Tiger Woods Avoids Jail in Plea Deal, Driver’s License Suspended for Five Years

Tiger Woods avoided jail Wednesday after reaching a plea agreement in the Florida driving-under-the-influence case stemming from a March rollover crash, but the former world No. 1 will be barred from driving for five years.

Woods appeared in Martin County court in Stuart, Florida, before Judge Darren Steele, and changed his original not-guilty plea to no contest. Prosecutors reduced the initial DUI-related allegations to reckless driving and a separate careless-driving citation, according to multiple outlets that covered the hearing. The two five-year license suspensions will run concurrently, meaning Woods faces one five-year period rather than consecutive suspensions.

The judge also warned Woods that violating the suspension could bring severe consequences. If he drives for any reason during the five-year period, he could be sent directly to jail, the judge said during the hearing.

A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but it allows the criminal case to move to a conviction and sentencing without a trial. Woods also pleaded no contest to refusing to submit to testing and was ordered to pay court costs. Reported fine figures varied slightly across outlets — some cited $1,000, others $1,500 — a discrepancy that appears to reflect separate fines for each charge ($1,000 for the reckless-driving count and $500 for the refusal count) rather than a factual dispute; the combined total reported is $1,500.

The case began March 27, when Woods' SUV struck a truck and overturned on Jupiter Island, a coastal community near his Florida home. No one was injured, but officials said the crash caused thousands of dollars in damage to the other vehicle.

According to the arrest report and accounts of the case, deputies found two hydrocodone pills in Woods' pocket after the crash. A breath test showed no alcohol, while Woods declined to provide a urine sample intended to test for drugs or medication. Authorities also said he displayed signs of impairment. Woods initially faced misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence with property damage and refusing to submit to a lawful test.

The golfer had pleaded not guilty in March and later left the United States for inpatient treatment, according to court records cited in coverage of the case. His legal team subsequently negotiated the reduced charges that were resolved Wednesday.

The agreement adds another legal and personal setback to a period in which Woods' playing career has already been limited by repeated injuries and surgeries. He has not competed in a PGA Tour event since the 2024 British Open and has yet to return to tournament golf following the March crash.

Woods, 50, said little during Wednesday's hearing and did not speak to reporters as he left the courthouse. He was accompanied by Vanessa Trump, his girlfriend and the former wife of Donald Trump Jr., who stood by his side throughout the proceedings and left the courthouse with him afterward.

The five-year suspension will affect Woods' ability to drive on public roads, while the court's warning places additional importance on compliance with the agreement. For now, the criminal case is resolved without jail time, but the consequences will remain in place well beyond the courtroom: Woods must surrender his driving privileges through 2031 and face the possibility of incarceration if he violates the order.