Florida Traffic Violations

In Florida, traffic violations can range from criminal activities, such as DUI and reckless driving, to civil infractions, including numerous speeding violations. Being aware of how Florida categorizes traffic infractions, the associated penalties, and where to access your traffic violation records will help ensure you remain compliant with the laws governing Florida traffic violations.

It will also help reduce the cost of your automobile insurance premiums, and increase public awareness about the consequences of your actions when violating Florida highway safety laws.

What Is Considered a Traffic Violation in Florida?

A traffic infraction (such as running a red light) is usually a noncriminal breach of traffic control laws under Florida's State Uniform Traffic Control. Criminal traffic violations, on the other hand, include DUI, which is determined by either impairment or a blood alcohol content of 0.08 (Fla. Stat. §316.193), and reckless driving, which is defined as, "willful or wanton disregard for safety" (Fla. Stat. §316.192). When there is injury or death involved, leaving the scene of a collision can result in significant felonies as well as misdemeanors (property damage alone).

Types of Traffic Violations in Florida

Under Florida law, drivers may be cited for several types of traffic violations, such as:

• Speeding / Running a red light or stop signal. Running a steady red is prohibited; right-on-red is allowed only after a full stop and yielding.
• Driving without a license or proof of insurance. Florida requires a valid license (§322.03) and proof of required security/insurance (§316.646; ch. 324). Failure to display insurance is itself citable.
• Reckless or careless driving. Reckless is criminal (§316.192); careless (§316.1925) is a moving infraction for failing to drive prudently.
• Hit and run/leaving the scene. Property-damage crashes fall under §316.061; crashes with injury/death fall under §316.027. Penalties escalate sharply for injury/death.
• Failure to yield / Move Over. Florida’s Move Over law (§316.126) requires moving over—or slowing by 20 mph below the limit—when approaching stopped vehicles with flashing lights; violations add fines and points.
• Distracted driving. Texting while driving (§316.305) is a primary offense; a second offense within five years is a moving violation with points. Handheld use in school/work zones (§316.306) is a moving violation and carries points; additional points apply if a crash occurs.

Traffic Violation Penalties in Florida

A point system is used in Florida to discourage reckless driving. Important cutoff points: 12 points in 12 months, 18 points in 18 months, and 24 points in 36 months, respectively, result in 30-day, 3-month, and 1-year suspensions. The number of points varies depending on the offense (e.g., reckless driving: 4 points; leaving the scene with property damage: 6 points; and unlawful speed over 15 mph: 4 points).

• Fines & court costs depend on the offense and county. Many infractions can also trigger insurance surcharges.
• Mandatory driver improvement. A Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course may be mandated by statutes or courts for specific convictions (such as reckless driving or red light). Withholding points and lowering the basic fine are two benefits of electing BDI for an eligible citation; however, there are statutory restrictions on how frequently you can do so.
• Criminal exposure. DUI is punishable by penalties, probation or jail time, license revocation (minimum 180 days; longer if there has been an injury or past violations), and possibly the requirement for an ignition interlock device. Reckless driving is a misdemeanor.
• Habitual Traffic Offender (HTO). A five-year revocation can be triggered by accumulating 15 moving offenses or certain convictions in five years; driving while an HTO is revoked is a third-degree felony.

By law, a person is only allowed to run for office eight times in their lifetime. Note: the Act is cited as the governing document on some agency pages, which nevertheless refer to "five" elections.

How to Search for Traffic Violation Records in Florida

Florida does not maintain a single statewide court case search for all traffic tickets. Instead, use:

1. County Clerk of Court (where you were cited). Every Uniform Traffic Citation lists a county clerk. You have thirty days to elect school, contest, or make a payment to the clerk. Many clerks allow you to search and pay online using your name or citation number. PayFLClerk, a statewide gateway, directs you to the appropriate county.
   • Typical docket details include the citation number, statute, offense date, hearing date, disposition (e.g., adjudication withheld), financials, and whether proof-of-compliance was filed.
2. Florida Highway Safety Motor Vehicle (driver record/status).
   • You can check the status for free through the FLHSMV’s Driver License Check.
   • You can obtain your driver history (3-, 7-, or full) online, in person at a driver license service center or participating clerk/tax collector, or by mail to the Bureau of Records in Tallahassee using Form HSMV 90511. Transcripts that have been certified are accessible.

FLHSMV records include dates, dispositions, points, and retention markers; they also list sanctions, violations, collisions, driver schools, and communications in that sequence.Florida Highway Safety

How Long Do Traffic Violations Stay on Record in Florida?

There are two systems to keep straight: court records (kept by county clerks) and the driver record (kept by FLHSMV).

DUI and other alcohol-related entries are retained for 75 years. Certain entries linked to active sanctions may remain indefinitely, whereas suspensions and revocations often last seven to eleven years.

A number of FLHSMV sources show that point-related entries are kept for long periods of time (several years), and points and point suspensions are used for suspension computations.

Three-year, seven-year, or entire transcripts are available for purchase; older items that are shown on the complete history might not appear on a limited transcript.

Among other consequences, a DUI conviction results in revocation periods (minimum 180 days for a first conviction) and stays on your Florida driving record for 75 years, or practically forever.

Criminal-history sealing or expungement is not available for civil traffic offenses (such as speeding); Florida's expungement laws only apply to criminal records, not driving-history entries. The administrative driver record kept by FLHSMV adheres to its own retention schedule, even in cases when an associated criminal case is sealed or purged. Refer to the FDLE's instructions for sealing and expunction regulations.