Florida’s driver’s license types fall into two main buckets: the Class E license that covers ordinary passenger vehicles, and the commercial Classes A, B, and C for heavier or specialized ones. Around those sit a learner’s permit for new drivers, motorcycle endorsements for anything over 50cc, CDL endorsements for specialized cargo, and a state ID card for people who don’t drive. The right credential depends on the size of the vehicle, what you’re carrying, and how old you are.
Class E: The Standard License
The Class E is what most Floridians carry. It authorizes you to drive any non-commercial motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating under 26,001 pounds. That covers passenger cars, pickup trucks, 15-passenger vans, recreational vehicles, and two- or three-wheel vehicles with engines of 50cc or less, such as mopeds.1Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. License Classes, Endorsements and Designations Farmers and authorized emergency vehicle operators who are exempt from commercial licensing still need a Class E.
An original Class E license costs $48.00, with a possible $6.25 service fee at tax collector offices.2Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees First-time applicants must bring documents proving identity and date of birth, a Social Security number, and two documents showing their Florida residential address, per the federal REAL ID Act.3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. What to Bring
Class E Learner’s Permit
Every new driver in Florida starts with a Class E Learner’s Permit, which you can apply for at 15. Applicants under 18 must first complete the Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS) course. If you’re 18 or older, you can take either DETS or the older Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course, which approved providers still offer to adults.4Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS) Course FAQ After the course, you’ll pass a vision and hearing screening and a 50-question Class E knowledge exam. You need 40 correct answers (80 percent) to pass, and applicants under 18 can take the exam online through approved third-party administrators with a notarized Parent Proctoring Form.5Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Class E Knowledge Exam and Driving Skills Test
Permit driving is restricted. For the first three months, you may drive only during daylight. After that, you can drive until 10 p.m. A licensed driver at least 21 years old must always sit in the front passenger seat.6The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 322.1615 Drivers under 18 also need to stay enrolled and in compliance with a public school, private school, home education program, or GED program; noncompliance triggers a suspension until age 18 or until you’re back in compliance.7The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 322.091
Moving From Permit to Class E
If you’re under 18, you must be at least 16 and have held the permit for 12 months (or until your 18th birthday, whichever comes first) with no moving violation convictions during that time. A parent or guardian signs the Certification of Minor Driving Experience Form confirming at least 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night. Every applicant, regardless of age, must pass a driving skills road test.8Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Licensing Requirements for Teens
Getting the Class E at 16 or 17 doesn’t lift every restriction. Florida’s Graduated Driver License nighttime curfews still apply:
- At 16, you may drive only between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m.
- At 17, you may drive only between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m.
Both curfews have exceptions for driving to or from work, or for driving with a licensed driver 21 or older in the car.8Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Licensing Requirements for Teens
Commercial Driver Licenses: Classes A, B, and C
If you’re going to drive heavy trucks, large buses, or vehicles hauling hazardous materials, you need a CDL. Florida splits commercial licenses into three classes based on the vehicle’s weight and configuration.
Class A
A Class A CDL covers any combination of vehicles with a combined GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, where the towed unit weighs more than 10,000 pounds. Tractor-trailers and other heavy combination rigs fall here.9The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 322.54
Class B
A Class B CDL covers a single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, and can tow a unit weighing 10,000 pounds or less. Straight trucks and large buses use this class.9The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 322.54
Class C
A Class C CDL applies to vehicles under 26,001 pounds GVWR that are either designed to carry 16 or more passengers (including the driver) or used to haul hazardous materials in placarded amounts.10Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Commercial Driver License
Getting a CDL
Before the CDL skills test, you must obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit and hold it at least 14 days under federal rules. The skills test has three parts: a pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control maneuvers, and an on-road driving test.10Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Commercial Driver License CDL holders driving commercially in interstate commerce must carry a valid Medical Examiner’s Certificate and self-certify to the DHSMV which of four categories they operate in: interstate non-excepted, interstate excepted, intrastate non-excepted, or intrastate excepted.11Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical
CDL Endorsements
Certain cargo and passenger types require added endorsements, each with its own knowledge test and sometimes a skills test:
- H – Hazardous Materials: placarded hazmat loads.
- N – Tanker: tank vehicles designed to carry 1,000 or more gallons of liquid or gas.
- P – Passengers: vehicles designed to carry more than 15 people, including the driver.
- S – School Bus: commercial buses transporting students to and from school or school events; this does not cover common-carrier buses.
- T – Double/Triple Trailers.
- X – Combined Hazmat and Tanker, rolling H and N into one credential.
Motorcycle Endorsement and Motorcycle Only License
To ride a motorcycle or motor scooter with an engine larger than 50cc, you need either a motorcycle endorsement on your existing license or a standalone Motorcycle Only license. Florida law treats motor scooters as motorcycles, so anything above 50cc triggers the requirement.12Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Motorcycle, Motor Scooter, Moped and Motorized Scooter
Every first-time applicant must complete a Basic RiderCourse (BRC) or its updated version (BRCu) through an authorized sponsor of the Florida Rider Training Program, which can exempt you from the separate motorcycle skills test. You have to present the course completion card within one year. If you already hold a Class E, A, B, or C license, motorcycle authorization is added as an endorsement; without any driver’s license, you can still get the Motorcycle Only credential. Riders who plan to operate only three-wheeled motorcycles can complete a 3-Wheel Basic Rider Course and receive an “S” restriction limiting them to that vehicle type. Autocycles don’t require a motorcycle endorsement at all.12Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Motorcycle, Motor Scooter, Moped and Motorized Scooter
Florida Identification Card
If you don’t drive but need official state-issued identification, the Florida Identification Card is available to anyone age 5 or older. The fee is $25.00, plus a possible $6.25 service fee at tax collector offices.2Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees People experiencing financial hardship who present a valid Florida voter registration card can get the card at no charge, as can individuals who are homeless.13Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 322.051 Veterans can add a “Veteran” designation to a license or ID card by presenting a DD Form 214, a VA health identification card, a VA card issued under the Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015, or another form specified by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and veterans with a 100-percent total and permanent service-connected disability rating qualify for a no-fee license or ID.14Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 322.14
How Long Each License Lasts
A standard Class E license is valid for eight years if you’re 79 or younger. At 80, the renewal cycle shortens to six years.15Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Driver License Renewal for Older Drivers Renewal is $48.00, plus $15.00 if you miss your expiration date. You can renew online every other cycle through the MyDMV Portal for a $2.00 processing fee, but an in-person visit is required if you renewed online last time, need to become REAL ID compliant, want a new photo, hold a commercial license, or are getting your first Florida credential.16Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Renew or Replace Your Florida Driver License or ID Card
New Residents and Out-of-State Licenses
New residents have 30 days from establishing Florida residency to get a Florida license. Residency is triggered by accepting employment here, enrolling children in public school, registering to vote, filing for homestead tax exemption, or living in the state for more than six consecutive months.17Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. New Resident – Welcome to Florida Surrendering a valid non-commercial license from another U.S. state or territory waives the knowledge and driving skills exams.
Two groups are exempt from the 30-day rule even if they work in Florida: people domiciled in another state who commute across the border for work, and full-time college students at accredited institutions. Both can keep driving on a valid out-of-state license as long as the commute or enrollment continues.18The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 322.031 Active-duty military stationed in Florida and their immediate family may continue using a valid out-of-state license, and international visitors with a valid license from their home country may drive temporarily without a Florida credential.