ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Orlando-area residents become better drivers by being better educated.
A viewer asked, "How do points work on your driver's license?"
"The point system is a graduated scale of points that assigns relative values to convictions," Trooper Steve said. "Florida drivers are not eligible to attend driving school for out-of-state tickets. The department is authorized to suspend the license of any person who has accumulated 12 or more points within one year."
Here's how the suspension works:
The department is authorized to suspend the license of any person who has accumulated 12 or more points within one year. Points are calculated by the date you received the ticket.
- 12 points accumulated within 12 months will result in a 30 day suspension of your driving privileges.
- 18 points accumulated within 18 months (including points from a 12 point suspension) will result in a three-month suspension of your driving privileges.
- 24 points accumulated within 36 months (including points from a 12-point and/or 18-point suspension) will result in a one-year suspension of your driving privileges.
"It should be noted that when you receive a ticket from an out of state authority, the state of Florida recognizes these tickets as the same as if they had received it here in the Sunshine State," Trooper Steve said. "But you’re not allowed to take any classes to remove points gained from out-of-state tickets."
If you have a traffic question for Trooper Steve, submit it here.