Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers | June 26, 2025 | Car Accidents
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) uses a point system to track the driving behavior of licensed drivers. Points are typically added to your driving record when you receive a traffic citation for a violation.
While this may seem minor, accumulating points can lead to serious consequences, including a suspended license, increased insurance premiums, and long-term driving restrictions.
This article will explore why you don’t want points on your Florida driver’s license and how to avoid or reduce them.
Florida’s Driver’s License Point System
The FLHSMV assigns point values to certain traffic violations. The number of points added to your record depends on the severity of the offense. The agency tracks violations committed both inside and outside of the state. Accumulating too many points within a certain period can lead to the suspension of your driving privileges.
Each traffic violation in Florida carries a specific point value. Some violations carry higher point values, while others result in fewer points.
Here’s a breakdown of common violations and their corresponding point values:
- Six-point violations: leaving the scene of an accident (hit-and-run), committing a moving violation that causes injury to others in an accident
- Four-point violations: reckless driving, passing a school bus with its lights flashing, running a red light
- Three-point violations: speeding, careless driving, driving too fast for conditions, failure to yield, improper backing, running a stop sign, violating child safety seat laws
If you commit multiple violations in one incident, the points will be added together. For example, if you’re cited for both reckless driving and running a red light, you will accumulate 4 points for each violation, totaling 8 points on your driving record.
Effects of Points on Your Florida License
Accumulating too many points within a specific time period can lead to license suspension:
- 12 points within 12 months: 30-day suspension
- 18 points within 18 months: 3-month suspension
- 24 points within 36 months: 1-year suspension
For instance, if you receive three speeding tickets and one citation for running a stop sign within 12 months, your license could be suspended for 30 days.
If you are a minor and accumulate six points within 12 months, your license will be restricted for one year. During this time, you can only drive for work, school, or other necessary purposes.
Long-Term Consequences of Points on Your Florida License
Beyond the immediate impact of suspension, accumulating points on your Florida license can have long-term consequences, including:
- Increased insurance premiums. Insurance companies view drivers with points on their record as higher risks, leading to significantly higher premiums.
- Difficulty renting a car. If you have points on your record or if your license has been suspended, you might find it difficult to rent a car. This remains on your record even if your license has been reinstated.
- Advanced driver improvement (ADI) course. If your license is suspended or you’re classified as a habitual traffic offender, you may be required to complete an ADI course before regaining your driving privileges.
Accumulating points on your record can have significant consequences. Points on your driving record can create ongoing financial and logistical burdens.
How Long Do Points Stay on Your Florida Driving Record?
Most traffic violations remain on your driving record for three to five years. However, serious offenses, such as those involving accidents or alcohol-related offenses, may stay on your record for ten to fifteen years. The longer points stay on your record, the longer you may face increased insurance premiums and other challenges.
How to Remove Points From Your Florida License
Florida offers an option to remove points from your driving record. You can accomplish this by completing a driver improvement course. You can take this course once every 12 months to remove points from your record. The maximum number of points you can remove is 5. This can be especially helpful if you are nearing the threshold for license suspension.
Contact the Clearwater Car Accident Law Firm of Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
For more information, please contact the legal team of Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for a free initial consultation with a car accident lawyer in Clearwater. We have convenient locations in Florida: St. Petersburg, Safety Harbor, Clearwater, New Port Richey, and Tampa.
We serve throughout Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, and its surrounding areas:
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
1811 N. Belcher Road, Suite I-1
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 787-2500
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – Congress Ave Office
2360 Congress Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 591-5610
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
6601 Memorial Hwy Suite 202
Tampa, FL 33615
(813) 686-7588
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
2515 Seven Springs Blvd.
New Port Richey, FL, 34655
(727) 815-8442
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Petersburg Law Office
840 Beach Dr NE Suite 202
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 787-2500
Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – Safety Harbor Law Office
202 9th Ave S Suite A-2
Safety Harbor, FL 34695
(727) 787-2500