Florida Traffic Ticket Insurance: What the Law Says

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

Florida traffic ticket insurance rules come from state law, and they limit how a car insurer may react to a ticket. One noncriminal ticket alone is not a lawful reason for a surcharge or a nonrenewal, with a few exceptions, and a valid Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) election adds more protection. Camera tickets for a red light or a school zone may not be used to set your rates at all.

Key Facts

One ticket: an insurer may not surcharge or refuse to renew for one noncriminal ticket, unless an exception applies. See the one-ticket rule.
The exceptions: a 2nd ticket within 18 months, a 3rd within 36 months, or speeding more than 15 mph over. See the exceptions.
BDI election: with adjudication withheld and no points, no higher premium, cancellation or nonrenewal for that ticket. See electing BDI.
Camera tickets: red light and school zone camera tickets may not be used to set rates. See camera tickets.
Course discount: the s. 627.06501 discount does not apply to a course taken for a ticket election. See course discounts.

How Florida Traffic Ticket Insurance Rules Work

Your insurer sets your rates. Florida law does not set a price for a ticket. Instead, it tells insurers what they may not do after one.

Two of these limits sit in one statute. Section 626.9541 lists unfair insurance trade practices. Two parts of it deal with traffic tickets:

Subparagraph (1)(o)4 covers a single noncriminal traffic infraction.
Subparagraph (1)(o)12 covers a ticket where you elected BDI, adjudication was withheld and no points were assessed.

A third rule sits in the point law. Section 322.27 says some camera tickets may not be used to set insurance rates.

Each rule has its own conditions. So the effect of your ticket depends on what kind of ticket it was and how your case ended.

The One-Ticket Rule

Under s. 626.9541(1)(o)4, an insurer may not add a premium or refuse to renew your auto policy solely because you committed one noncriminal traffic infraction. The statute ties this to infractions “as described in s. 318.14.”

That covers noncriminal tickets handled under chapter 318. Regular speeding and careless driving are examples. Both are noncriminal moving violations under Florida law.

The word “solely” matters. The rule applies only to a surcharge or nonrenewal based solely on that one ticket.

The Three Exceptions

The one-ticket protection does not apply when the infraction is:

A second infraction committed within an 18-month period.
A third or later infraction committed within a 36-month period.
Speeding more than 15 mph over the lawful limit, under s. 316.183.

These windows come straight from the statute. They are not the same as the point suspension windows in s. 322.27.

Why “More Than 15” Matters

The speeding exception uses the same line as the point law. Speeding not in excess of 15 mph over is 3 points. Speeding in excess of 15 mph over is 4 points.

So a ticket for exactly 15 mph over still falls under the one-ticket protection. A ticket for 16 mph over does not.

When You Elect BDI

Electing BDI gives you a second, stronger shield. Under s. 626.9541(1)(o)12, no insurer may “impose or request an additional premium, cancel a policy, or issue a nonrenewal notice” because of a traffic infraction when adjudication was withheld and no points were assessed under s. 318.14(9) and (10).

The FLHSMV Basic Driver Improvement page repeats this rule for drivers.

There is one exception. The protection does not apply to infractions “involving accidents in which the insurer has incurred a loss due to the fault of the insured.” In plain words, an at-fault crash that cost your insurer money is outside this shield.

Here is what a valid election does under s. 318.14(9):

Adjudication is withheld. It is not a dismissal. Section 318.14(11) says a withheld adjudication “is not a conviction.”
No points are assessed for that ticket.
The civil penalty is still paid, but it is cut by 18 percent.

Our guide to traffic school and points explains the points side in more detail.

Paying Without Electing

Paying the ticket without electing ends the case a different way. The Orange County Clerk says “Payment of the civil penalty is considered a conviction.” Points then go on your record under s. 322.27.

Speeding is 3 points at 15 mph over or less and 4 points above that. Careless driving is 3 points, per the FLHSMV points page. FLHSMV says points stay on the record for at least 5 years from the disposition date.

The one-ticket rule can still apply after you pay. But the stronger (o)12 shield does not, because it needs a withheld adjudication with no points.

Camera Tickets

Camera tickets follow their own rule. Section 322.27(3)(d) says no points are imposed for these when a traffic infraction enforcement officer enforces them:

Red light camera violations of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1.
School zone speed camera violations under s. 316.1896.

For both, the statute adds that the violation “may not be used for purposes of setting motor vehicle insurance rates.”

A red light ticket from a police officer is different. It carries 4 points, and the camera rule does not cover it.

The red light penalty is $158 either way under s. 318.18. Our red light camera guide covers that ticket in depth.

How a Florida ticket meets the insurance rules, from the type of ticket to the protection that may apply

Criminal Charges Are Outside These Rules

The one-ticket rule speaks only of noncriminal infractions. Some driving acts are crimes instead, and the rule does not mention them.

Examples include reckless driving and leaving the scene of a crash. Under s. 318.17, no part of chapter 318 is available for these charges. That means no BDI election either, so the (o)12 shield cannot apply.

