What is HTO?

One of the most common questions I get in my practice is. "What is HTO?" HTO stands for "Habitual Traffic Offender" and it's a classification that a Florida driver can receive when they've committed three major traffic infractions within a period of five years.

http://www.tampacriminaldefenders.com/AreasOfPractice/SuspendedLicenseFlorida/HabitualTrafficOffender.aspx

Now these major traffic infractions can range from anything from a felony related charge, to a felony DUI, a misdemeanor DUI or a driving with a suspended license charge, whether it's with knowledge or without knowledge.

If you rack up three of these in a period of five years, you're going to receive a letter from the DSHMV telling you that your license is being revoked for a period of five years.

During this five-year period, for the first twelve months or one-year of the suspension, you're not eligible to have hardship license or even apply for one. You're not eligible to even ask for one from the DSHMV until AFTER the first 12 months is up.

In addition, during this five years, if you are caught driving without having hardship license, you WILL be arrested and charged with a felony Habitual Traffic Offender, driving on a suspended license charge.

There are a few things that can be done in order to remove this classification from your driving record. We'd have to take a look at your driving record, see what three major traffic infractions are causing you to fall into this classification, and see if there is any way we can possibly have one or all of those removed. This would result in them taking away the HTO status and therefore making you eligible to receive a full driver's license.

Feel free to give us a call. We'll take a look at your driving record and see if there's anything we can do to get you back on the road and get you a full driver's license. http://www.tampacriminaldefenders.com/AreasOfPractice/SuspendedLicenseFlorida/HabitualTrafficOffender.aspx