Florida Class E License: Requirements, Tests, and Fees

A Florida Class E license is the state’s standard non-commercial driver license, and it is the one nearly every driver in Florida needs. It covers personal cars, pickup trucks, SUVs, passenger vans seating up to 15 people, RVs under 26,001 pounds GVWR, and mopeds or scooters of 50cc or less.¹ To get one, you meet the age and education prerequisites, bring REAL ID documents, pass the required tests, and pay $48.

What a Class E License Lets You Drive

The Class E authorizes you to operate any motor vehicle that does not require a commercial license. That includes standard passenger vehicles, vans with up to 15 seats (including the driver), and trucks or RVs under 26,001 pounds GVWR.¹ Farmers and emergency-vehicle drivers who are exempt from the commercial license requirement still need a Class E.

Vehicles at or above 26,001 pounds GVWR require a Class A or Class B commercial license, and lighter vehicles carrying hazardous materials or a certain number of passengers need a Class C with the right endorsement.² For an ordinary personal vehicle, the Class E is all you need.

Age and Education Prerequisites

If You Are Under 18

You can apply for a learner’s license at 15. Florida law requires minors to be enrolled in school, a home education program, or an equivalent approved by the district school board, unless you already hold a high school diploma or equivalency certificate.³ If your school reports that you are no longer meeting attendance requirements, the state can suspend your license.

Since August 1, 2025, applicants under 18 who have never held a license from another jurisdiction must complete a 6-hour Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS) course before applying. DETS replaced the older 4-hour Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course for minors. If you finished TLSAE before August 1, 2025, that certificate stays valid for one year from the completion date. You are also exempt from DETS if you are enrolled in a Florida Department of Education Traffic Safety classroom course or a Driver Education Licensing Assistance Program (DELAP) offered by your county school board.⁴

Once you have the learner’s license, you must hold it for at least 12 months with no moving traffic convictions before you can upgrade to a full Class E. If you receive a moving violation during that period, you can still qualify after 12 months by electing traffic school and having adjudication withheld.⁵ The 12-month holding requirement ends early if you turn 18 before it expires.⁶

If You Are 18 or Older

Adults can apply directly for a Class E without first getting a learner’s license, and the graduated restrictions that apply to teens do not apply to you. The learner’s license statute and the DETS mandate target drivers under 18.⁷

Graduated Restrictions for Teen Drivers

A violation of the graduated restrictions counts as a moving infraction and can push back full licensure, so parents and teens should know exactly how they work.

With a learner’s license, a licensed driver at least 21 years old must sit in the front passenger seat whenever you are behind the wheel.⁷ For the first three months you can drive only during daylight hours. After that, the window extends to 10 p.m. You also must log 50 hours of supervised driving, at least 10 of them at night.⁶

Curfews continue after you get the full Class E:

At 16, you can drive only between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., unless you are going to or from work or are accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21.
At 17, the window is 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., with the same work and supervised-driving exceptions.

Curfews lift entirely at 18.⁶

Documents to Bring

Florida licenses comply with the federal REAL ID Act, so you need original documents in three categories when you apply in person. Since May 7, 2025, TSA requires a REAL ID-compliant license (or another acceptable identification like a passport) for domestic air travel and entry to certain federal facilities.⁸

For identity and legal presence, bring one primary document such as a U.S. birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport, a certificate of naturalization, or a permanent resident card. For your Social Security number, bring your Social Security card, a W-2, or another document that shows all nine digits. For residential address, bring two separate documents showing your name and Florida address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, lease, or mortgage document.⁹ If your name has changed since your identity document was issued, bring legal proof such as a marriage certificate or court order.

Make sure the name on your Social Security document matches your identity document exactly. Mismatches are one of the most common reasons applicants are turned away and have to come back.

The Tests

Knowledge Exam

The Class E Knowledge Exam has 50 multiple-choice questions on traffic laws, traffic controls, and road signs. You need 40 correct (80%) to pass.¹⁰ The official Florida Driver License Handbook is available free on the FLHSMV website and is the best study resource.

Vision and Hearing

Both screenings are part of the Class E requirements.¹¹ You need at least 20/40 acuity in each eye, with or without corrective lenses. If you read worse than 20/40 in either eye, you will be referred to a licensed eye specialist. Applicants who cannot improve beyond 20/70 in one eye can still qualify if the other eye reaches 20/40. Drivers with uncorrectable vision of 20/80 or worse in both eyes will not be licensed.¹²

Deafness or inability to hear conversation at normal volume is not disqualifying. You will receive a restriction requiring an outside rearview mirror on the left side of the vehicle or the use of a hearing aid.¹¹

Driving Skills Test

You bring your own vehicle to the driving test. It must have a valid license plate, current registration, and proof of insurance covering personal injury protection and property damage liability.¹⁰ The examiner evaluates maneuvers including three-point turns, straight-in parking, parking on a grade, backing, quick stops, obeying signs and signals, signaling and turning, passing, lane position, and following distance. Review the full list on the FLHSMV site before your test date.

Fees

An original Class E license costs $48.¹³ That fee covers both the learner’s license and the Class E itself, so starting with a learner’s permit does not mean paying twice. At a tax collector’s office rather than a state-run service center, an additional $6.25 service fee applies. Veterans who provide proof of veteran status are exempt from that service fee.¹⁴

How the License Gets Issued

You must apply in person at a Driver License Service Center or a county tax collector office that provides licensing services. After you pass your tests and submit documents, the office processes payment and issues a temporary paper license you can use right away. The permanent card arrives by mail at your residential address, typically within a few weeks.

Transferring an Out-of-State License

If you move to Florida with a valid license from another state, you have 30 days after establishing residency to get a Florida Class E.¹⁵ The clock starts when you accept employment, start a business, or enroll your children in public school. Your spouse and dependents share the same 30-day deadline.

You still need to pass the vision and hearing screenings, but if your out-of-state license is current and valid you may be eligible to skip the written knowledge exam and the driving skills test.¹⁶ Bring all the standard REAL ID documents and apply in person. The state will run your information through the National Driver Register, and any unresolved revocation, suspension, or denial in another state will need to be cleared before Florida issues your license.¹⁷

Validity and Renewal

A standard Florida Class E is valid for eight years from the date of issue. At 80 and older, the validity period is six years. Renewal costs the same $48, plus the $6.25 tax collector fee where applicable.¹⁴ Watch your expiration date. Driving on an expired license can bring a citation, and letting it lapse too long may force you to retake the knowledge and driving tests instead of simply renewing.

1
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. License Classes, Endorsements and Designations
2
Florida Senate. Florida Code 322.54 – Classification
3
Florida Legislature. Florida Code 322.091 – Eligibility Requirements for Driving Privileges
4
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS)
5
Florida Senate. Florida Code 322.05 – Persons Not to Be Licensed
6
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Licensing Requirements for Teens, Graduated Driver License Laws and Driving Curfews
7
Florida Legislature. Florida Code 322.1615 – Learner’s Driver License
8
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
9
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. What to Bring
10
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Class E Knowledge Exam and Driving Skills Test
11
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. General Information
12
Cornell Law Institute. Florida Administrative Code Annotated R 15A-1.013 – Minimum Visual Standards for Licensing
13
Florida Legislature. Florida Code 322.21 – License Fees; Procedure for Handling and Collecting Fees
14
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
15
Florida Legislature. Florida Code 322.031 – Nonresident; When License Required
16
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. New Resident – Welcome to Florida
17
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Driver Register (NDR)