How long does a suspended license stay on your record in florida

The state of Florida has created a series of laws designed to keep people safe on the roads. Failure to comply with these laws puts everyone in danger. To make sure people follow the rules, the consequences for unsafe driving may include having your license temporarily suspended. Here’s what you need to know.

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Reasons for License Suspension in Florida

Florida law allows the state to suspend driver’s licenses for many reasons — and not all of them have to do directly with your driving skill or record. Possible reasons for license suspension include:

  • Using a false name or other fraudulent methods to obtain a driver’s license

  • Allowing your license to be used for illegal purposes (i.e. for a minor to purchase alcohol or to commit another type of fraud)

  • Failure to provide proof of auto insurance when asked by law enforcement

  • Refusal to submit to a urine or breath test for blood alcohol content when asked by law enforcement

  • Accumulation of too many points on your license in a given time period

  • Conviction in traffic court leading to a judge’s determination in favor of suspension

  • Misusing a restricted license (i.e. driving past curfew on a junior license)

  • Failure to pay traffic fines

  • Failure to appear in traffic court

  • Failure to pay child support

  • Failure to stop for a school bus

  • Committing acts of theft in a retail space

  • Dropping out of school

The Florida Points System

Most traffic violations are tied to the points system. If you are pulled over and ticketed for offenses like speeding, passing a school bus, or texting while driving, you’ll earn points on your license. If you earn too many points in a given time period, your license may be suspended. The length of suspension depends on the number of points you’ve accumulated:

  • 12 points within a 12-month period: 30-day suspension

  • 18 points within an 18-month period: One-month suspension 

  • 24 points within a three-year period: One-year suspension

Reinstating Your License

The process for reinstating a suspended license varies depending on the reason for the suspension. If your suspension is due to failure to appear in traffic court, pay a traffic ticket, or pay court fees, you can generally have your license reinstated as soon as you meet these obligations and pay the license reinstatement fee of $60. 

If your suspension is due to failure to pay child support, you must contact the Florida Department of Revenue to work out a payment plan and pay the license reinstatement fee of $45.

If your suspension is due to failure to provide auto insurance, you will have to follow the steps provided by the state for your specific type of violation. Reinstatement fees for insurance issues range from $15 to $500.

For suspensions due to points violations or certain other safety violations, you will have to complete a state-recognized traffic school course. The 12-hour Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) course helps you brush up on your knowledge of traffic laws. To reinstate your license after your suspension period is over, you’ll need to provide a certificate of completion and pay a reinstatement fee of $45.

Applying for a Hardship License

If going without a license for the entire period of your suspension would cause you serious financial difficulty, you can apply for a hardship license. This limited license allows you to drive only to certain places, typically from your home to work or to school. To get your application approved, you’ll need to provide a compelling reason that you need to drive and show that you’ve signed up for an approved ADI course.

If you stay aware of Florida laws and commit to safe driving practices, you should be able to avoid a license suspension. If you do find yourself on the wrong end of a traffic ticket, remember that you have options. Sign up for traffic school, and commit to obeying all the laws in the future, so you don’t find yourself relying on friends for a lift.

This Florida Driving Record website provides the most convenient and easy way to receive a copy of your driving record. You can receive your record by email. Orders must be placed online and require a credit card. Please have your driver’s license number available when you place your order. The information in your record is obtained directly from the official Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles database, which is the same official source used by law enforcement, insurance companies and employers to verify driver information.

Your driving record is a reflection of your personal driving history and may include infractions received, points, restrictions, accidents, suspensions and additional information. This is the same information that can be ordered by your insurance company, employer or other businesses. What’s included on your driving record? Is the information accurate? As we all know, errors can result in inaccurate information being included on any record. Incorrect information on a driving record can affect one’s employment, insurance rates as well as other accounts. You are entitled to order a copy of your Florida driving record from this website and to review the information included on your report. This information is available to you for a nominal charge.

Did you know...

Many employers require their employees to provide a copy of their driving record prior to driving a company vehicle or if they drive while on company business. Driving records ordered from this website are non-certified and are ideal for employment purposes.

