Florida Learner's Permit: DETS, the Online Exam and Parent Proctoring

If an older sibling got their Florida permit a few years ago, their advice is now partly wrong. In 2025 Florida replaced the four-hour TLSAE drug-and-alcohol course with a longer course for teens, and plenty of web pages (including some course sellers) still describe the old system. This guide lays out the current Florida learner's permit requirements in the order you'll actually meet them: course, exam, office visit, then the year of supervised driving.

One terminology note first. Florida officially calls it a learner's license, not a permit. Everyone searches for "permit," so we'll use both.

Florida learner's permit requirements in 2025 and beyond

To get a Class E learner's license in Florida you need to:

• Be at least 15 years old.
• Complete the required traffic safety course (DETS if you're under 18; see below).
• Pass the Class E Knowledge Exam.
• Pass the vision and hearing screenings at the office.
• Bring identity, Social Security and residency documents, plus a parental consent form signed by a parent or guardian if you're under 18.
• Meet school attendance requirements if you're a minor.

The order matters. Do the course first, because the office won't issue the learner's license without the completion on record.

DETS vs TLSAE: which course you need

Here's the change in plain terms. Florida law now requires first-time learner's license applicants under 18 to complete a 6-hour Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS) course. The law took effect July 1, 2025, and the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department (FLHSMV) began enforcing it on August 1, 2025.

So if you're 15 or 16 and starting now, the answer is simple: take DETS. The course covers traffic laws and safe driving in addition to the drug and alcohol material that TLSAE focused on.

The online knowledge exam and parent proctoring

Florida's Class E Knowledge Exam has 50 multiple-choice questions on traffic laws, road signs and safe-driving practices. You need 40 correct (80%) to pass.

Florida is unusual because applicants under 18 can take the exam online through approved third-party providers, often the same company that runs the DETS course. The catch is the proctoring rule:

• A parent or guardian must sign a Parent Proctoring Form agreeing to supervise the test.
• The form must be notarized, or signed in front of a driver license examiner at the office.
• The parent must be present while the teen takes the exam, and the teen can't get help.

Providers set their own terms on time limits, retakes and fees, so read them before you pay. Applicants 18 and older take the knowledge exam in person.

Online testing at home sounds easy, but it removes the safety net of the office atmosphere: the questions are the same, and there's no partial credit for "I knew it but misread it." Before you start the real exam, run a few timed practice tests and make sure you're consistently scoring above 80%. Our Florida permit test page has state-specific practice, and the post on taking the permit test online compares Florida's setup with other states.

What to bring to the tax collector or FLHSMV office

In most Florida counties, driver licenses are handled by the county tax collector's office, with some FLHSMV-run locations. Many require appointments, so book early, especially near summer break.

Bring:

1. Proof of identity, usually a certified U.S. birth certificate or valid U.S. passport.
2. Proof of Social Security number.
3. Two proofs of residential address. For a teen, a parent's documents plus a parent certification of address are commonly accepted; check your county's list.
4. Parental consent form, signed by a parent or guardian (in person at the office or notarized).
5. Proof of DETS completion (usually reported electronically by the provider; bring the certificate anyway).
6. Your online exam result, if you tested online. It's normally transmitted electronically, but a printout costs nothing.
7. Glasses or contacts for the vision test, and payment for the fees.

FLHSMV's driver license page has the current document checklist and fee table. Our general guide to the documents needed for a learner's permit covers the teen residency problem in more depth.

Learner's license restrictions in Florida

Once you have it, the learner's license comes with firm rules:

There is no point at which a learner's license holder may drive alone. The supervising adult must be in the front seat, awake and able to take over.

These limits are also why the first three months matter for planning. Use that daylight-only window for parking lot work, quiet neighborhoods and basic turns; save evening practice until month four.

Moving to an intermediate license

The next step is Florida's intermediate (Class E) license. To qualify, you need to:

• Be at least 16.
• Have held the learner's license for 12 months with no traffic convictions.
• Have a parent or guardian certify at least 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 at night.
• Pass the driving skills test (or qualify for a waiver through an approved driver education program).

The intermediate license comes with its own curfews and limits for 16- and 17-year-olds. Start your 50-hour log the day you get the learner's license. FLHSMV publishes a free driving log on its teen safety pages, and our guide to getting your permit at 15 has ideas for spreading the hours across the year.

Florida teens who stay on top of the paperwork can move from learner's license to intermediate license right on their 16th birthday, as long as they started at 15. The families who lose months are almost always the ones who picked the wrong course or let the log slide.

Frequently asked questions

Is TLSAE still required for a Florida permit?

Not for most teens. Since August 1, 2025, first-time applicants under 18 need the 6-hour DETS course instead. A TLSAE certificate earned before that date still counts if you get the learner's license within a year of completing it, and adults 18+ can choose either course.

Can I take the Florida permit test online?

Yes, if you're under 18. Approved providers offer the Class E Knowledge Exam online, but a parent must sign a notarized Parent Proctoring Form (or sign it in front of an examiner) and supervise the test.

How many questions are on the Florida permit test?

The Class E Knowledge Exam has 50 multiple-choice questions. You need 40 correct, which is 80%, to pass.

How long do you need a learner's license in Florida?

You must hold it for 12 months without traffic convictions, and be at least 16, before applying for an intermediate license.