Florida Teen Driver's License Requirements, Step by Step

A Florida teen can get a learner's license at 15 and a driver license at 16, after holding the learner's license for 12 months and logging 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night. Until 18, the teen then drives with curfews that depend on age.

That is the short version. The longer version has a course, a knowledge exam, three forms and a few rules that catch families by surprise. Here it is in order.

Key takeaways

Step 1: a 6-hour DETS course (for teens under 18 who have never been licensed).
Step 2: the Class E knowledge exam, then a learner's license at 15 or older, with a parent's signed consent.
Step 3: hold the learner's license for 12 months (or until 18) and log 50 supervised hours, including 10 at night.
Step 4: pass the driving skills test for a Class E license at 16 or older.
Curfews: at 16, driving alone only from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; at 17, from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Step 1: The DETS course

Florida changed the first step in 2025. A teen under 18 who has never held a license anywhere must now complete a 6-hour Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS) course approved by FLHSMV before applying. It can be taken in person or online. Some school courses can count instead.

Teens who finished the older 4-hour TLSAE course before August 1, 2025 have a one-year window to use it. Our Florida TLSAE Drug and Alcohol Course: Who Needs It guide covers the details.

Step 2: The knowledge exam and learner's license

The knowledge exam

The Class E knowledge exam has 50 multiple-choice questions; you need 40 correct (80 percent) to pass. Applicants under 18 can take it online through an approved third-party administrator, or in person at a service center, or through a participating high school driver education class.

If your teen tests online, you will need the Parent/Guardian On-Line Test Proctoring Form (71144). It must be signed in front of a driver license examiner, or notarized if the parent will not be there.

The learner's license

FLHSMV sets the minimum age for a learner's license at 15. The FLHSMV teen FAQ lists the learner's license cost as $48, plus a $6.25 service fee at tax collector offices. Fees can change, so check before your visit.

Bring proof of identity, Social Security number and residential address. And bring a parent.

The parental consent form (71142)

A minor needs the Parental Consent Form (71142) to get a learner's license. The form itself says one parent or legal guardian must sign, and all signatures must be notarized or witnessed by an examiner. FLHSMV's required forms page adds:

Stepparents may not sign unless they have legally adopted the teen.
The person who signs takes responsibility for the minor's driving.
If the signer later withdraws consent in writing, the minor's license will be canceled.
Married minors show a certified marriage certificate; emancipated minors show a certified court order.

Take that middle point seriously. Signing is not a formality. It is a parent accepting responsibility, and it is also a lever: a parent who sees unsafe driving can withdraw consent.

Step 3: Driving on a learner's license

FLHSMV's learner's license rules are simple but strict:

The teen must always drive with a licensed driver who is 21 or older.
Daylight only for the first three months. After that, driving is allowed until 10 p.m.
Hold the learner's license for at least 12 months, or until the 18th birthday, whichever comes first.

The 50-hour log

Before the driver license, a parent, guardian or responsible adult over 21 must certify that the teen has at least 50 hours of driving experience, including 10 hours at night.

FLHSMV offers a free Learner's License Driving Log with columns for date, day or night, traffic conditions, weather, time practiced and skills practiced. The certification itself goes on the Certification of Minor Driving Experience Form (71143), which must be signed in front of an examiner, or notarized if the adult will not be present.

A few habits make the 50 hours count:

Spread practice across highways, rain, heavy traffic and night, not just the same quiet loop.
Fill in the log after every drive, not from memory in month eleven.
Write down the skill you worked on. It helps you see what is still missing.

For ideas on keeping a log that holds up, see Learner's Permit Practice Hours by State: A Log Guide.

Tickets reset the clock

This rule surprises families. To get the driver license, the teen must have no moving violation convictions for one year from the learner's license issue date. FLHSMV allows one moving violation if adjudication was withheld. Its FAQ is blunt: customers convicted of a moving violation will not be able to obtain their driver license for one year.

Step 4: The driving skills test and Class E license

At 16 or older, after the 12 months, the teen can take the Class E driving skills test. FLHSMV says it covers maneuvers such as a three-point turn, parking, backing, stopping, obeying signs and signals, and lane use.

The car is tested too. The vehicle needs valid registration, proof of insurance and a basic inspection. A broken horn, mirror, turn signal, brake light, headlight or driver-side wiper, or cracked glass that blocks the view, can stop the test before it starts. Our Car Requirements for Your Driving Test: Will Yours Pass? guide has a full checklist.

Life with a Class E license under 18: curfews

People often call this an "intermediate" license. Florida simply calls it a Class E driver license, but it comes with hour limits until 18:

Age	May drive without an adult 21+
16	6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
17	5 a.m. to 1 a.m.
18	All hours

At 16 and 17, the exceptions are driving to or from work, or driving with a licensed driver 21 or older.

FLHSMV's teen page focuses on hours rather than passengers. For how Florida compares with other states, see Teen Driver GDL Restrictions Explained for Parents. Many families set their own passenger and phone rules anyway.

A simple timeline

Before applying: complete DETS and study the handbook.
Age 15: pass the knowledge exam, sign the consent form, get the learner's license.
Months 1 to 3: daylight driving only, with a licensed adult 21+.
Months 4 to 12: driving until 10 p.m.; finish the 50 hours, including 10 at night.
Age 16+, after 12 clean months: sign form 71143, pass the driving skills test.
Ages 16 and 17: follow the curfew.

Where professional lessons fit

FLHSMV's teen requirements page does not list professional behind-the-wheel lessons among the steps. Many parents still book a few, especially early on and again before the road test. A trained instructor can catch habits a parent misses.

If you hire a school, check that it is licensed. In RoadVerified's directory, schools with a verified check mark have confirmed their details, and certificates issued through RoadVerified carry a code and QR anyone can check at check a certificate.

FAQ

How old do you have to be to get a learner's license in Florida?

The teen must first complete the DETS course (if never licensed), pass the Class E knowledge exam and have a parent or guardian sign the consent form.

How many hours does a Florida teen need to drive before the road test?

At least 50 hours, including 10 at night, certified by a parent, guardian or responsible adult over 21 on form 71143.

What is the curfew for 16-year-old drivers in Florida?

A 16-year-old may drive alone only between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. A 17-year-old may drive alone between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. Driving to or from work, or with a licensed driver 21 or older, is allowed outside those hours.

Does the parental consent form have to be notarized?

The form says all signatures must be notarized or witnessed by a driver license examiner. If the parent comes to the service center, the examiner can witness the signature.

What happens if my teen gets a ticket on a learner's license?

A moving violation conviction delays the driver license for one year. FLHSMV allows one moving violation if adjudication was withheld.

Find a verified driving school

A few lessons with a licensed instructor can make the 50 hours better. Find a verified driving school in Florida in our directory.