Behind-the-Wheel Training in Florida

Florida Behind-the-Wheel Training

If you're a teenager applying for your first Florida driver's license, you won't need to complete a professional driver's training course, but will need to complete supervised behind-the-wheel practice. This is a requirement of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) graduated driver licensing (GDL) program.

Your behind-the-wheel practice will help you develop safe driving habits, and will prepare you for the DMV driving test. Supervised practice is crucial to gaining the driving experience and confidence necessary to take on the responsibilities of an unsupervised, young driver.

On this page you'll find information about your supervised driving requirements and the next steps towards getting your FL driver's license.

What are the Behind-the-Wheel Requirements in Florida?

If you're younger than 18 years old, you'll need to satisfy the requirements of the Florida DMV GDL program to get your first driver's license.

Your first steps include completing a Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course and applying for your learner's permit with the Division of Driver Licenses.

Once you have your learner's permit, you'll need to complete a total of 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving practice with a licensed adult. 10 hours must be completed at night.

For more information about completing Driver's Ed and obtaining your learner's license, please see our pages on:

Florida Supervised Driving Practice

Your Florida DMV learner's permit allows you to:

  • Drive with a licensed adult who is at least 21 years old.
  • Only practice your supervised driving during the day until 10 p.m. for the first 3 months.

Before advancing from your learner's permit to your provisional driver's license, you'll need to complete at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice with 10 hours completed at night.

You can keep track of your hours with the driving log.

Once you complete your Florida behind-the-wheel training requirement and gain enough driving skills and experience you can schedule your DMV driving test. It's important to practice the driving maneuvers and techniques you'll be evaluated on during your driving test. Ask your adult supervisor or refer to the Florida DMV driver's manual for details about what you can expect on the road test.

Get Your Intermediate Driver's License

You will be eligible to move on to the next step of the GDL program and obtain your intermediate driver's license after you:

  • Have completed your supervised behind-the-wheel hours. See “FL Behind-the-Wheel Requirements" above.
  • Have held your learner's permit for at least 1 year, without any traffic convictions.
  • Turn 16 years old.

Once you meet the requirements above, you'll need to pass your DMV driving test and obtain your provisional driver's license.

When you visit the Division of Driver Licenses office to take your road test, your parent/legal guardian will need to sign a Certification of Driving Experience of a Minor (Form HSMV 71143).

For more information about your next steps in the Florida DHSMV GDL program and any additional documents/requirements you'll need to submit, please visit our Applying for a New License (Teen Drivers) page.

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Forms

HSMV 71143
Certification of Driving Experience of a Minor
For a parent or other legal guardian to certify a minor in their care has completed the required amount of practice driving hours to apply for a Florida license.
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