SECTION 318.15. Failure to comply with civil penalty or to appear; penalty.
Latest version.
1(1)(a) 2If a person fails to comply with the civil penalties provided in s. 15318.1816within the time period specified in s. 23318.14(4), 24fails to enter into or comply with the terms of a penalty payment plan with the clerk of the court in accordance with ss. 48318.1449and 5028.246, 51fails to attend driver improvement school, or fails to appear at a scheduled hearing, the clerk of the court shall notify 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 license and privilege to drive of such person effective 20 days after the date the order of suspension is mailed in accordance with s. 128322.251(1), 129(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. The department may not accept the resubmission of such suspension.
198(b) 199However, a person who elects to attend driver improvement school and has paid the civil penalty as provided in s. 219318.14(9)220but who subsequently fails to attend the driver improvement school within the time specified by the court is deemed to have admitted the infraction and shall be adjudicated guilty. If the person received an 18-percent reduction pursuant to s. 259318.14(9), 260the person must pay the clerk of the court that amount and a processing fee of up to $18, from which the clerk shall remit $3 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, after which additional penalties, court costs, or surcharges may not be imposed for the violation. In all other such cases, the person must pay the clerk a processing fee of up to $18, from which the clerk shall remit $3 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, after which additional penalties, court costs, or surcharges may not 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. 391322.27392.
393(c) 394A person who is charged with a traffic infraction may request a hearing within 180 days after the date upon which the violation occurred, regardless of any action taken by the court or the department to suspend the person’s driving privilege, and, upon request, the clerk must set the case for hearing. The person shall be given a form for requesting that his or her driving privilege be reinstated. If the 180th day after the date upon which the violation occurred is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the person who is charged must request a hearing within 177 days after the date upon which the violation occurred; however, the court may grant a request for a hearing made more than 180 days after the date upon which the violation occurred. This paragraph does not affect the assessment of late fees as otherwise provided in this chapter.
541(2) 542After the suspension of a person’s driver license and privilege to drive under subsection (1), the license and privilege may not be reinstated until the person complies with the terms of a periodic payment plan or a revised payment plan with the clerk of the court pursuant to ss. 591318.14592and 59328.246594or with all obligations and penalties imposed under s. 603318.18604and presents to a driver license office a certificate of compliance issued by the court, together with a nonrefundable service charge of $60 imposed under s. 630322.29, 631or presents a certificate of compliance and pays the service charge to the clerk of the court or a driver licensing agent authorized under s. 656322.135657clearing such suspension. Of the charge collected, $22.50 shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue to be deposited into the Highway Safety Operating Trust Fund. Such person must also be in compliance with requirements of chapter 322 before reinstatement.
697(3) 698The clerk shall notify the department of persons who were mailed a notice of violation of s. 715316.074(1)716or s. 718316.075(1)(c)1719. pursuant to s. 723316.0083724and who failed to enter into, or comply with the terms of, a penalty payment plan, or order with the clerk to the local hearing officer or failed to appear at a scheduled hearing within 10 days after such failure, and shall reference the person’s driver license number, or in the case of a business entity, vehicle registration number.
783(a) 784Upon receipt of such notice, the department, or authorized agent thereof, may not issue a license plate or revalidation sticker for any motor vehicle owned or co-owned by that person pursuant to s. 817320.03(8)818until the amounts assessed have been fully paid.
826(b) 827After the issuance of the person’s license plate or revalidation sticker is withheld pursuant to paragraph (a), the person may challenge the withholding of the license plate or revalidation sticker only on the basis that the outstanding fines and civil penalties have been paid pursuant to s. 874320.03(8)875.