Many people take the time to review their credit report for errors or mistakes but never consider that their driving history can be used by their insurance company when setting their motor vehicle insurance rates, their employer as part of their pre-employment screening process, or by other companies where they do business for any allowable purpose. To review and verify information on your driving record, you should consider reviewing your record on a periodic basis, just as you would any other important personal record.

Do you remember the last time you took traffic school for a traffic infraction? You may need this information if you receive a traffic ticket and want to determine if you have taken traffic school within the past 12 months. Keep in mind that infractions where you took traffic school to keep points off your license will only appear on a complete driving record — not on a 3-year or 7-year record. (See below for discussion of each type of record available.)

What is the difference between a 3-year, 7-year and Complete driving record?

Three-year and seven-year driving records contain only infractions that have been adjudicated by the courts during that period of time. For example, if you received a traffic ticket and then went to traffic school to keep the points off your license, those points and the infraction are considered "adjudication withheld" and will therefore NOT appear on a three-year or seven-year record. Other violations, restrictions and additional information may also be included on a driving record for the period in question.

Please note: If you want to be able to see all traffic infractions on record, including those where you took traffic school to keep points off your license, you will need to order a complete record.

A complete driving record contains all traffic infractions and additional information currently on record with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. It contains approximately 11 years of your driving history, including infractions reported by other states. A complete driving record is recommended if you want to see all infractions that currently appear on your record, including those where you attended traffic school. However, your complete driving record will not contain any entries that have passed their retention period.

What are the advantages of ordering my record online?

American Safety Council, Inc. is the approved DMV network provider for the provision of Florida driving records. Orders processed online allow you to access this information quickly rather than waiting two or three weeks for the Department to process your request by mail. Our service has been designed to provide:

  • Accurate Information — Driving history information provided by this website is obtained directly from databases at the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. This is the same source used by law enforcement, insurance companies and various types of other businesses to check your driving history.
  • Safety — Use our secure order system for protection of your credit card and personal information.
  • Speed and Convenience — Your record will be sent to you quickly by email. There is no extra charge to receive your record by email.
  • Value — A copy of your driving record is available for immediate order for a nominal charge. Our online service saves you time and money. You may wish to order a copy of your record periodically as a cost-effective way to verify your driving history and to monitor any changes as these are made to your record.

Why does my name, address and social security number not appear on my driving record?

For your protection and to comply with State and Federal regulations, personal information such as your name, address and social security number will not be displayed on the driving record you obtain from this website. The report you receive will be identified by your driver’s license number.

If there is an infraction on my driving record, what does the disposition code mean?

DIS 1 TWO SER TRAF VIO W/I 3 YRS IN CMV
DIS 2 THREE SER TRAF VIO W/I 3 YRS IN CMV
DIS 3 FEL INV MANF/DIST/DISP CONT SUB-CMV
DIS 4 DRIV CMV WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE
DIS 5 DRV CMV WHL ALCHL CON .04 OR HIGHER
DIS 6 LEAVE SCENE OF ACC INVOLVING A CMV
DIS 7 USE A CMV IN COMMISSION OF A FELONY
DIS 8 DRV CMV IN POSS OF CONTROLLED SUB
DIS 9 REFUSED TEST TO DETER ALCHL CON-CMV
DIS 10 INELIGIBLE TO OPERATE CMV - MEDICAL
DIS 11 INCAP OP CMV-SUBJ EPILEPTIC SEIZURES
DIS 12 DRIVE W/UNLAW BAL .10 OR ABOVE-CMV
DIS 13 DRIV W/UNLAW BAL .08 OR ABOVE-CMV

How can I obtain a Certified Copy of my driving record?

You may go to your local Florida driver’s license office to request a copy of your driving record and pay the required fee or you may contact the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to purchase your record by mail. Online orders are not accepted for certified records. For additional information, please see the Department’s website: https://www.flhsmv.gov/

Why can no one else access my records?

State and Federal laws protect personal information such as your name, address, and social security number that are included on your driving record in the DMV database. The American Safety Council takes your personal privacy seriously. For your protection and to comply with State and Federal regulations, personal information such as your name, address and social security number will not be displayed on the driving record you obtain from this website. The report you receive will be identified by your driver’s license number.

Authorized organizations and businesses that would like to access driving records must meet certain requirements under the Federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and additional laws. Businesses that require access to Florida driving records must establish a separate commercial account.

