Florida Learners Permit Application
Applying for a Florida learners permit is the first step on the road towards achieving a drivers license. The minimum age for submitting your application for Florida drivers permit is 15 years. The application procedure will require you to prove that you know the state driving rules and are physically fit to drive, so be prepared to take a Florida learners permit test and a vision exam. If you have any medical conditions that may impair your driving ability, you must report them to the Florida DMV at the time when you submit your application for a Florida learner's permit.
Graduated Drivers License Program
If you are under 18 years of age when you are applying for a learners permit, the licensing procedure that you will need to follow is dictated by the Florida graduated driver's license program. The program is a set of rules, restrictions and procedure that were developed specifically to address the flaws in teenage driving habits. Although the graduated driver's license rules may seem as a nuisance now, you should keep in mind that these rules and restrictions save lives every day.
TLSAE
Every Florida learner's permit applicant, no matter the age, has to complete a state-approved Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education program. It is a short four hour class that mostly concentrates on the effects of alcohol on driving. Note: this is not a full scale Florida drivers ed course, you are not required to take a drivers education course in Florida, although you are strongly advised to do so.
Tests Required
The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in Florida requires every applicant to prove that he or she meets the minimum knowledge and health requirements for operating a motor vehicle on public roads. This means that while applying for a learner's permit, you will be required to take a number of tests that will help the DMV representatives to determine whether you are fit to drive.
Vision Exam
Your driving privilege will be revoked if you are unable to meet the rules of vision standards. To pass, you must meet the following vision standards with or without corrective lenses:
- 20/40 or better vision in each eye with or without corrective lenses meets state requirements without referral to an eye specialist.
- 20/50 or worse vision in either eye with or without corrective lenses are referred to an eye specialist for possible improvement.
- 20/70 or worse vision in either eye, or both eyes together may pass with or without corrective lenses.
- If one eye is blind or 20/200 or worse, the other eye must be 20/40 or better.
- The use of telescopic lenses to meet visual standards is not recognized in Florida.
Permit Test
The permit test in Florida consists of two parts - questions on road signs and questions on driving rules and regulations. Each part of the drivers permit test has 20 questions and you will need to answer at least 15 permit test questions on each section correctly. You are not allowed to use any study aids during the test.
If you wish to prepare for your DMV permit test, you may do so by reading the official Florida drivers permit book. The book covers the state driving rules, road signs and safe driving habits and all of the permit test questions are based on the materials presented in this book. Once you are done with the manual, you may also test yourself with some free Florida permit practice tests that cover the same rules and follow the same format as the real permit test.
If you are under 18 years of age, you may have the option of completing the permit test through one of the Drivers Education Licensing Assistance Program (DELAP) as part of your four hour class. Please check with your course provider for details.
Paperwork Required
When you are applying for a Florida DMV permit, you will be required to present the following paperwork:
- proof of identification
- social security number
- proof of residential address
- proof of completion for TLSAE (in some cases, your results may be transmitted to the DMV electronically)
- parental consent form and proof of school attendance (if you are under 18 years of age)
Please check the permit handbook for acceptable means of identification.
Applying for a Drivers Permit - Under 18 Years of Age
The minimum age for applying for a Florida drivers permit is 15. Start by signing up and completing the four hour TLSAE program. Once you are done, visit the DMV and take your learners permit test (unless you have already completed the test as part of your TLSAE course). While at the DMV station, you will also take a vision exam and a hearing test. If you pass all of these tests successfully, you are issued with a Florida learners permit.
Applying for a Learner's Permit - 18 Years of Age and Older
The application procedure for adults is very similar to the ones followed by teenagers, with a minor exception - Florida learners permit applicants who are at least 18 years of age cannot take the permit test online and must do so at the DMV testing station. Visit the DMV testing site, submit the required paperwork, take a vision exam, a hearing test and a learners permit test. Once you pass them, you are issued with your drivers permit.
Operating Under a Permit
Please do not mistake your learners permit for a drivers license, as your permit was only intended to give you limited driving privileges to allow you to practice driving. You must observe all Florida permit restrictions during this period, for example, you are not allowed to drive alone and must have a licensed driver supervise you at all times. The supervising driver must hold a valid Florida drivers license, be at least 21 years of age and must be seated in the front seat next to the driver.
These permit restrictions must be observed up until the point when you apply for a Florida drivers license and pass your Florida drivers test. Drivers under the age of 18 will be issued with a provisional license at this point, while older drivers will receive a full unrestricted drivers license.
