and FLHSMV-required courses. They are separate courses, so one cannot replace the other. A third crash within 36 months can call for yet another course, one with behind-the-wheel instruction.

Key Facts

BDI: used for ticket elections, court orders and courses FLHSMV requires after certain crashes or convictions. See what BDI is for.
ADI: required after a Florida points suspension, a habitual traffic offender suspension (non-DUI) or a court order. See what ADI is for.
Reinstatement: proof of ADI enrollment is needed to reinstate after a points suspension. See ADI and reinstatement.
Point levels: 12 points in 12 months, 18 in 18 months or 24 in 36 months can lead to a suspension. See the point levels.
Third crash: this needs a course with behind-the-wheel instruction, not ADI. See the third-crash rule.

BDI vs. ADI at a Glance

FLHSMV describes both courses on its Driver Improvement Schools page. BDI schools are governed by s. 318.1451, Florida Statutes, and the ADI requirement is in s. 322.291, Florida Statutes. Here is how they compare:

Question	Basic Driver Improvement (BDI)	Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI)
When drivers take it	A ticket election, a court order or an FLHSMV notice	After a points or habitual traffic offender (non-DUI) suspension, or a court order
Main law	ss. 318.14(9), 318.1451 and 322.0261	s. 322.291
What it is tied to	Withheld adjudication and no points on an elected ticket	Reinstatement after a points suspension
Who sets the length	FLHSMV	FLHSMV
State $2.50 assessment fee	Yes	Yes

The fee row comes from s. 318.1451. It collects $2.50 from each person who attends a course under ss. 318.14(9), 322.0261, 322.291 and 627.06501. FLHSMV “shall set the duration of all course types,” and this article gives no ADI hours.

What BDI Is For

BDI is the course FLHSMV and clerks also call traffic school. It has three main uses.

A Ticket Election

Under s. 318.14, Florida Statutes, an eligible driver can elect BDI for a noncriminal ticket. The driver must tell the clerk within 30 days and pay the clerk’s election fee. The civil penalty is cut 18 percent, adjudication is withheld and no points are assessed for that ticket.

A Court Order

A court can order a driver improvement course. FLHSMV says to finish in the court’s time, tell the court and give it the documents it needs.

An FLHSMV Notice

Under s. 322.0261, Florida Statutes, FLHSMV requires a driver improvement course after:

A crash with a death or an injury needing transport to a medical facility.
A second crash in 2 years with at least $500 in property damage.
A conviction for running a red light, passing a school bus, racing or reckless driving.

For the crash cases, this applies if you were convicted of, or pleaded no contest to, a traffic offense that caused the crash.

You must finish within 90 days after FLHSMV’s notice. If you do not, FLHSMV cancels the license until you finish.

What the Florida ADI Course Is For

ADI stands for Advanced Driver Improvement. FLHSMV says drivers “must complete an Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) course if their driver license was suspended in Florida” for one of three reasons:

Accumulation of points.
Habitual traffic offender status that is not DUI related.
A court order.

So ADI comes after a suspension, not before it. BDI cannot stand in for it, and ADI cannot stand in for a BDI ticket election.

Steps from a Florida points suspension to ADI and reinstatement

The Point Levels That Lead to ADI

Points suspensions come from s. 322.27, Florida Statutes. Subsection (3) sets three levels:

12 points within 12 months: a suspension of not more than 30 days.
18 points within 18 months: a suspension of not more than 3 months.
24 points within 36 months: a suspension of not more than 1 year.

These windows use offense dates. They are different from how long points stay on the record. FLHSMV says points stay at least 5 years from the disposition date.

A simple example shows the math. Four 3-point tickets within 12 months add up to 12 points.

That reaches the first level. Our guide to license suspension and points covers each level in depth.

ADI and Reinstatement

The ADI law is s. 322.291, Florida Statutes. It says a person “whose license was suspended under the point system” must show proof of enrollment in an approved ADI course before the license may be reinstated.

FLHSMV’s Points and Point Suspensions page adds two steps, each with a fee:

Full reinstatement: “proof of an Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) school enrollment.”
A hardship license: “proof of an Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) school completion.”

Note the difference. Reinstatement needs enrollment, and a hardship license needs completion. FLHSMV can tell you what your own case requires.

The 3-Point Deduction

Section 322.27(3)(h) has the only point deduction in the law. It says “Three points shall be deducted from the driver history record” of a person suspended only once under that subsection who has been reinstated. The person must also have met all other requirements of the chapter.

Neither course lowers your point total on its own. A course does not remove points already on your record. Our guide on whether traffic school takes points off explains what can and cannot change.

The Third-Crash Rule

A third crash does not call for ADI. Sections 322.0261(1)(c) and (3) cover “a third crash by the same operator within 36 months after the first crash.” The course rule applies if you were convicted of, or pleaded no contest to, a traffic offense that caused the crash.

