In so many aspects of our lives accumulating points is a good thing. Whether it's your racking up the score in your favorite game, unlocking airline miles with your credit card, or even earning benefits from your local grocery store the opportunity to build points and earn benefits are everywhere.

However, racking up traffic violations and accumulating points on your driver's license is anything but beneficial. You won't face too many penalties for one traffic ticket, but start collect them and you could be in trouble. The point system means that the more driver's license points you have, the more likely you’ll have your license suspended. How many are too many points before your license is suspended in Florida, you ask? We’ll be covering all of this and more by showing you how to reduce points on your driving record in FL.

How to reduce points on your license in Florida through defensive driving

You can opt to take a Florida defensive driving course to reduce points accumulating on your record, and maybe even make yourself eligible for an insurance discount. Complete the course and present your certificate of completion to the court, and your traffic ticket could be dismissed, and your driving record could be cleared.

The Florida point system is strict, and the steps to ticket dismissal and point reduction can be hard to understand. If you're ready to start addressing your traffic violations, and bring your Florida license back into good standing, think about enrolling in a Florida traffic school.

When does the points system suspend your license in Florida?

Traffic violations that are committed in Florida are allocated a specific number of points, depending on the severity of the offense. You will face a license suspension when you reach a specific number of points within a given timeframe. According to the Florida DMV, the amount of points you receive is dependent on the severity of your traffic ticket or violation. 12 is considered too many points, and you'll face varying lengths of suspension from there.

Below is a list of Florida drivers license points and their suspension duration.

  • 12 points in 12 months will lead to a 30-day license suspension
  • 18 points in 18 months will lead to a 3-month suspension.
  • 24 points in 36 months will lead to a 1-year suspension.

However, if you’re accruing that many traffic violations, it might be cheaper to use a rideshare app, and you should definitely consider a driver improvement course.

How many points will a speeding ticket get you in Florida?

The amount of points you receive for speeding depends on how fast you were traveling. Speeds of at least 15 MPH over the speed limit will receive 3 points, and speeds at least 16 MPH over will receive 4 points. If you were in an accident that was a result of speeding, it’s 6 points. When you’re caught driving recklessly, you’ll receive 4 points on your license.

Most other common moving violations will add to 3 points on your Florida driver’s license, according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle Division.

How to get points off your license in Florida

Just because you racked up a plethora of points on your license, doesn’t mean they have to stay there. To avoid the points system altogether you could contest your ticket when you first receive it, but winning in court is by no means guaranteed. Generally, the best way to remove points from your license is to enroll in a certified Florida traffic school.

Specific traffic courses for your specific traffic issues

Depending on your current status in the Florida point system you will have different options for a driver improvement course. Basic courses are available to violators who have been involved in reckless driving, speeding, passing a stopped school bus, or a collision which was determined to be their fault.

A 3-in-3, for 3 crashes in 3 years, driver improvement course is required when you have committed upwards of three violations that led to a crash within 36 months. In this type of course, you will have training inside the classroom and behind the wheel.

An advanced driver improvement (ADI) course is necessary for people who have a suspended driver’s license or who have committed a DUI offense. So if you’ve received enough points to suspend your license, you're likely to end up in a traffic school course whether you want to or not.

How to check points on license Florida

You might be reflecting on the speeding tickets, or other traffic tickets, you've recently received. Maybe you've gotten so many traffic tickets you’ve lost count. Good thing there’s a way to check on how many points you’ve accumulated.

You can check points on your license by ordering a copy of your Florida driver record from the Florida HSMV. You can do this by filling out a digital form online. You'll have the option to retrieve a 3-year record or a 7-year record.