Georgia Traffic Ticket
Are you a Florida resident that received a traffic ticket in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia or another State? You probably have many questions concerning your options, whether points will be assessed against your Florida Drivers License, can another State Suspense my Florida License, etc.
In today's modern world, most States have reciprocal legal agreements with other states concerning Driver's Licenses. Residents of one state are expected to obey traffic laws in other states, even if the law is different from their home state.
Nations strongly suggests you contact an attorney ASAP
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Georgia Traffic School and Florida Residents
When you receive a traffic ticket in another state (Florida DMV FAQ), you will be expected to fulfill the obligations just as you would in Florida. Also like Florida, if you do not fulfill the obligations, the offended state will take legal action against you in Florida. Depending on the Agreement, your license will be suspended (through the Florida DMV) and any points associated with the violation will be reported to Florida and applied against your license.
A few good guidelines for any Florida resident who receives a Traffic Citation in another State:
- Do Not Ignore It. It will not go away on it's own.
- Contact the local jurisdiction where you received the ticket within the appropriate timeframe.
- Ask if "Points" are associated with your violation and if you are permitted to attend a Defensive Driving School (DDS) Course so that Adjudication is Withheld (No Points).
- Pay any fines on time.
- If you had a major violation (especially a "Super Speeder" ticket), it is strongly suggested you receive legal counsel from a lawyer that practices in the state where you received the violation.
The State of Georgia has a Defensive Driver Improvement School program. It is to attend a 6-hour DDS (or greater) Level 2 course. Further, Georgia requires students to complete the course in a traditional classroom (Online classes are prohibited).
Many Georgia Counties will permit you to attend these courses in Florida to satisfy their 6 Hour DDS requirement.
This is very Important -- Georgia requires you to attend all DDS courses in a classroom. Additionally, Georgia Clerks of the Courts do not accept a Florida 4-Hour Course Certificate as it does not meet their minimum requirements.
Florida Law
Florida law does not allow you to attend a school to remove points for a ticket once the ticket has cleared the other state. This means you can not attend a DDS Class in Florida after the points have been applied to your Florida Driving Record. Therefore, you must attend the class prior to paying the fine in the other state and only after receiving permission from the county or jurisdiction where you received the ticket.
Suggested Steps
In order to attend a Defensive Driver School Course in Florida for a Georgia Traffic Ticket (or other state), we suggest you follow these steps:
- Contact the county or local jurisdiction where you received the ticket.
- Ask if they will accept an American Safety Institute Florida Traffic School class and Certificate in exchange for Adjudication Withheld verdict (No Points). (Make sure to include this acceptance verification statement and that you contacted the Clerk of the Courts in Georgia on your registration.
- Be sure to ask which Florida DDS course will satisfy their requirement. Georgia statutes require you to "complete a 6-Hour or Greater, In Person" Class. Most will require the 8 Hour DDS/Intermediate Course, but others may require the 8 Hour Aggressive Course.
- Complete your course on time. Nations will provide you a Completion Certificate at the end of your class including a signed original for Georgia and a copy for your records.