That driver must attend an FLHSMV-approved driver improvement course. The law says “The course must include behind-the-wheel instruction and an assessment of the operator’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.” It also says “Successful completion of a behind-the-wheel examination is required in order to receive completion credit for the course.”

So the third-crash course is its own requirement. It is not BDI taken for a ticket, and it is not ADI.

Why One Course Cannot Replace the Other

Each course answers a different legal trigger:

A BDI ticket election keeps points off one eligible ticket. It does nothing for a suspension that already happened.
ADI is tied to reinstatement after a suspension. It does not handle a new ticket.
The third-crash course needs behind-the-wheel work that neither of the others names.

If you hold a notice, read the course name on it. Then match that name to the course you take.

Who Cannot Use a BDI Election

BDI only keeps points off a ticket when the election is allowed. Under s. 318.14(9), these drivers and tickets cannot be elected:

CDL or commercial learner’s permit holders, in any vehicle.
Speeding 30 mph or more over the limit.
Tickets that need a court hearing under s. 318.19.
Criminal charges such as DUI, reckless driving and leaving the scene, under s. 318.17.
A driver who elected in the last 12 months, or who has used all eight lifetime elections.

When no election is made, the ticket follows the normal path. Paying the civil penalty without electing counts as a conviction under s. 322.01(11), and points are added. Those points count toward the suspension levels above.

How Points Build Toward ADI

Point values come from s. 322.27(3)(d). A few examples:

Speeding 15 mph or less over: 3 points.
Speeding more than 15 mph over: 4 points.
Running a red light (officer-issued): 4 points.
Careless driving: 3 points, or 4 if it causes a crash.

Red light camera and school zone speed camera tickets carry no points. Our points chart lists every value.

Questions to Ask FLHSMV or the Clerk

Your notice or order should name the course. If it is unclear, ask:

Which course does my notice or order require: BDI, ADI or another course?
What is my deadline?
For a points suspension, do I need ADI enrollment or completion?
How will my completion be reported?

Write down who you spoke with and the date.

How to Find an Approved Provider

FLHSMV approves both courses. For BDI, use the Approved BDI Course Providers list. Each row shows a delivery method, such as Classroom or Internet.

For ADI, check FLHSMV’s driver improvement school pages for its ADI provider list. Make sure the course you buy is the one your notice names.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the FLHSMV pages and statute sections we checked on October 27, 2026, no page gave a number of hours for ADI. The law left the length to FLHSMV.

The FLHSMV points page still tied a hardship license to ADI completion and reinstatement to ADI enrollment. Section 322.0261(3) still required behind-the-wheel instruction for the third-crash course.

Florida BDI, ADI and the third-crash course compared by trigger, law and result

Common Mistakes

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

Taking BDI after a points suspension. FLHSMV requires ADI for that.
Taking ADI for a third crash. That rule needs a course with behind-the-wheel instruction.
Mixing up enrollment and completion. Reinstatement needs ADI enrollment; a hardship license needs completion.
Counting from the court date for suspensions. The 12, 18 and 36-month windows use offense dates.
Expecting a course to clear the record. A course does not remove points already on your record.
Missing an FLHSMV course notice. You have 90 days after the notice, or the license is canceled.

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

Is ADI the same as BDI?

No. BDI is used for ticket elections, court orders and some FLHSMV-required courses. ADI is required after a points suspension, a habitual traffic offender suspension (non-DUI) or a court order.

Can I take BDI instead of ADI after a points suspension?

No. FLHSMV says drivers suspended for points must complete ADI. Reinstatement needs proof of ADI enrollment under s. 322.291.

How many points lead to a suspension?

Under s. 322.27(3), 12 points in 12 months can lead to a suspension of up to 30 days. Eighteen in 18 months can lead to up to 3 months, and 24 in 36 months up to 1 year.

How long is the ADI course?

FLHSMV sets the length of all course types under s. 318.1451. We found no official page that states ADI hours, so ask FLHSMV or the provider.

Does ADI remove points from my license?

A course does not remove points already on your record. Section 322.27(3)(h) deducts 3 points after a first points suspension once you are reinstated and meet all other requirements.

Do I need ADI after three crashes?

No. A third crash within 36 months requires a driver improvement course with behind-the-wheel instruction and a behind-the-wheel exam, under s. 322.0261(1)(c) and (3). This applies if you were convicted of, or pleaded no contest to, a traffic offense that caused the crash.

Where do I find an ADI provider?

FLHSMV approves ADI courses and lists providers on its driver improvement school pages. Check that the course name matches your notice before you pay.

Can a court order ADI?

Yes. FLHSMV lists a court order as one reason a driver must complete ADI. Follow the order, and ask the court or clerk if it is unclear.

Conclusion

BDI and ADI serve different moments: BDI handles eligible tickets and certain orders, while ADI follows a points or non-DUI habitual offender suspension. Read the course name on your ticket, notice or order, and take that exact course.

If a court ordered your course, follow the order and ask the court or clerk if you are unsure. When BDI is the course you need, 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.