Florida Teen Driving Curfews and Restrictions

Florida changes the rules three times on the way to unrestricted driving, and the hours are different at each stage. The most common mistake families make is applying the learner license hours to a newly licensed teen, or the reverse. They are separate rules with separate times.

Stage One: The Learner License

The First Three Months

A learner license holder may drive during daylight hours only for the first three months after the license is issued. A licensed driver 21 or older must occupy the front passenger seat at all times, under sections 322.1615(1) and 322.05.

After Three Months

After three months, driving is permitted until 10 p.m., still with the supervising driver in the front passenger seat. The supervision requirement never relaxes during this stage; only the hours change.

How Long the Learner Stage Lasts

The learner license must be held at least 12 months or until the 18th birthday, whichever comes first, under section 322.161(1)(a). During that time, the teen completes 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 at night. Our 50 hour log guide covers how to track them, and our guide on getting the permit covers the application itself.

The Rule Almost Everyone Misses

These learner license restrictions apply to every learner license holder, including adults 18 and over. A 22-year-old first-time driver on a learner license is subject to the same supervision requirement and the same hours. Most competing content presents the learner rules as teen rules, and that is not what the statute says.

Stage Two: Licensed at Sixteen

Six in the Morning to Eleven at Night

A licensed 16-year-old may drive only between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. under section 322.16(2). Outside those hours, driving requires one of the two exceptions below.

What Does Not Change

The supervision requirement disappears at this stage, which is the meaningful jump. The teen can drive alone inside the permitted window, and the passenger seat no longer has to hold anyone in particular.

Stage Three: Licensed at Seventeen

Five in the Morning to One at Night

At 17, the window widens. A licensed 17-year-old may drive between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. under section 322.16(3), gaining an hour in the morning and two at night. The full statute is available through the Florida Statutes.

Why the Birthday Matters Immediately

The wider hours attach to turning 17, not to a waiting period or a new license. A teen who turns 17 tonight is operating under the later curfew tomorrow.

The Two Exceptions at Both Ages

Driving To or From Work

Both the 16- and 17-year-old curfews allow driving to or from work outside the permitted hours. An evening shift that ends after the curfew does not strand a licensed teen.

Driving With a Licensed Adult

The second exception allows driving outside the hours when accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older. Between them, these two exceptions cover most of the situations that would otherwise create real hardship, and nothing else does. A social event running late is not covered.

How a Violation Affects the Timeline

Offenses Beyond Traffic Violations

Under section 322.056, a minor convicted of tobacco or nicotine possession has the learner license revoked for a minimum of 30 days. The consequences aren't limited to what happens behind the wheel.

Delays Compound

Because the learner stage has a minimum holding period, anything that revokes or interrupts that license pushes the entire timeline back. A 30 day revocation is not just 30 days of not driving; it can reset progress toward the next stage.

When the Restrictions End

At Eighteen

Age restrictions end at 18, when the licensed curfew no longer applies and driving hours become unrestricted.

Getting There in Order

Each stage depends on the one before it, starting with the required course. Our guide on which course applies covers the age rules, and the Florida drivers ed courses are online and authorized by the State of Florida. For the application steps at each stage, see our full license guide.

Rules That Outlast the Curfew

Some Florida rules apply at every age and catch new drivers most often, including the stop requirements around school buses. Our explainer on the school bus law covers what stops when.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time can a 16-year-old drive in Florida?

A licensed 16-year-old may drive between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. Outside those hours, driving is allowed only to or from work, or when accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older.

What time can a 17-year-old drive in Florida?

A licensed 17-year-old may drive between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m., with the same two exceptions for work travel and for driving accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older.

Do Florida learner permit restrictions apply to adults?

Yes, the learner license hours and the requirement for a licensed driver 21 or older in the front passenger seat apply to every learner license holder, including those 18 and over. The curfew hours tied to age 16 and 17 apply only after the teen is licensed.