Since July 1, 2025, dangerous excessive speeding is also a criminal offense under s. 316.1922. It covers 50 mph or more over the limit, or 100 mph or more in a way that threatens people or property.

Course Discounts Are a Separate Topic

These are two different things. An election protects you from a rate penalty for that ticket. A course discount is a lower premium for finishing an approved course.

Section 627.06501 says an insurer may give an “appropriate reduction” for a driver improvement course. A discount of up to 10 percent is presumed appropriate. It runs for a 3-year period after you finish.

Two limits apply:

No discount for an election course. The section “does not apply if the driver improvement course is taken in lieu of a court appearance” under s. 318.14(9).
The eight-election cap does not apply to a course taken only for the insurance discount.

Drivers 55 and older have a different option. Section 627.0652 covers a discount for an approved motor vehicle accident prevention course, called the Mature Driver course. The statute sets no amount, so each insurer decides. Our insurance discount guide covers both courses.

A Side-by-Side Look

Your situation	What Florida law says about your insurer	Source
One civil ticket, case paid	No surcharge or nonrenewal solely for it, unless an exception applies	s. 626.9541(1)(o)4
Second civil ticket within 18 months	The one-ticket protection does not apply	s. 626.9541(1)(o)4.a
Speeding more than 15 mph over	The one-ticket protection does not apply	s. 626.9541(1)(o)4.b
BDI elected, withheld, no points	No added premium, cancellation or nonrenewal for it, unless an at-fault crash with a loss	s. 626.9541(1)(o)12
Red light or school zone camera ticket	May not be used to set rates	s. 322.27(3)(d)

Who Can Elect BDI

Not every driver can use the election. Under s. 318.14(9), you cannot elect if:

you hold a CDL or a commercial learner’s permit, in any vehicle;
you were speeding 30 mph or more over the limit;
your ticket needs a mandatory hearing under s. 318.19; or
you elected in the preceding 12 months.

The statute also caps you at eight elections in a lifetime. It was five before July 1, 2024.

To elect, tell the Clerk of Court in the county on your ticket within 30 days of the citation date. Do this before you take the course, and pay the clerk’s election fee. The court or clerk sets your finish date.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the FLHSMV pages and statutes we checked on October 27, 2026, the BDI page repeated the (o)12 insurance rule in plain terms. It said insurance companies cannot add a premium, cancel or issue a nonrenewal “when adjudication has been withheld and no points have been assessed.”

That same FLHSMV page still listed “five elections in a lifetime” as a bar. The 2026 statute says eight. When the two disagree, the statute controls.

Florida traffic ticket insurance rules at a glance: one ticket, repeat tickets, speeding over 15, BDI election and camera tickets

Common Mistakes

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

Thinking any ticket allows a surcharge. One noncriminal ticket alone does not, unless an exception applies.
Counting 15 mph over as an exception. The exception starts at more than 15 mph over.
Expecting an election course to earn a discount. Section 627.06501 excludes it.
Treating camera and officer red light tickets the same. Only the camera ticket is barred from rate setting.
Forgetting the crash exception. The election shield does not cover an at-fault crash where your insurer had a loss.
Calling a withheld adjudication a dismissal. The ticket stays on the record as adjudication withheld.

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

Can one speeding ticket raise my Florida insurance?

Not by itself, if you were 15 mph over or less and it is your only recent infraction. Section 626.9541(1)(o)4 bars a surcharge or nonrenewal based solely on one noncriminal infraction. Speeding more than 15 mph over is an exception.

Does electing traffic school protect my insurance?

Yes, within limits. After a valid election with adjudication withheld and no points, an insurer may not raise your premium, cancel or non-renew because of that ticket. The exception is an at-fault crash where your insurer had a loss.

Do red light camera tickets affect my car insurance?

Florida law says a red light camera violation enforced by a traffic infraction enforcement officer may not be used to set motor vehicle insurance rates. A red light ticket written by a police officer is not covered by that rule.

Will I get a discount for the course I took for my ticket?

No. Section 627.06501 says its discount does not apply to a course taken in place of a court appearance under s. 318.14(9). A course taken only for insurance may qualify, if your insurer offers it.

What if I get a second ticket?

A second infraction within 18 months is an exception to the one-ticket rule. A third within 36 months is too. Ask your insurer how it applies its rules to your policy.

Does a criminal traffic charge fall under these rules?

The one-ticket rule speaks only of noncriminal infractions described in s. 318.14. Criminal charges such as reckless driving are outside chapter 318. So no BDI election is available for them.

Who can tell me how my insurer will rate my ticket?

Your insurer sets your rate within these limits. For questions about your case, ask the Clerk of Court, FLHSMV or a Florida attorney.

Conclusion

Florida law does not price your ticket, but it limits what your insurer may do after one. The one-ticket rule, the BDI election shield and the camera rule each have their own conditions, so check which one fits your case.

If you are eligible and choose to elect, tell the clerk within 30 days and finish by the date the court or clerk sets. Take the Florida BDI course online once your election is on file.

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.