The Florida Senate

318.15  Failure to comply with civil penalty or to appear; penalty.--

(1)(a)  If a person fails to comply with the civil penalties provided in s. 318.18 within the time period specified in s. 318.14(4), fails to attend driver improvement school, or fails to appear at a scheduled hearing, the clerk of the court shall notify the Division of Driver Licenses of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles of such failure within 10 days after such failure. Upon receipt of such notice, the department shall immediately issue an order suspending the driver's license and privilege to drive of such person effective 20 days after the date the order of suspension is mailed in accordance with s. 322.251(1), (2), and (6). Any such suspension of the driving privilege which has not been reinstated, including a similar suspension imposed outside Florida, shall remain on the records of the department for a period of 7 years from the date imposed and shall be removed from the records after the expiration of 7 years from the date it is imposed.

(b)  However, a person who elects to attend driver improvement school and has paid the civil penalty as provided in s. 318.14(9), but who subsequently fails to attend the driver improvement school within the time specified by the court shall be deemed to have admitted the infraction and shall be adjudicated guilty. In such case the person must pay the clerk of the court the 18 percent deducted pursuant to s. 318.14(9), and a $10 processing fee, after which no additional penalties, court costs, or surcharges shall be imposed for the violation. The clerk of the court shall notify the department of the person's failure to attend driver improvement school and points shall be assessed pursuant to s. 322.27

(2)  After suspension of the driver's license and privilege to drive of a person under subsection (1), the license and privilege may not be reinstated until the person complies with all obligations and penalties imposed on him or her under s. 318.18 and presents to a driver license office a certificate of compliance issued by the court, together with the $25 nonrefundable service fee imposed under s. 322.29, or pays the aforementioned $25 service fee to the clerk of the court or tax collector clearing such suspension. Such person shall also be in compliance with requirements of chapter 322 prior to reinstatement.

History.--s. 1, ch. 74-377; s. 1, ch. 80-262; s. 6, ch. 86-154; s. 333, ch. 95-148; s. 9, ch. 96-413; s. 50, ch. 97-300; s. 8, ch. 99-248.