Florida Driver License Guide: Permit at 15 to Class E

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This guide is for Florida teens, their parents and adults getting a first Florida driver license. It sets out the full route from a learner’s license at 15 to a Class E license, with the Florida law behind each step and links to a detailed guide for every stage.

Key facts: how to get a driver license in Florida

Learner’s license from age 15, after passing the knowledge (written) exam and the vision and hearing exam, and completing an approved driver education course (Florida Statutes s. 322.1615).
Class E license from age 16, once you have held the learner’s license for at least 12 months with no moving traffic convictions (s. 322.05).
50 hours of supervised driving, at least 10 of them at night, certified by a parent, guardian or responsible adult (s. 322.05(3)).
Curfews for 16 and 17 year olds until 18 (s. 322.16).
Fee: an original Class E license is $48 under s. 322.21, as of November 2026. Offices may add service charges, so check with your local office.

The Florida route, step by step

Under 18

Take the driver education course. Since July 1, 2025, Florida law requires learner’s license applicants to complete a driver education course approved by FLHSMV that meets the Department of Education’s Driver Education/Traffic Safety 1900300 standard. FLHSMV calls it the Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS) course. It replaced the old TLSAE requirement for teens. See TLSAE and DETS: which course you need.
Pass the Class E knowledge exam. Under 18s can take it online through an approved third party administrator. See the Florida Class E knowledge test and testing with a third party administrator.
Visit a driver license office with your identity documents and a parent or guardian, who signs the consent form in front of the examiner or a notary. You take the vision and hearing exam there.
Drive as a learner for at least 12 months: daylight only for the first 3 months, then until 10 p.m., always with a licensed driver aged 21 or over in the front passenger seat. See Florida learner’s license rules.
Log 50 hours, 10 at night, and have them certified. See the 50 hour certification.
Pass the driving skills test. See every maneuver on the Florida driving test.
Drive within the curfew until you turn 18. See the Florida teen driving curfew.

18 and over

The 12 month learner period, 50 hour certification and curfews in s. 322.05 and s. 322.16 apply to drivers under 18. If you are 18 or over and have never been licensed anywhere, you must complete the Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course (s. 322.095), then pass the vision, hearing, knowledge and driving skills exams. FLHSMV says applicants 18 and over must take the knowledge exam in person.

Florida learner stages at a glance

Stage	Minimum age	Main limits
Learner’s license, first 3 months	15	Daylight hours only; licensed driver 21+ in the front passenger seat
Learner’s license, after 3 months	15	Until 10 p.m.; licensed driver 21+ in the front passenger seat
Class E license at 16	16	No driving 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. unless with a licensed driver 21+ or going to or from work
Class E license at 17	17	No driving 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. unless with a licensed driver 21+ or going to or from work
Full Class E	18	Curfews end

School attendance and your Florida license

Under s. 322.091, a minor is not eligible for a learner’s or driver license unless they are enrolled in school (public, private or home education) and meet attendance requirements, or have a diploma or other listed exemption. FLHSMV can suspend a minor’s license if the school district reports non-compliance. A hardship waiver hearing is available through the school.

What the Florida Class E handbook covers

The knowledge exam is based on the Florida Class E Driver License Handbook from FLHSMV. Its chapters cover preparing your vehicle and yourself, occupant protection, traffic controls, driving safely, sharing the road, special situations, emergencies, your driving privilege and getting your license. These guides go deeper on the main topics:

Signs, signals and markings: road signs by shape and color, traffic signals, pavement markings
Right of way: four-way stops
Occupant protection: seat belt and child car seat laws
Sharing the road: motorcycles, bicycles and trucks
Speed and parking: speed limits, parking rules
Alcohol and drugs: zero tolerance for under 21s, implied consent and DUI

Florida road rules from the handbook

These Florida rules come up in the handbook and on the knowledge exam but differ from other states, so learn the Florida numbers.

Your car and its equipment

Before you start: car in Park or Neutral, seat and mirrors adjusted, view clear, doors locked, everyone belted.
Required equipment includes two braking systems, working headlights, two red taillights, two brake lights, turn signals, a plate light, a horn heard from 200 feet, a rear-view mirror and a working driver’s wiper. The handbook recommends at least 3/32 inch of tire tread.
Not allowed: red lights showing to the front, blue lights, sirens, a very loud or smoking muffler, stickers on the windshield that the law does not require, a TV-type screen the driver can see, and headphones or a headset worn by the driver. Mirror-like window tint is limited by ss. 316.2953 and 316.2954.
Cars and pickups must keep front and rear bumpers within height limits set by the vehicle’s shipping weight, and tampering with emissions equipment is illegal.
Loads must be secured or covered. A load sticking out 4 feet or more behind needs a red flag at least 18 inches square by day and red lights or reflectors at night. Farm vehicles built for under 25 mph show the orange slow-moving vehicle triangle.

