Driving Improvement School (DIS)

For traffic citations not involving a required mandatory hearing in Palm Beach County or Broward County, the person who received the traffic ticket has 30 days from the date the ticket was issued to decide to do one of the following:

1. Retain an attorney to help you determine the best course of action to lower the fine required, avoid a conviction and avoid the Driving Improvement School requirement, if possible;
2. Pay the ticket and receive an adjudication of guilt and points if accessed for the violation;
3. Elect to attend the basic driver improvement course (Traffic Collision Avoidance Course) if eligible and follow all of the requirements at the clerk’s office; or
4. Request a trial before either a hearing officer or county court judge.

At Meltzer & Bell, P.A., the “Traffic Stop,” our experienced traffic ticket attorneys offer a money back guarantee for civil traffic infractions — no points, no school or your money back. Some restrictions apply, and court costs and fees may apply, in addition to the attorney fee. We represent clients throughout Broward County and Palm Beach County, including the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, the South Regional Courthouse in Hollywood, the South County Traffic Court in Delray Beach, and the Main Courthouse in West Palm Beach.

Info on Driver School in Palm Beach County

• Electing to Attend Driving Improvement School (DIS), If Eligible
• Benefits of Attending the Basic Driver Improvement Course

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Electing to Attend Driving Improvement School (DIS), If Eligible

If you elect to attend driving improvement school and you are eligible for this option, then you will receive a “withhold of adjudication.” The course you must take is the basic driver improvement course (also called the “Traffic Collision Avoidance Course”).

If you exercise this option, you will not be accessed any points on your driver’s license. To exercise this option, you must pay the civil penalty, the court costs, and costs of the course. You must submit proof that the Driving Improvement School was completed within 90 days.

To be eligible, the driver cannot have selected this option within 1 calendar year from the date of election. Also, the driver may not elect DIS if he or she has done so five (5) times total during his or her lifetime. The defendant automatically receives a “withhold of adjudication” if he or she makes this election.

However, failure to complete the traffic school in a timely fashion will result in the withhold of adjudication being amended to an adjudication where you will then receive the points. If this has happened to you, call the lawyers at Meltzer & Bell, P.A., “The Traffic Stop.”  We can file motions to attempt to convince a judge or magistrate that the late school completion should be accepted by the Clerk.

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Benefits of Attending the Basic Driver Improvement Course

The benefits of attending the Basic Driver Improvement Course include:

1. Making sure you insurance rates cannot go up because of the violation;
2. Making sure your auto insurance policy cannot be cancelled because of this violation (this is true unless the violation involved a crash where you were at fault.
3. Points may not be added to your driver license record, adjudication of guilt is withheld, and safe driver status is maintained if applicable.

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Finding a Driving Improvement School in South Florida

The best way to find an approved Driving Improvement School in Palm Beach County or Broward County is to visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) website for an updated list of approved providers. You must attend the DIS class within 90 days from the date you elect this option.

The enrollment fee for the DIS class is in addition to any fines you are required to pay for the violation. If you fail to complete the traffic school within 90 days from the date of election, then you will result in points assessed against your driving record and additional fines and late fees.

If you are attending a traffic school in Palm Beach County, the school will automatically notify the County Clerk & Comptroller of your school completion. You can verify receipt of completion by contacting the Clerk & Comptroller at (561) 355-2994. If you attend a DIS class outside of Palm Beach County, then be sure to send proof of completion to the Clerk & Comptroller at one of the Palm Beach County locations listed below.

In Broward County, most traffic schools also send proof of your completion to the Clerk of Courts Traffic Division automatically. You are encouraged to check with the traffic school if you want to ensure it completed the process, but you can also mail a copy of your traffic school completion to: