Most speeding tickets in Florida are civil infractions that you resolve with a fine, without ever setting foot in a courtroom. Since July 1, 2025, that stopped being true above a certain speed. Florida Statute 316.1922 created a criminal charge for extreme speeding, and it carries a mandatory court date.
What the Super Speeder Law Really Says
Florida Statute 316.1922 created a new criminal offense called dangerous excessive speeding. It applies in two situations:
- 50 mph or more over the posted speed limit. This alone is enough. The state does not have to prove anything else about how you were driving.
- 100 mph or more, where the driving endangers people or property. At this speed, the state has to show the driving was dangerous to others, not just fast.
Either one is a criminal offense, not a civil infraction. That distinction is what determines how the case moves through the court system.
Criminal Charge, Not a Ticket
A regular speeding ticket in Florida is a civil infraction. You can typically resolve it by mail, online, or by paying the fine, and it never becomes a criminal case. Dangerous excessive speeding does not work that way.
The penalties are set directly by the statute:
- First conviction: up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both.
- Second or subsequent conviction: up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.
- Second or subsequent conviction within 5 years of a prior conviction: mandatory driver’s license revocation of 180 days to 1 year, in addition to the jail and fine exposure above.
Once charged under 316.1922, the case proceeds through the criminal court system. That means a mandatory court appearance in Miami-Dade County court and the possibility of a criminal record, not just points on a driving record. It is handled the way any other misdemeanor charge is handled, not the way an ordinary traffic citation is handled.
Why This Law Exists
Florida saw a documented rise in extreme-speed driving in the years leading up to this law, much of it tied to viral street-racing and high-speed driving content online. Lawmakers concluded that a civil fine does not meaningfully deter someone driving 50 or more miles over the limit, so they created a criminal charge for it instead.
How a Trooper Makes This Determination
This charge comes from an officer or trooper who personally clocks your speed, typically with radar or laser, during a traffic stop. It is not something a camera or automated system can issue. If you are stopped and the trooper believes your speed qualifies under either threshold, the stop itself changes character. What might have started as a routine traffic stop becomes a criminal arrest or a notice to appear in criminal court.
This is a different system from automated camera enforcement. Florida does allow camera enforcement in certain limited contexts, but nothing on the interstate. If you are wondering whether a citation you received came from a camera or a trooper, that distinction matters, and it is covered in our companion post on whether AI speed cameras really exist on I-95 through Miami.
What to Do If You Are Charged
A dangerous excessive speeding charge is a criminal matter from the moment it is filed. Treat it the way you would treat any criminal charge:
- Avoid explaining yourself at the roadside. Anything you say to the trooper becomes part of the record.
- Do not miss the mandatory court date. This is not a citation you can resolve by paying a fine online. Missing court on a criminal charge creates a separate problem.
- Get counsel before the court date, not after. The circumstances of the stop, the calibration and certification of the radar or laser equipment, and the specific facts of the speed reading all matter to how the case can be defended.
Questions About the Super Speeder Law
What speed makes a ticket criminal in Florida?
Two thresholds. 50 mph or more over the posted limit is criminal on the speed alone. 100 mph or more is criminal if the driving endangers people or property. Below either threshold, an ordinary speeding stop remains a civil infraction.
Is this the same as reckless driving?
No. Reckless driving is a separate, longstanding Florida offense based on driving in willful or wanton disregard for safety. Dangerous excessive speeding under 316.1922 is a newer, specific offense tied to defined speed thresholds. The two can overlap in a given case, but they are charged under different statutes with different elements.
Can a camera issue a dangerous excessive speeding charge?
No. This charge requires a trooper or officer to personally clock the speed and make the stop. Florida’s automated camera enforcement is limited to school zones under a separate 2023 law and cannot issue a criminal charge under 316.1922.
Do I have to appear in court for this charge?
Yes. Unlike a civil speeding infraction that can often be resolved without appearing in person, a dangerous excessive speeding charge requires a mandatory appearance in criminal court in the county where the stop occurred.
What are the penalties for a first offense?
Up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both. A second or subsequent conviction increases that to up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both, and a conviction within 5 years of a prior one adds a mandatory license revocation of 180 days to 1 year. Because it is a criminal offense rather than a civil infraction, a conviction can also appear on a criminal record.
When did this law take effect?
July 1, 2025. Stops for conduct before that date are handled under the law as it existed at the time of the stop.
If You Were Charged
If you were stopped and charged under Florida’s super speeder law, the mandatory court date is not something to wait on. Call me directly. Calls reach me, Andre Rouviere, not an intake center, and the first consultation is free with no obligation to hire the firm. If it’s after hours or the weekend, the office keeps a 24-hour answering service.