Florida HSMV Form 71143 is the one-page Certification of Driving Experience that a parent, guardian, or responsible adult signs to confirm a minor has completed at least 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night, before taking the Class E driving skills test. The form is short. The part that trips people up is the signature step, because an unsigned or improperly witnessed form will be rejected at the counter and the road test won’t happen that day.
Who Signs the Form
The certifying adult must be at least 21 years old. It can be a parent, legal guardian, or another responsible adult. That person does not have to be the same adult who rode along for all 50 hours of practice, but by signing they are taking legal responsibility for the accuracy of what the form states. The form itself carries a printed warning that false information can lead to cancellation of the minor’s driving privilege, so the certification is not a formality.1Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Florida Certification of Driving Experience of a Minor
Where to Get the Form
Download Form 71143 as a PDF from the DHSMV website.1Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Florida Certification of Driving Experience of a Minor Printed copies are also available at any local tax collector’s office or DHSMV service center. Either source is fine. Just confirm you have the current revision before you start writing on it.
What You Fill In
The form has fewer fields than most people expect. There is no learner’s license number field. You complete:
- The minor’s full legal name, spelled exactly as it appears on the learner’s license.
- The minor’s date of birth.
- The signature of the certifying adult on the signature line.
- The certifying adult’s printed name next to the signature.
The certification statement itself is pre-printed on the form. It confirms the minor has driven at least 50 hours in the past 12 months, including at least 10 hours at night. You do not write that language in; it is already there, and your signature adopts it.
Notarization or Examiner Witness
A plain signature on Form 71143 is not enough. The form’s instructions require the signature to be either notarized or witnessed by a driver license examiner.1Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Florida Certification of Driving Experience of a Minor You have two ways to handle it.
Notarize before the appointment. Take the form to any licensed Florida notary public. The certifying adult signs in front of the notary and presents a valid photo ID. The notary completes the bottom section of the form, including the county, date, identification type, signature, and commission stamp. Florida law caps notary fees at $10 per notarial act.2Florida Senate. Florida Code 117.05 – Use of Notary Commission
Sign at the office. The certifying adult comes to the DHSMV service center or tax collector’s office with the minor and signs the form in front of the examiner, who witnesses and signs the authentication section on the spot. No notary fee, but the adult has to physically be there at the appointment.
Showing up with a form signed at home and no notary stamp, and no certifying adult in the room, is the single most common reason the appointment collapses. Decide which route you’re using before you book the test.
What to Bring With the Form
Form 71143 is one piece of the application package. The minor also needs to bring:
- Form 71190, the parental consent form, which likewise must be notarized or signed in front of an examiner.
- Original documents proving identity, Social Security number, and residential address. The DHSMV’s “What to Bring” page lists which documents qualify in each category.3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. What to Bring
- The learner’s license.
- The license fee. The base fee for an original Class E license is $48.00, and tax collector offices may add a $6.25 service fee, bringing the total to $54.25. Veterans who have provided evidence of veteran status are exempt from the service fee.4Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
If either Form 71143 or Form 71190 fails the authentication check, the examiner will not allow the minor to take the road test that day.
Prerequisites the Form Assumes
Form 71143 only certifies that the driving hours were completed. The underlying eligibility comes from Florida Statute 322.05. A minor must have held a valid learner’s license for at least 12 months before applying for a Class E license, and must have no moving traffic convictions during that period. If a moving violation does occur, the statute offers an alternative: hold the learner’s license for at least 12 months and elect to attend a traffic driving school, with adjudication withheld.5Online Sunshine. Florida Code 322.05 – Persons Not to Be Licensed
The 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, with at least 10 hours at night, must be supervised by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old for every one of those hours. This is a firm legal condition, not a target.5Online Sunshine. Florida Code 322.05 – Persons Not to Be Licensed
Does Driver Education Count Toward the 50 Hours?
No. As of 2025, Florida Statute 322.1615 requires minors to complete a state-approved driver education course just to obtain a learner’s license.6Online Sunshine. Florida Code 322.1615 – Driver Education Course That course is a separate prerequisite. It does not reduce the 50 hours of supervised driving that Form 71143 certifies. Behind-the-wheel lessons through a school or commercial driving program are useful practice, but the certifying adult is still signing for the full 50 hours.