A traffic ticket in Florida comes with a decision, and a deadline. Whether you were stopped on a busy Orlando corridor or a quiet street in Kissimmee, what you do in the next 30 days can affect your fine, your driving record, and your points. Here’s how Florida’s Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) option works, straight from state law and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
Your Three Choices After a Citation
According to FLHSMV, a driver who receives a Uniform Traffic Citation has three options:
- Pay the fine. Paying the civil penalty counts as a conviction, and points are assessed to your record if the violation carries them.
- Contest the citation. You contact the clerk of court in the county where the violation happened and request a hearing. If the judge or hearing officer finds you committed the offense, they may impose a penalty or require a driver improvement course.
- Elect a driver improvement course. If you’re eligible, you can choose to take a Basic Driver Improvement course instead.
You have 30 days from the citation to make your choice with the clerk of court. FLHSMV warns that missing that window can lead to additional fines and a suspension of your driving privilege. After 30 days, you can no longer elect the course.
If your ticket was issued in Orange or Osceola County, our Florida BDI course is one way to complete that election. Here’s what the law says first.
What Electing BDI Does
Florida Statute 318.14(9) spells out what happens when an eligible driver elects BDI instead of a court appearance:
- Adjudication is withheld. You aren’t formally adjudicated guilty of the infraction.
- Your civil penalty is reduced by 18 percent.
- Points may not be assessed for that citation.
Who Can’t Elect BDI
The same statute sets clear limits. You cannot elect BDI under this rule if:
- You hold a commercial driver license or commercial learner’s permit, or you were driving a commercial motor vehicle.
- You were cited for speeding 30 mph or more over the posted limit.
- Your citation is one of several license and registration offenses that the statute excludes.
- You already made a BDI election in the preceding 12 months.
- You’ve already made eight elections in your lifetime. Florida caps BDI elections at eight.
If you aren’t sure whether your citation qualifies, the clerk of court in the county on your citation can tell you.
How to Elect BDI, Step by Step
FLHSMV lays out the process:
- Contact the clerk of court within 30 days. Tell the clerk in the county where your citation was issued that you’re electing a Basic Driver Improvement course.
- Pay the citation. The fine is reduced by 18 percent, and each clerk adds court costs.
- Complete the course and provide proof. The clerk needs proof that you finished. Check with your clerk about how and by when they need it.
When a Course Isn’t Optional
For some violations, a driver improvement course is required on top of the fine. FLHSMV lists passing a school bus, racing, reckless driving, running a red light, and traffic control device violations. In those cases, the course is a requirement rather than a way to keep points off.
Why Points Matter
Points add up. FLHSMV notes that accumulating points may increase the cost of your insurance or lead to a license suspension. For a closer look at how the system works, see our guide to the Florida point system.
A single election can keep one ticket from adding points. Because you only get one every 12 months and eight in a lifetime, the best plan is to drive in a way that means you rarely need it.
A Few Habits Worth Keeping
Many of the tickets that send drivers to BDI come from the same few habits:
- Rolling right turns on red. Come to a full stop behind the line and look for pedestrians before you turn.
- Speeding with the flow. Busy multi-lane roads tempt drivers to match the fastest car around them. Set your speed by the sign, not the traffic.
- Late-yellow decisions. If you can stop safely, stop. A red-light conviction can trigger a mandatory course.
- Distraction at low speed. Stop-and-go traffic is where rear-end crashes and careless driving citations happen.
Our Course Is for Orange and Osceola County Tickets Only
Defensive Drivers Institute’s Florida Basic Driver Improvement course is FLHSMV-approved and fully online. It’s currently available only for citations issued in Orange County and Osceola County. If your ticket came from another Florida county, we can’t accept your enrollment, so please check the county on your citation before you register. The course covers defensive driving techniques, Florida traffic laws, hazard recognition, aggressive and distracted driving, sharing the road, and weather-related driving.
Got an Orange or Osceola County ticket? Elect BDI with the clerk within 30 days, then start the Florida BDI course.
