Florida Statute 318.14 governs noncriminal traffic infractions — ordinary tickets. Civil, not criminal. But the statute has criminal tripwires in it, and the choice you make in the first 30 days decides what lands on your record.
Your options within 30 days
- Pay the civil penalty — but paying means you are deemed to have admitted the infraction and DHSMV posts the points to your record under § 322.27.
- Elect driver improvement school — keeps points off (limits apply on how often).
- Request a hearing before a judge or hearing officer and make the state prove it.
- Enter a payment plan through the clerk.
Where a civil ticket turns criminal
Willfully refusing to accept and sign a summons when an officer requires it is a second-degree misdemeanor under § 318.14(2). And ignoring a ticket entirely leads to a license suspension — which is how people end up with § 322.34 criminal driving-while-suspended charges and, eventually, habitual traffic offender status.
The detail most people miss
Points compound quietly: enough of them suspend your license on their own, and every paid ticket is an admission. For CDL holders and anyone whose job involves driving, contesting a “minor” ticket is often cheaper than the insurance and licensing consequences of paying it.
Ticket putting your license or CDL at risk? Call (863) 774-4556 for a free consultation, or send us a message. Board Certified · Reach Us 24/7 · Hablamos Español.
Read the law yourself: Fla. Stat. § 318.14 (official Florida Statutes). Related on this site: Traffic offense defense.
Legally reviewed by Tonmiel Rodriguez, Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law by The Florida Bar. The Rodriguez Law Office defends these charges across Polk, Highlands, and Hardee Counties. This article is general information about Florida law, not legal advice about your case.