» Click here for commercial account information.

Why does a recent traffic ticket I received not appear on my record?

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) updates its driver license database for driving citations after the disposition of the infraction has occurred. This process may take several months as the ticket is processed, traffic school is completed if applicable in your situation, and the issue is ultimately reported on your record. Information either is reported to the Department after a person has paid their fine, gone to driving school, or otherwise disposes of their infraction through the courts. Law enforcement agencies report traffic ticket information to the applicable county Clerk of the Court for processing and reporting. The Clerk of the Court’s office then reports to the Florida DMV after final disposition of the infraction. While a non-contested ticket where the person simply pays their fine may appear on their driving record in 30 or 60 days, the process for contested tickets or where traffic school or other method of adjudication is involved may take several months.

I got a traffic ticket and took traffic school to avoid receiving the points on my license. Why am I not able to see this information when I get a copy of my three-year or seven-year driving record?

Three-year and seven-year driving records contain only infractions that have been adjudicated by the courts, which means for which you were found “guilty”. If you received a traffic ticket and then went to traffic school to keep the points off your license, those points and the infraction are considered "adjudication withheld" and will therefore NOT appear on a three-year or seven-year record.

Note: If you want to see all traffic infractions currently on your record, including those where you took traffic school to keep points off your license, you will need to order a complete driving record. Your complete driving record contains all traffic infractions and additional information on file with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

However, your complete driving record does not contain entries that are automatically removed from your record over time. For example, most moving and non-moving violations are removed from your complete driving record within three to five years. More serious violations are retained on your record for as long as 10 to 15 years. Visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website to learn more about the retention periods for driving record entries.

How many points can I receive before my license is suspended?

If you accumulate:
12 points in 12 months, your license will be suspended for 30 days;
18 points within 18 months results in a 3-month suspension;
24 points within 36 months results in a 12-month suspension.

Drivers 15-17 Years OldIf you are driving with a Florida learner’s license, you must hold it for at least 12 months without a traffic conviction before you may apply for a Florida Class E license. You may avoid conviction by electing to attend and completing a basic driver improvement course approved by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. If you are driving with a Florida learner’s license or a Florida Class E license and you receive 6 points, you are restricted to driving for business purposes only for 12 months or until you reach the age of 18. Restriction time is increased if additional points are accumulated. You may avoid conviction by electing to attend and completing an approved basic driver improvement course.

How many times can I choose to attend a driver improvement course (Traffic School)?

You may choose to take a basic driver improvement course once in any 12-month period (calculated from the date of your traffic violation and not by calendar year) and no more than 5 times in your lifetime (Florida Statutes, 318.14(9)). Exceptions include Broward County and Miami-Dade County where you may be able to take the 8-Hour course in the same year if you have already taken a 4-Hour course during that year; or where approved by a judge on a case-by-case basis.

How can I find out the citation number from a recent ticket I received if it does not appear on my driving record?

You will need to contact the law enforcement agency that issued the ticket or contact the courthouse in the county where you received the ticket.

What do I do if I find incorrect information on my driving record?

All driving history information is compiled from records obtained directly from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Corrections to your driving record, if any are needed, can only be processed by the Department. You will need to contact that agency directly for assistance at (850) 617-2000.

How do I clear my suspended license in Florida?

To clear the suspension, contact the court in the county where the suspension was issued and satisfy the court requirements. You may then present proof of satisfaction in the form of an affidavit within 30 days, along with all applicable reinstatement fees, to any Florida driver license service center.

How long does it take for driving record to clear in Florida?

For example, most moving and non-moving violations are removed from your complete driving record within three to five years. More serious violations are retained on your record for as long as 10 to 15 years.

What happens if your license is suspended in Florida?

The first time you're caught driving with a suspended license it's a second-degree misdemeanor that can come with a 60-day jail sentence and a fine of up to $500. A second offense could put you in jail for up to one year with a fine of up to $1,000.

How much does it cost to Unsuspend your license in Florida?

How much to reinstate your license in Florida? The standard fee for reinstating your license is $45. However, if you've allowed your license to fault to a revocation, then you can expect to pay upwards to $75.