Florida Driving Laws
Driving and owning a vehicle in Florida comes with great responsibility – to yourself, to your loved ones and friends, and to total strangers.
Driving is a privilege granted and regulated by the State of Florida. If you drive a car or any other kind of motor vehicle, you must be aware of the laws in your area to ensure that you are operating safely and legally.
Nonmoving vs. Moving Infractions
Traffic infractions in Florida fall into two categories: “nonmoving” or “moving.” Non-moving violation are infractions that occur when the vehicle is not moving while a moving violation occurs when the vehicle is in motion. Non-moving violations do not add points to your driving record and usually do not increase insurance premiums where moving violations may. Nonmoving violations are generally subject to a penalty of $30.
Moving violation penalties start at $60 per violation and may add “points on your license,” but what does that mean? Points are assigned based on the type of conviction you receive for the driving offense and will remain on a driver’s record for at least five years from the date of the conviction. If you receive a ticket in another state, points will be assessed against your Florida driver’s license.
Points on Your Driver’s License
If a driver gets too many points within a specific time frame, their driving privileges will be suspended:
- 12 points within 12 months is a 30-day suspension
- 18 points within 18 months is a 3-month suspension
- 24 points within 36 months is a 1-year suspension
Driving with a suspended license is a criminal offense under Florida law.