Photo: Benoît Prieur, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Before a Florida 16 or 17 year old can get a Class E license, a parent, guardian or responsible adult must certify at least 50 hours of supervised driving, with at least 10 of them at night. This checklist covers who can sign, the FLHSMV form, and how to log the hours so the certification is accurate.
Florida 50 hour rule: key facts
- Hours: at least 50 behind the wheel, at least 10 at night (s. 322.05(3)).
- Who supervises: the certifying adult, or another licensed driver aged 21 or over.
- Who certifies: a parent, guardian or other responsible adult who meets s. 322.09.
- Form: Certification of Minor Driving Experience, HSMV 71143.
- Witnessing: signed in front of a driver license examiner, or notarized.
- Applies to: applicants aged 16 or 17. At 18 the rule no longer applies.
What the Florida law says
Section 322.05(3) bars FLHSMV from licensing a 16 or 17 year old unless the parent, guardian or responsible adult certifies that they, or another licensed driver aged 21 or over, accompanied the applicant for at least 50 hours behind the wheel, including at least 10 hours at night.
The law adds that the certification cannot be used in any civil lawsuit and does not create a right to sue.
The HSMV 71143 certification form
The FLHSMV form has the signer certify that the teen has driven at least 50 hours during the past 12 months, 10 of them at night, under s. 322.05(3).
- Signed by one parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult aged 21 or over.
- Signed in front of the driver license examiner, or notarized if the adult cannot come to the test.
- Download the current version from the Required Forms for Teens page on the FLHSMV website before you go.
Checklist: getting your 50 hours right
- Start a log on day one. FLHSMV publishes a free Learner’s License Driving Log. Record the date, start and end time, day or night, conditions and the supervisor’s name.
- Count night hours separately. You need at least 10. For the first 3 months a learner can only drive in daylight, so night hours start in month 4, and only until 10 p.m. (s. 322.1615(3)). See learner’s license rules.
- Check every supervisor qualifies: licensed, at least 21, in the front passenger seat.
- Spread the practice. Cover neighborhood streets, busy multi-lane roads, highways, rain and parking lots. See freeway driving for new drivers and driving in rain and fog.
- Practice the test maneuvers: three-point turn, backing 50 feet, straight-in parking and parking on a hill. See the Florida driving test checklist.
- Total it up before booking. Do not sign for hours that were not driven.
- Bring the signed form, or the adult, to the skills test appointment.
Sample 12 month plan
| Months | Target | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | About 15 daylight hours | Car control, quiet streets, parking lots |
| 4 to 6 | About 15 hours, start night driving | Busier roads, lane changes, first night drives |
| 7 to 9 | About 10 hours | Highways, rain, finishing the 10 night hours |
| 10 to 12 | About 10 hours | Test maneuvers and mock tests |
This is a suggestion, not a legal requirement. The law only sets the 50 and 10 hour minimums.
Common questions
Does Florida check my driving log?
The legal requirement is the adult’s signed certification. The log is a tool to make that certification accurate.
Can a driving school instructor’s hours count?
The law counts hours with the certifying adult or another licensed driver aged 21 or over. An instructor who meets that test counts.
Do I need the 50 hours if I am 18?
No. Section 322.05(3) applies to applicants aged 16 or 17.
Can my parent sign without coming to the test?
Yes, if the form is notarized.
How does Florida compare with other states?
See supervised driving hours by state.
Back to the Florida learning to drive guide.
Sources
- Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.05, Persons not to be licensed” (leg.state.fl.us)
- Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.1615, Learner’s driver license” (leg.state.fl.us)
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “Certification of Minor Driving Experience (HSMV 71143)” (flhsmv.gov)
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “Required Forms for Teens” (flhsmv.gov)
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “Learner’s License Driving Log” (flhsmv.gov)
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “Licensing Requirements for Teens, Graduated Driver License Laws and Driving Curfews” (flhsmv.gov)