How to Get Your Florida Drivers License

Getting your Florida drivers license can be overwhelming. That’s why I Drive Safely put together this how-to guide to make sure you know every necessary step on the way to your Florida drivers license.

STEP 1 – Pass Our First-Time Florida Learners Permit Course

Your path to earning your Florida drivers license starts here. Our simple 4- hour course makes Florida drivers ed easy and fun.

STEP 2 – Apply for Your Florida Learners Permit

(Remember, you must be at least 15 1/2, but under 18 years to get a permit)

To get your Florida learners permit, you must provide:

• One primary form of identification such as:
  • Certified United States birth certificate issued by a government agency (hospital birth certificates cannot be accepted).
  • Valid United States passport
  • Certificate of naturalization
• Proof of date of birth
• One secondary form of identification which may include:
  • School record stating date of birth, which must contain the registrar’s signature
  • Baptism certificate, which shows date of birth and the place of baptism
  • Family Bible record or birth announcement in a baby book
  • An insurance policy on the customer’s life which has been in force for at least two years and has the month, day and year of birth
• Proof of Social Security number which may include:
  • Social Security card
  • Tax return
  • W-2 form
  • Pay check
  • School record
• Proof of residential address
• Proof that you have taken and passed a Florida TLSAE course, or a license from any state/county
• A Florida DHSMV parental consent form, which should either be signed by a parent in the presence of a Florida drivers license examiner or notarized if the parent/guardian will not be present.
• If you are an unmarried minor (under the age of 18), at least one parent/legal guardian is required to sign your license application. Step-parents are not allowed to sign unless they have legally adopted you.

The following tests are required:

• A written exam, which is made up of 50 questions.
• A vision test with an eye machine. You must have 20/40 (or better) vision in each eye, and both eyes together, with or without corrective lenses in order to pass.
• A hearing test

Conditions for driving with a Florida learners license:

• For the first 3 months: you may only drive during daylight hours
• After the first 3 months: you may only drive until 10 p.m.
• At all times: a licensed driver who is 21 years of age or older must accompany you in the front passenger seat as you drive

STEP 3 – Complete Your Parent-Supervised In-Car Training

You must complete this step before you can apply for your first-time Florida drivers license.

• The law requires a parent/guardian to certify that your teen has spent:
  • A minimum of 50 hours behind the wheel to qualify for getting a first-time Florida drivers license (Ten of those hours must be at night).
  • A responsible licensed adult over 21 years of age must always occupy the front passenger seat closest to the driver.

STEP 4 – Get Your Florida Drivers License

• Minimum requirements:
  • Be at least 16 years of age
  • Must have been in possession of a Florida learners license for at least one year with a clean driving record
• Documents you must provide:
  • Either a Florida learners license, or a valid license from another jurisdiction
  • Certification from a parent/guardian that you have practiced a minimum of 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving, with 10 of those hours occurring at night
• The next step is to take a driving test, during which you will be asked to perform specific maneuvers.
• Conditions for driving with a Florida intermediate drivers license:
  • For 16-year-olds: you may only drive between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., unless you are traveling to or from work, or have a licensed driver over the age of 21 sitting in the car’s front passenger seat
  • For 17-year-olds: the same rules apply, but the hours you may drive between are 5 a.m. and 1 a.m.