Florida · Handbook chapter 2 · 5 min read

Florida insurance laws (PIP and PDL), teen curfews, safety belts and child seats, DUI and implied consent, zero tolerance, the point system, and how a license is suspended, canceled or revoked.

Why this chapter matters

Driving in Florida is a privilege you keep by following the law. This chapter is full of figures the exam likes to test: $10,000, .08, .02, 12-18-24 points, curfew hours and penalty periods.

Insurance: the No-Fault Law

Before you can register a car you must show proof of:

• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): at least $10,000. It covers your own injuries in a crash no matter who caused it.
• Property Damage Liability (PDL): at least $10,000. It pays for damage you cause to other people's property.

The policy must come from an insurer licensed in Florida and be kept in force for the whole registration period. The rule applies once a vehicle has been in Florida for 90 days (in a row or not) during the last 365 days. Carry your insurance card, or electronic proof on a phone, whenever you drive.

If coverage lapses, your license and plate can be suspended for up to three years. Turn in your plate before you cancel insurance. Reinstatement fees run from $150 to $500.

Financial Responsibility Law

After a crash you must prove you can pay for damage you caused. A DUI conviction requires higher coverage for three years: $100,000 bodily injury liability for one person, $300,000 for two or more, and $50,000 property damage.

Restrictions for minors

Licensed 16- and 17-year-olds may drive outside those hours only to or from work, or with a licensed driver 21 or older. A driver under 18 who collects 6 or more points in 12 months is restricted to Business Purposes Only for one year, plus 90 days for each extra point.

Safety belts and child seats

• All drivers, all front-seat passengers and all passengers under 18 must wear safety belts.
• Children under 4 must ride in a safety seat; children aged 4 and 5 in a safety seat or a booster seat.
• The driver is charged if a passenger under 18 is not restrained; passengers 18 or older are charged themselves.
• Children under 13 are safest in the rear seat, and a rear-facing seat must never sit in front of an airbag. Airbags do not replace belts.

Speeding

Florida speed limits never exceed 70 mph. Speeding fines double in active school and work zones. Going more than 50 mph over the limit costs $1,000 for a first offense and $2,500 for a second.

Driving under the influence

You can be charged with DUI for driving, or being in physical control of a vehicle, while impaired by alcohol, controlled substances, prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines. Your license is suspended at arrest if your breath or blood alcohol level (BAL) is .08 or higher, or if you refuse a test.

Implied consent

By signing for a license you have agreed to take a breath, blood or urine test when an officer has reasonable cause. A first refusal brings a one-year suspension; a second brings 18 months and a first-degree misdemeanor. In crashes with death or serious injury, blood may be drawn without consent.

Penalties for a first DUI conviction

• Fine $500 to $1,000 ($1,000 to $2,000 with a BAL of .15 or higher or a minor in the vehicle)
• 50 hours of community service and up to one year of probation
• Up to 6 months in jail (9 months with BAL .15+ or a minor aboard)
• License revocation of at least 180 days
• 12 hours of DUI school

A DUI conviction stays on your record for 75 years.

Zero tolerance

A driver under 21 with a BAL of .02 or more loses the license for six months. At .05 or more a substance abuse course is required. A drug possession conviction also means a license suspension.

Other laws that cost you points or money

• Passing a stopped school bus: 4 points, a basic driver improvement course and a fine of at least $265 ($465 if you pass on the side where children board).
• Littering: up to 15 pounds, a $100 fine; more than 15 pounds, a misdemeanor, up to $1,000 and 3 points.
• Disabled parking permit misuse: up to $500 fine or 6 months in jail.
• Driving on the rim of a flat tire is illegal because it damages the road.

The point system

Suspension, cancellation and revocation

• Suspended means your privilege is withdrawn for a time, for example for refusing a test, too many points or failing to pay a fine.
• Canceled means the license is void, for example when it was issued in error.
• Revoked means the privilege is ended, for example for DUI, a felony using a vehicle, or three reckless driving convictions in one year.

After a DUI arrest you have 10 days to request a review hearing.