The Necessary Steps To Getting A Florida Driver’s License

To get your driver’s license in Florida, there are several steps to take and requirements to fulfill before you get on the road. Your age, how well you do on exams, and prior driver licenses from other countries all come into play.

Florida driver’s license basics:
• Be at least 16 years of age, provide ID and other required docs
• Completed the drug and alcohol test
• Passed both Class E Knowledge exam and Class E Driving Skills test
• If you’re under 18, you must hold a learner’s permit for at least a year or until you turn 18, whichever comes first
• If you’re under 18, you must have accumulated 50 hours of driving experience including 10 hours of night driving. You must have a parental form attesting to your experience
• If you’re under 18, no convictions of any traffic violations within a year of date you received learner’s permit

The drug/alcohol course and vision/hearing tests
Every new driver in Florida must complete the course covering dangers and legal consequences of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The course is typically 4hours and online. If you have your learner’s permit or if you have a driver’s license from another state, country or jurisdiction you won’t have to take this course.

To get your driver’s license in Florida you also have to pass a hearing and vision test. If you need glasses, contact lenses or hearing aids to drive, a restriction will be added to your license stating you always have to wear them. This test is taken at your local DMV.

The Class E Knowledge exam
If you have your learner’s permit, then you’ve already passed this exam and have met the requirements to obtain your driver’s license. This part is typically known as the written test. It’s a multiple choice exam asking you all about traffic laws, violations and safe driving practices. To pass you need to answer at least 40 out of 50 question correctly.

If you have a valid driver’s license from another U.S. state, U.S. military, Canada, France, Germany, Republic of China (Taiwan) or South Korea, you don’t have to take the knowledge exam. If you hold a valid Canadian driver’s license and don’t want to surrender it, then you have to take the Knowledge exam. When you’re issued you’re your new driver’s license, you must surrender licenses from any other states or U.S. territories.

The Class E Driving Skills test
At this point you’re at the finish line. The last step to getting your driver’s license in Florida. Here you get behind the wheel and put all of that practice to good use. Show your supervisor how safely you can drive, signal when turning, stay in proper lane, obey traffic signals and park.

You don’t have to take this driving test if you have a valid driver’s license from one of the countries listed above. If you hold a valid Canadian driver’s license and don’t want to surrender it, then you’ll have to take the exam. Remember that you need an insured and registered vehicle to take your driving test.

Finally, when you’re ready to collect your driver’s license have proof of ID(like original birth certificate), two proofs of residential address and proof of social security number.