Getting your Florida learner permit

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list the steps to a Florida learner's license in the right order.
• You can explain which course a teen needs and which course an adult needs.
• You can gather the main types of documents FLHSMV asks for.
• You can explain what parental consent involves and why it matters to the adult who signs.
• You can name where in Florida you can apply.

What you need to know and understand

• You must be at least 15 to get a learner's license.
• Teens need an FLHSMV-approved driver education course that meets the Department of Education Driver Education/Traffic Safety 1900300 standard (FLHSMV calls it DETS).
• First-time applicants aged 18 or older take the Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course instead.
• Every Class E applicant takes an eyesight test and a hearing test.
• An applicant under 18 needs a parent, guardian or responsible adult to sign the application before an examiner or a notary.
• The adult who signs shares legal liability for damage the minor causes while driving.
• Since February 6, 2026, Florida driver license exams are given in English only.

Step by step to your learner's license

1. Complete an FLHSMV-approved driver education course. Completion is reported to FLHSMV electronically.
2. Pass the Class E knowledge exam. If you are under 18 you can take it online through an approved third party administrator, with an adult monitoring you.
3. Book a visit at a driver license office or a county tax collector office that offers this service.
4. Bring your documents and your parent or guardian, who signs the parental consent form in front of the examiner, or has it notarized.
5. Pass the vision and hearing exams at the office and pay the fee.

Documents to gather

Florida law requires proof such as a certified US birth certificate, a valid US passport or an accepted immigration document. FLHSMV also asks for proof of your Social Security number and two proofs of your Florida residential address, plus proof of any name change. Use the What to Bring checklist on the FLHSMV website before your visit, because the exact list depends on your status. Our Florida permit documents checklist goes into more detail.

Minors must also be enrolled in school and meeting attendance rules, or be exempt, to be eligible.

Parental consent is a real commitment

Under Florida law, any negligence or willful misconduct by a driver under 18 is imputed to the adult who signed the application, and that adult can be held jointly liable for damages. Married minors are exempt from the consent rule. Talk this through as a family before the visit.

Fees: FLHSMV sets the license fee, and tax collector offices may add a service charge. Check the current total with your county office before you go.

Common mistakes

• Taking the old 4-hour TLSAE course as a teen. Applicants under 18 now need the approved driver education (DETS) course.
• Arriving without the parent or guardian. If they cannot come, have the consent form notarized in advance.
• Bringing photocopies. Identity documents such as a birth certificate must be certified originals.
• Assuming you can test in another language. Florida exams are English only from February 6, 2026.

Test yourself: Getting your Florida learner permit

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Florida Disabled Parking Permit
• Florida Learner Permit Documents Checklist
• Florida Permit Test