You may elect the Florida Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course once per 12-month period and up to 8 times in your lifetime. These limits apply to the citation election track — when you take the course to prevent points on your driving record.
There is no limit on how many times you can take the course voluntarily or if a court orders you to complete it.
Election Limits
Per-year limit: You may elect the BDI course once in any 12-month period. The 12-month period is calculated from the date of your citation, not the calendar year. If you elected the course on June 1, you cannot elect again until after June 1 of the following year. Lifetime limit: You may elect the BDI course a maximum of 8 times in your lifetime under Florida Statute 318.14(9), effective July 1, 2024.
If you have already used your election for the current 12-month period, or have reached your lifetime limit, you cannot elect the course for point prevention on a new citation.
What Happens If You Have Reached Your Limit
If you have used all 8 lifetime elections, you may no longer elect the BDI course for point prevention. You may still take the course if a court orders it, but voluntary enrollment will not prevent points. Contact the court listed on your citation for information about your options.
Exam Retakes Within a Single Enrollment
Within a single course enrollment, you may retake the final exam unlimited times at no additional charge. There is no limit on exam attempts per enrollment.
Quick Facts
Detail | Information |
Election limit | Once per 12-month period (from citation date) |
Lifetime election limit | 8 times (Florida Statute 318.14(9), eff. July 1, 2024) |
Limit on voluntary enrollment | None |
Limit on court-ordered enrollment | None |
Exam retakes within one enrollment | Unlimited, at no charge |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does taking the course voluntarily count as one of my 8 elections? No. Only a formal election made in connection with a qualifying citation counts against your 12-month and lifetime limits.
Does a court-ordered enrollment count against my lifetime elections? No. Court-ordered attendance is separate from the election track and does not count against your 8-election lifetime limit.
I thought the lifetime limit was 5 — has it changed? Yes. Florida Statute 318.14(9) was updated effective July 1, 2024, raising the lifetime election limit from 5 to 8.
How do I know how many elections I have used? Contact the clerk of court in the county where your most recent citation was issued, or check your Florida driving record at flhsmv.gov.