Florida Driver's Handbook, Section 1: Driver Licenses and ID Cards
Who needs a Florida license, the documents you must bring, the rules for a learner's license and for drivers under 18, and how to keep your license up to date.
Summary written by MyPermitExam from the official handbook, rev. 08/2023. Not a copy of the handbook. Checked Oct 2026. Not affiliated with the DMV. Official Florida Driver License Handbook
Key rules
- A non-resident who takes a job or enrolls a child in a Florida public school must get a Florida license within 30 days. p. 3
- Every applicant needs primary ID, proof of Social Security number (or secondary ID) and two documents showing a Florida home address. Copies are not accepted. p. 5
- Learner's license: be at least 15, complete the TLSAE course and pass the vision and Class E knowledge exams. p. 8
- Under 18, you must hold the learner's license for 12 months (or until 18) with no moving-violation convictions before getting a driver license. p. 8
- An adult 21+ must certify at least 50 hours of practice, 10 of them at night, and a parent or guardian must sign the consent form. p. 8
- Restriction codes limit how you may drive; code B, for example, means you must always wear glasses or contacts. p. 10
- After a change of address you must get a new license within 30 days, online or at a service center. p. 12
- A Class E license lasts six to eight years; drivers 80 and older must pass a vision exam at every renewal. p. 13