Florida Learner’s License Requirements: TLSAE, Exams, and Fees

To get a Florida learner’s permit, you must be at least 15 years old, finish a Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course, pass a 50-question knowledge exam and a vision screening, bring documents proving your identity, Social Security number, and Florida residence, and pay the $48 license fee. Applicants under 18 also need a parent or guardian to sign a consent form and must be enrolled in school. Florida’s learner’s permit requirements fall under the state’s Graduated Driver Licensing system, so the permit comes with supervision and curfew rules from day one.¹

Who Qualifies

The minimum age is 15.² If you’re under 18, two extra conditions apply.

First, you have to be enrolled in school. That includes public school, private school, a home education program, or an approved alternative such as a GED preparation course. A minor who already holds a diploma or equivalency certificate also qualifies.³

Second, a parent or legal guardian must sign Form HSMV 71142 authorizing the application. The signature has to be notarized or witnessed by a driver license examiner at the service center.⁴

Finish the TLSAE Course First

Before you can test, you have to complete the Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education course. It covers how alcohol and drugs affect driving, Florida traffic laws, and the consequences of reckless driving. State-approved online providers typically charge around $30 plus fees. Two groups are exempt: people who already hold a license from another state, and people who completed a Department of Education driver education course.⁵

Documents to Bring

Florida wants originals in three categories, and arriving without any one of them means being turned away.⁶

Proof of identity: a certified U.S. birth certificate or a U.S. passport, current or expired. Hospital-issued birth certificates are not accepted.
Social Security number: your Social Security card, a W-2, or another government-issued document showing your full number.
Proof of residential address: two documents from different sources showing your Florida address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, vehicle registration, or rental agreement. Most dated documents must be from within the last 60 days.

Minors should also bring the signed HSMV 71142 consent form.

The Knowledge Exam and Vision Screening

The Class E Knowledge Exam has 50 multiple-choice questions on traffic signs, signals, and Florida driving rules. You need 40 correct to pass, which is 80%. Applicants under 18 can take it online through a state-approved provider with a parent or guardian proctoring; the parent then signs Form HSMV 71144, which has to be notarized or witnessed by an examiner. Anyone 18 or older must test in person at a service center.⁷⁸ If you fail, a retake costs $10.⁹

The vision screening requires at least 20/70 acuity in either eye, with or without corrective lenses, plus a minimum of 130 degrees of uninterrupted horizontal field of vision. Fail the screening and you’ll be referred to an eye specialist.¹⁰

Fees and What You Leave With

The original Class E learner’s license fee is $48.¹¹ At a tax collector’s office, add a $6.25 service fee. Veterans who have provided proof of veteran status are exempt from that service fee.¹²

Once your documents are verified, your photo is taken, and payment clears, you’ll walk out with a paper temporary permit that lets you start driving under the required restrictions. The permanent plastic card arrives by mail in two to three weeks.

What You Can and Cannot Do With the Permit

Every time you drive, a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old must sit in the front passenger seat. No exceptions for short trips or familiar routes.¹

Driving hours are also capped based on how long you’ve held the permit:

First three months: daylight hours only.
After three months: until 10:00 PM.

Violating the supervision or curfew rule counts as a moving violation, carries a civil penalty, and can delay your eligibility for a regular license.

Moving Up to a Regular License

The permit is a step, not the goal. To qualify for a regular Class E license, you must be at least 16, hold the learner’s license for at least 12 months (or turn 18, whichever comes first), log 50 hours of driving experience with at least 10 at night (certified by a parent or guardian on Form HSMV 71143), keep a clean moving-violation record for that year (one violation is allowed if adjudication was withheld), and pass the Class E Driving Skills Test behind the wheel. The vehicle you bring to the road test must have valid registration, proof of insurance, and pass a basic safety inspection by the examiner.¹³

1
Florida Senate. Florida Code 322.1615 – Learners Driver License
2
Florida Statutes. Florida Code 322.05 – Persons Not to Be Licensed
3
Florida Statutes. Florida Code 322.091 – Attendance Requirements
4
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Parental Consent for a Driver Application of a Minor
5
Florida Senate. Florida Code 322.095 – Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education Program for Driver License Applicants
6
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. What to Bring
7
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Class E Knowledge Exam and Driving Skills Test
8
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Parent Proctoring of On-Line Driver License Testing by a Minor
9
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Frequently Asked Questions
10
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Vision Standards
11
Florida Statutes. Florida Code 322.21 – License Fees; Procedure for Handling and Collecting Fees
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
13
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Licensing Requirements for Teens, Graduated Driver License Laws and Driving Curfews