Speed and lanes

Unless signs say otherwise: 30 mph in business and residential areas and 55 mph elsewhere (s. 316.183). Limited access highways can be posted up to 70 mph (s. 316.187). The handbook lists 20 mph for school zones.
Minimum speeds: 40 mph on interstates with four or more lanes, and 50 mph where the limit is 70 mph. Driving so slowly that you hold up normal traffic is also an offense (s. 316.183).
Keep right unless passing. On a road with two or more lanes your way, do not stay in the far left lane when a faster vehicle is coming up behind you, unless you are passing or about to turn left (s. 316.081).
Signal at least 100 feet before a turn. Pass on the right only where there are two or more lanes your way or the vehicle ahead is turning left.
Do not pass within 100 feet of a bridge, viaduct, tunnel, railroad crossing or intersection, or on a hill or curve where you cannot see 500 feet ahead. Be back on the right before you are within 200 feet of an oncoming vehicle.
Keep at least four seconds behind the car ahead, more in rain or at night. Never follow a fire truck answering an alarm closer than 500 feet. Leave at least 3 feet when passing a bicyclist.
Red reflectors facing you on lane lines mean you are going the wrong way. HOV lanes are marked with a diamond and can be entered only at marked points.

Intersections and special signals

Open intersections (no signs or signals): yield to a vehicle already in the intersection, when you enter a state highway from a secondary road, when you enter a paved road from an unpaved one, and when you turn left across oncoming traffic. Leaving a driveway or alley, yield to traffic on the road and to people on the sidewalk.
Signals out in a power cut: treat the intersection as a four-way stop.
Public transit: yield to a public bus going your way that has signaled and is pulling back into traffic from a marked bus bay (s. 316.0815).
Drawbridges: a flashing yellow light means the bridge is operating, so slow down and get ready to stop. Stop at the line on red, and never drive around or under a lowered or moving gate.
Railroad crossings: when lights flash, a gate is down, a flagger warns you or a train is clearly coming, stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail.

Lights

Headlights must be on from sunset to sunrise, including twilight, and in rain, smoke or fog (s. 316.217). The easy rule: wipers on, headlights on. Parking lights alone never replace headlights.
Switch to low beam within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following.
Flashing hazard lights are for when you are lawfully stopped or disabled, or, under current law, in extremely low visibility on roads posted 55 mph or more (s. 316.2397(7)). Older handbooks say never to drive with them on.

Parking

Park on the right, parallel to the curb and within 12 inches of it. Set the parking brake, turn off the engine and take the key with you. Check for bicyclists before opening your door.
No standing or parking in front of a driveway, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet of a flashing signal, stop sign or traffic signal, or within 20 feet of a fire station driveway. No parking within 50 feet of a railroad crossing (s. 316.1945).
Never stop or park on a sidewalk, crosswalk, bridge, in an intersection, in a bike lane or bike path, next to a car already parked at the curb, or by a yellow curb. A broken-down car may stay on a limited access shoulder for no more than 6 hours.

Seat belts and children

The driver, every front-seat passenger and every passenger under 18 must be belted. The driver gets the ticket for an unbelted passenger under 18; passengers 18 and over get their own (s. 316.614).
Children 5 and under ride in a crash-tested child restraint: a separate carrier or built-in child seat through age 3, and a carrier, built-in seat or booster seat at ages 4 and 5 (s. 316.613). A child restraint violation is a moving violation with 3 points.
Never leave a child under 6 alone in a car for more than 15 minutes, or for any time at all if the engine is running or the child is in danger or distress (s. 316.6135).

Golf carts and low-speed vehicles

Golf carts may use only roads a local government has designated and signed, usually from sunrise to sunset. Since a 2023 change, a driver under 18 needs a learner’s license or driver license, and a driver 18 or over needs government photo ID (s. 316.212).
Low-speed vehicles may use streets posted 35 mph or less, and may cross faster roads at intersections. They must be registered and insured, and the driver needs a valid driver license (s. 316.2122).

