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Texting while driving ticket in Florida

A texting ticket in Florida costs $168 and adds no points.

Fine$168
PointsNone
Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) courseYes

Add up my ticket All Florida rules

How much does each court charge for a texting ticket?

Pinellas County charges the most: $168.

Pinellas County$168

Amount on your notice (not published): Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, Hillsborough County, Orange County, Duval County, Pasco County.

How many points is it?

Will a texting ticket raise your insurance in Florida?

Probably, once it is on your record. Insurers rate a texting ticket as a moving violation. In Florida one speeding ticket raised a full-coverage premium about 13% on average[1], or about $1,455 over three years. A texting ticket usually lands in the same range.

Estimate based on the state's speeding average, not a quote.

How long do you have to respond to a texting ticket in Florida?

You have 30 days to pay or respond to a texting ticket in Florida. These are the dates that matter:

  1. 30daysPay or respondfrom the ticket date[2][3][4]
    Details

    Pay the civil penalty, enter a clerk payment plan, or elect a hearing. If you miss it: Missing it adds a $16 delinquent fee and the clerk reports the failure to FLHSMV, which suspends the license.

  2. 10daysCourt reports your coursefrom conviction[2]
    Details

    Clerk reports the disposition to FLHSMV (points posted)

  3. 20daysLicense suspended if ignoredfrom the notice date[4]
    Details

    License suspension after failure to pay/appear/attend school. If you miss it: Clerk notifies FLHSMV within 10 days of the failure. FLHSMV's suspension order takes effect 20 days after it is provided. Reinstatement requires clearing the case with the clerk plus a $60 service charge.

  4. 30daysChoose traffic schoolfrom the ticket date[14]
    Details

    Elect Basic Driver Improvement in lieu of points. If you miss it: Right to elect BDI is forfeited and points are assessed.

Can you keep a texting ticket off your Florida record?

Every way to handle a Florida ticket, from paying to contesting →

Texting tickets in other states →

What else do people ask?

How many points is a texting ticket in Florida?

Handheld phone use: 0 points.

How much is a texting ticket in Florida?

It depends on the court. Published amounts: Pinellas County $168.

Will a texting ticket raise my insurance in Florida?

Probably, if it goes on your record. Insurers rate it as a moving violation. In Florida a speeding ticket raised full-coverage premiums about 13% on average (ValuePenguin State of Auto Insurance in 2026), and a texting ticket tends to land in the same range.

How long do I have to respond to a texting ticket in Florida?

30 days from the date on the ticket. Failing to pay within 30 days, to comply with a payment plan, to attend driver improvement school, or to appear at a hearing: the clerk notifies FLHSMV within 10 days, FLHSMV suspends the license effective 20 days after the order, a $16 delinquent fee is added, and reinstatement requires a clerk compliance certificate plus a $60 service charge.

Sources

Florida law and DMV sources (7)
  1. Fla. Stat. §322.27 (Authority of department to suspend or revoke driver license, point system), 2026 Florida Statutes, Florida Legislature.
  2. Fla. Stat. §318.14 (Noncriminal traffic infractions, procedures), 2026 Florida Statutes, Florida Legislature.
  3. Fla. Stat. §318.18 (Amount of penalties), 2026 Florida Statutes, Florida Legislature.
  4. Fla. Stat. §318.15 (Failure to comply with civil penalty or to appear, penalty), 2026 Florida Statutes, Florida Legislature.
  5. Fla. Stat. §316.305 (Wireless communications devices, prohibition), 2026 Florida Statutes, Florida Legislature.
  6. FLHSMV: What is Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) and how do I find the approved listing of BDI course providers?, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
  7. FLHSMV: Driver Improvement Courses, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Insurance sources (4)
  1. State of Auto Insurance in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
  2. Car Insurance Rate Increases with a Speeding Ticket in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
  3. How Does a DUI Affect Your Auto Insurance Rates in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
  4. How Much Will My Car Insurance Rates Go Up After a Crash in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).