How To Take An Online Driving Course In Florida

How to Take an Online Defensive Driving Course for Ticket Dismissal in Florida

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There are two main reasons most people take a defensive driving course in Florida — ticket dismissal and insurance rate reduction. The State of Florida now accepts online defensive driving courses, and so many people are taking them in lieu of sitting through a class outside the home. The advantages are that you can do it in the comfort of your own home, on your computer, and at your own pace.

Steps

1. When you receive a traffic ticket in Florida, you have three basic options: pay the civil penalty; take defensive driving for ticket dismissal or have court hearing.
2. Take defensive driving course. Fill out the Traffic School Affidavit Form and pay the reduced fine amount within 30 calendar days of the date the citation was issued.
3. Find a course online. The simplest way is to type “defensive driving online Florida” into your favorite search engine on your computer. That will give you many choices. But, make sure the course you select is accepted by the State of Florida. If the website for your course doesn’t say that it is accepted by the State, select another. I recommend a course called this course because you can take it online or have them send you a DVD.
4. Take the course in the comfort of your home, at your convenience. You have 90 days to complete the course.
5. Once you have completed the school. Return the school completion certificate to the Clerk’s office within 90 days from the date you paid the school election fine.

Tips

• You are only eligible to elect the defensive driving school once every 12 months and five times in your lifetime.
• You can elect a defensive driving course on any non-mandatory case that has points assessed. These are typically moving violations such as, speeding, running a red light or stop sign, and failure to maintain a single lane; or non-moving violations like parking violations, not wearing a seat belt, or an expired driver’s license.
• If you decide to take a defensive driving course, adjudication is withheld, the base fine is reduced by 18%, and the FDHSMV will not assess points against your driving record.
• Also, of you take an online defensive driving course, your insurance rates cannot go up and your policy cannot be cancelled because of this violation, unless this involved a crash where you were at fault.
• Other benefits of taking defensive driving for ticket dismissal include that points can not be added to your driver record, adjudication of guilt is withheld, and safe driver status is maintained.

Warnings

• The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles must approve the course.
• Once you elect to use defensive driving, you CANNOT change your mind to one of the other two options.
• You must take a defensive driving course approved by the State of Florida. Courses approved for other states are not accepted.
• Drivers with a Class A, B, or C license cannot take defensive driving for ticket dismissal.

Things You’ll Need

• Computer with internet connection or DVD player
• Driver’s license
• Comfortable chair!

Sources and Citations

• Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
• Defensive Driving Resources

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