Other Florida rules

Littering from a car: up to 15 pounds is a $100 fine; more than 15 pounds is a first-degree misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000 and 3 points. Driving on the rim of a flat tire, or damaging a road any other way, is illegal.
Do not lend your license, let an unlicensed person drive your car, hold more than one license or ID card, or give false information to an officer or on a crash report.
When stopped by police: pull off to the right, use parking lights and the interior light at night, stay in your seat with your hands visible, and have your license, registration and insurance ready. An officer directing traffic overrides the signal.
Florida 511 gives live traffic, crash and weather information by phone, website and app. Check it before you set off or once you have parked.
Vision standard (handbook): 20/40 in each eye passes. Worse vision is referred to an eye specialist; 20/70 in either eye or both may pass after referral if the worse eye is better than 20/200, and someone blind in one eye needs 20/40 in the other. The field of vision must be at least 130 degrees, and telescopic lenses cannot be used to meet the standard.

Keeping your Florida license up to date

A Class E license lasts 6 to 8 years. Renewing after it expires adds a $15 late fee. Drivers 80 and over must pass a vision test at every renewal.
Get a new license within 30 days of changing your address, online or at an office. A lost or stolen license can be replaced for $25 (free for a theft with a police report and no other changes).
A name change needs an original or certified marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order, and your Social Security record must be updated first.
Restriction codes you may see: A corrective lenses, B outside mirror, C business purposes only, D employment purposes only, E daylight only, F automatic transmission, P ignition interlock. See restriction codes explained.
Vehicle registrations renew every year or two, by midnight on the first owner’s birthday, and can be renewed up to 90 days early.
Optional extras at the counter: the Veteran designation (with a DD-214), organ and tissue donor registration, voluntary contributions, and free emergency contact information that police can use after a crash. Men aged 18 to 25 are registered with the Selective Service when they apply. A Florida ID card is available from age 5, free for people who are homeless or on a low income, but you cannot hold an ID card and a driver license at the same time.

Florida laws every new driver should know

Florida points system and license suspension. Drivers aged 15 to 17 who build up 6 or more points in 12 months are restricted to business-purposes-only driving for at least a year (s. 322.161).
Florida phone and texting laws
Florida move over law and school bus rules
Florida no fault insurance and what to do after a crash

Moving to Florida with a license

New residents must get a Florida license within 30 days of establishing residency, according to FLHSMV. Holders of a valid license from another US state usually skip the knowledge and skills exams but still take the vision test. See transferring an out of state or foreign license to Florida.

Common questions

Can you get a learner’s permit at 15 in Florida?

Yes. Florida’s learner’s license (often called a permit) is available from 15 once you have completed the approved driver education course and passed the knowledge, vision and hearing exams.

Can I get my license at 16 if I got my permit at 15 and a half?

No. If you are under 18 you must hold the learner’s license for at least 12 months, so a learner’s license issued at 15 and a half means a Class E license at 16 and a half at the earliest.

What happens if I get a ticket on my learner’s license?

The 12 months must be free of moving traffic convictions. Under s. 322.05(2)(b), a learner with a moving conviction can still qualify by electing traffic school, with adjudication withheld.

Do adults need a learner’s license in Florida?

The 12 month holding rule only applies under 18. Adults who have never held a license still need the TLSAE course and must pass all the exams.

Who can supervise a Florida learner?

A licensed driver aged at least 21, sitting in the front passenger seat.

How much is a Florida driver license?

An original Class E license is $48 under s. 322.21, as of November 2026. Retaking a failed knowledge exam costs $10 and a failed skills test $20 (s. 322.12). Check your local office for any extra service charges.

How does Florida compare with other states?

See graduated driver licensing compared and the US driver license guide.

Sources

Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes ss. 316.081, 316.0815, 316.183, 316.187, 316.1945, 316.212, 316.2122, 316.217, 316.2397, 316.613, 316.614 and 316.6135” (leg.state.fl.us)
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “Official Florida Driver License Handbook” (rev. 05/22/2020 text; current edition rev. 08/2023)
Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.1615, Learner’s driver license” (leg.state.fl.us)
Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.05, Persons not to be licensed” (leg.state.fl.us)
Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.16, License restrictions” (leg.state.fl.us)
Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.091, Attendance requirements” (leg.state.fl.us)
Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.095, Traffic law and substance abuse education program” (leg.state.fl.us)
Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.12, Examination of applicants” (leg.state.fl.us)
Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.161, High-risk drivers; restricted licenses” (leg.state.fl.us)
Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.21, License fees” (leg.state.fl.us)
The Florida Senate, “SB 994 (2025), enrolled bill text (ch. 2025-104, Laws of Florida)” (flsenate.gov)
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “Licensing Requirements for Teens, Graduated Driver License Laws and Driving Curfews” (flhsmv.gov)
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “New Resident: Welcome to Florida!” (flhsmv.gov)
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “Florida Class E Driver License Handbook” (flhsmv.gov)

How to Get a Driver License in Florida: Complete Guide