322.251 Notice of cancellation, suspension, revocation, or disqualification of license.—
(1) All orders of cancellation, suspension, revocation, or disqualification issued under this chapter, chapter 318, chapter 324, or ss. 627.732-627.734 must be given by personal delivery to the licensee whose license is being canceled, suspended, revoked, or disqualified; by deposit in the United States mail in an envelope, first class, postage prepaid, addressed to the licensee at his or her last known mailing address furnished to the department; or by e-mail notification if authorized by the licensee. Such methods of notification by the department constitute notice, and any failure by the person to receive the order does not affect or stay the effective date or term of the cancellation, suspension, revocation, or disqualification of the licensee’s driving privilege.
(2) The giving of notice and an order of cancellation, suspension, revocation, or disqualification is complete upon expiration of 20 days after e-mail notification or deposit in the United States mail for all notices except those issued under chapter 324 or ss. 627.732–627.734, which are complete 15 days after e-mail notification or deposit in the United States mail. Proof of the giving of notice and an order of cancellation, suspension, revocation, or disqualification in such manner must be made by entry in the records of the department that such notice was given. The entry is admissible in the courts of this state and constitutes sufficient proof that such notice was given.
(3) Whenever the driving privilege is suspended, revoked, or disqualified under this chapter, the period of such suspension, revocation, or disqualification must be indicated on the order of suspension, revocation, or disqualification, and the department shall require the licensee whose driving privilege is suspended, revoked, or disqualified to surrender all licenses then held by him or her to the department. However, if the person fails to surrender such licenses, the suspension, revocation, or disqualification period does not expire until a period identical to the period for which the driving privilege was suspended, revoked, or disqualified has expired after the date of surrender of the licenses, or the date an affidavit swearing such licenses are lost has been filed with the department. In any instance where notice of the suspension, revocation, or disqualification order is given as provided herein, and the license is not surrendered to the department, and such license thereafter expires, the department may not renew that license until a period of time identical to the period of such suspension, revocation, or disqualification imposed has expired.
(4) A person whose privilege to operate a commercial motor vehicle is temporarily disqualified may, upon surrendering his or her commercial driver license, be issued a Class E driver license, valid for the length of his or her unexpired commercial driver license, if eligible, at no cost. Such person may, upon the completion of his or her disqualification, be issued a commercial driver license, of the type disqualified, for the remainder of his or her unexpired license period. Any such person must pay the reinstatement fee provided in s. 322.21 before being issued a commercial driver license.
(5) A person whose privilege to operate a commercial motor vehicle is permanently disqualified may, upon surrendering his or her commercial driver license, be issued a Class E driver license, if he or she is otherwise qualified to receive such license. Any such person shall be issued a Class E license, valid for the remainder of his or her unexpired license period, at no cost.
(6) Whenever a cancellation, suspension, revocation, or disqualification occurs, the department shall enter the cancellation, suspension, revocation, or disqualification order on the licensee’s driver file 20 days after e-mail notification or deposit in the United States mail. Any inquiry into the file after the 20-day period shall reveal that the license is canceled, suspended, revoked, or disqualified and whether the license has been received by the department.
(7)(a) A person whose driving privilege is suspended or revoked pursuant to s. 832.09 shall be notified, pursuant to this section, and the notification shall direct the person to surrender himself or herself to the sheriff who entered the warrant to satisfy the conditions of the warrant. A person whose driving privilege is suspended or revoked under this subsection shall not have his or her driving privilege reinstated for any reason other than:
1. Full payment of any restitution, court costs, and fees incurred as a result of a warrant or capias being issued pursuant to s. 832.09;
2. The cancellation of the warrant or capias from the Department of Law Enforcement recorded by the entering agency; and
3. The payment of an additional fee of $10 to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to be paid into the Highway Safety Operating Trust Fund; or
4. The department has modified the suspension or revocation of the license pursuant to s. 322.271 restoring the driving privilege solely for business or employment purposes.
(b) The Department of Law Enforcement shall provide electronic access to the department for the purpose of identifying any person who is the subject of an outstanding warrant or capias for passing worthless bank checks.
History.—s. 5, ch. 59-278; ss. 24, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 78-37; s. 1, ch. 80-158; s. 1, ch. 82-20; s. 561, ch. 82-243; s. 1, ch. 84-265; s. 20, ch. 89-282; s. 413, ch. 95-148; s. 3, ch. 98-223; s. 5, ch. 2003-410; s. 84, ch. 2005-164; s. 81, ch. 2010-102; s. 57, ch. 2012-181; s. 9, ch. 2025-125; s. 19, ch. 2026-39.
