In Florida, a person convicted of DUI must complete a substance abuse education course through a DUI program licensed by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). The person must also complete a psychosocial evaluation and any treatment the program refers them to (s. 316.193(5)). The Level I course is at least 12 hours (Rule 15A-10.024) and the Level II course is at least 21 hours (Rule 15A-10.025). The person pays the reasonable costs of the education, the evaluation and any treatment.
If you were just arrested, start with what to do after a DUI arrest. For how a Florida DUI case works overall, see our DUI defense overview.
What Is Florida DUI School?
Florida DUI school is a DUI program that FLHSMV licenses and regulates under section 322.292. It has three parts:
- A substance abuse education course.
- A psychosocial evaluation.
- Treatment, only if the program refers you to it.
You pay the reasonable costs of the education, the evaluation and any treatment. A certified instructor must teach the classes face to face, and students and the instructor must interact.
Completing DUI school does not resolve the criminal charge. After a conviction it is a sentence requirement, and in several situations it is also a condition of driving again.
Who Has to Take DUI School?
Everyone convicted of DUI has to take it, including people with prior convictions. Section 316.193(5) applies to “all offenders convicted.” Every DUI conviction carries monthly reporting probation, and the court makes the course, the evaluation and any referred treatment conditions of that probation.
DUI school can also come up in other ways:
- You need proof of enrollment to get your license back after a DUI-related suspension or revocation.
- You also need proof of enrollment to apply for the first-offender restricted license.
- If a court has reasonable cause to believe alcohol or drugs contributed to a reckless driving offense, it must order the DUI program course and evaluation under section 316.192(5).
The two license situations are covered below.
Level I and Level II Courses
| Level | Minimum hours | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | At least 12 hours | Rule 15A-10.024 |
| Level II | At least 21 hours | Rule 15A-10.025 |
Level II generally applies when a person has already attended Level I or has two or more convictions for offenses that require DUI-program attendance. Ask the licensed program which level applies to you.
How Long Does DUI School Take in Florida?
The rules set hours, not calendar time. Level I is at least 12 hours and Level II is at least 21. The psychosocial evaluation and any referred treatment are separate parts of the requirement and come on top of those hours. Ask the program for its class schedule.
How Much Does DUI School Cost in Florida?
Florida’s statutes don’t set one statewide tuition. Programs set fees based on reasonable and necessary operating costs, and FLHSMV can approve or adjust them (s. 322.292).
There is also a separate state fee. The program must assess $15 at enrollment, and some repeat-offender and license-restriction cases add more $15 assessments (s. 322.293). That $15 is not the price of school.
You also pay the reasonable costs of the evaluation and any treatment (s. 316.193(5)). Before you enroll, ask the licensed program for its current fee schedule in writing. Other costs, like fines and, in some cases, ignition interlock, are covered on our DUI penalties page.
Can You Take a Florida DUI Class Online?
Under the statute, no. Courses must be taught face to face in a classroom, with interaction between students and the instructor. Internet, remote, home-study and distance-learning classes do not qualify (s. 322.292).
Before you pay anyone, confirm two things: the program is FLHSMV-licensed, and the class meets that format.
DUI School and Your Driver’s License
Section 322.291 applies if your license was suspended for an unlawful alcohol level or a refusal, or revoked after a DUI conviction. Before reinstatement, you need proof of enrollment in a department-approved advanced driver improvement course or a DUI program substance abuse course, which includes the evaluation and any referred treatment. FLHSMV can cancel your driving privilege in two cases:
- You don’t finish the course and evaluation within 90 days after reinstatement, or
- You don’t complete referred treatment.
Some first-time drivers can get a restricted license sooner under section 322.271(7). You may qualify if you have no prior suspension under section 322.2615, no commercial-license disqualification and no prior DUI conviction. The license is business-purposes-only and covers the administrative suspension. The application is form HSMV 72034, and it requires:
- The citation.
- Proof of DUI-school enrollment.
- A $25 filing fee.
The form says the restricted license is cancelled if you don’t complete school within 90 days of enrollment. Accepting the restricted license waives your right to a formal or informal review of the suspension.
Those are two different 90-day clocks. The section 322.291 clock runs from reinstatement. The HSMV 72034 clock runs from enrollment.
What Is the 10-Day Rule in Florida?
The 10-day rule is the deadline to ask for review of your license suspension. It has nothing to do with finishing DUI school.
Under section 322.2615, you have 10 days after the suspension notice is issued to request a formal or informal review. If you’re otherwise eligible, the officer gives you a 10-day temporary permit when the notice is issued.
The request goes on form HSMV 78065, with a $25 filing fee and a copy of the citation. The form also lets you request a telephonic formal review.
DUI School in Broward County
- Court. Misdemeanor DUI cases are heard in the County Court Criminal Division of the 17th Judicial Circuit. Its judges sit at the Central Courthouse, 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, and at regional courthouses in Hollywood, Plantation and Deerfield Beach (17th Circuit). A felony DUI, such as a third DUI within 10 years or a DUI causing serious bodily injury, is a circuit court case. The Clerk lists its felony services in the North Building of the Central Courthouse.
- Clerk. The Clerk’s Traffic and Misdemeanor Division handles criminal traffic and misdemeanor charges, which require a court appearance. The office is in the West Building, first floor, Room 1130, 201 SE 6th Street (Broward Clerk).
- License reviews. The FLHSMV Bureau of Administrative Reviews office for Broward is at 3718-3 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33311. FLHSMV says you can request a formal review or apply for a hardship license by email, without visiting the office (FLHSMV Broward page). It is a license-review office, not a DUI-school classroom.
- Finding a program. FLHSMV licenses DUI programs and, after consulting the chief judge of each judicial circuit, sets how many programs operate in that circuit (s. 322.292). The statute doesn’t name a Broward provider or classroom, so confirm the current licensed program and its location with FLHSMV before you enroll.
Defensive Driving Is Not DUI School
The driving-school election under section 318.14 and section 318.1451 applies to civil traffic infractions. It does not resolve a criminal DUI charge.
For an eligible infraction, you can elect it once in any 12 months and no more than eight times in a lifetime. The eight-time limit took effect July 1, 2024 (ch. 2024-173).
The statute doesn’t set a statewide course price, so prices vary by provider. The election statute doesn’t promise a free course.
The traffic-law and substance abuse education course for driver-license applicants (s. 322.095) is another separate course.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free 4-hour drug and alcohol course in Florida?
That question usually concerns a different course from DUI school. Florida requires a traffic-law and substance abuse education course for covered driver-license applicants under section 322.095. The statute adds a $3 state assessment to the provider’s course fee but doesn’t set the course fee itself. Whether any provider currently offers the course free is unconfirmed.
How much does defensive driving cost, is it free, and how many times can I take it?
Prices vary by provider, and the election statute doesn’t promise a free course. For an eligible infraction, you can elect it once in any 12 months and up to eight times in a lifetime.
Talking to a Lawyer About Your Case
Adam D. Harmelin defends DUI and criminal cases in Broward County from his office in downtown Fort Lauderdale. If you have questions about your case, call (954) 294-9372.
This article is general information about Florida law, not legal advice about your case.