2026
Before you start
So your teen is about to start driving. Most parents feel proud and nervous at the same time, and that’s normal. For 33 years we’ve helped Broward and Miami-Dade families through this, and this guide puts everything we tell them in one place.
One thing first: Florida changed its teen licensing law in 2025. If you got your license years ago, or an older child already went through this, some steps are different now. This guide follows the current rules.
What changed
Teens under 18 now have to finish a 6-hour Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS) course before they can get a learner’s permit. The old 4-hour Drug & Alcohol course no longer counts for teens.
The Roadmap
Five steps from zero to license.
1
6-Hour Course + Permit Exam
2
DMV Visit → Learner’s Permit
3
Year of Practice: 50 Hours
4
The Road Test
5
The License + Rules
Plan on 12 to 14 months from the first course to the license. Whether it goes smoothly usually comes down to Step 3.
STEP 1
The 6-Hour Course & Permit Exam
Before a Florida teen can apply for a learner’s permit, they need to finish the state-approved 6-hour DETS course. Teens can take the course at 14½ and apply for the permit at 15. Many families get it done early.
Get started with our $150 Permit Bundle
Your teen also has to pass the Class E Knowledge Exam: 50 questions on road signs, traffic laws, and safe driving. They need 40 correct (80%) to pass. Many parents don’t know this, but teens under 18 can take the official exam online from home, so there’s no DMV line for this part.
How we help with Step 1
Our $150 Permit Prep Bundle includes the 6-hour DETS course, a practice permit test, and the official online permit exam. About 40% of unprepared teens fail the permit test the first time, so the practice test is there to make sure yours is ready.
STEP 2
The DMV Visit: Getting the Permit
Once the course and exam are done, your next stop is a Florida DMV. Book an appointment if you can. If you walk in, go early.
The Documents Checklist
Bring everything on this list. If one item is missing, you’ll have to come back.
Proof of identity (birth certificate or passport)
Proof of Social Security number
Two recent proofs of Florida address (utility bill, lease, etc.)
Notarized Parental Consent Form (HSMV 71018), required for everyone under 18
Course completion certificate (also reported electronically, but bring the paper)
When families get turned away at the DMV, it’s usually for one of two reasons: the parental consent form wasn’t notarized correctly, or the proof of address is missing or out of date. Check both before you leave the house.
You’ll leave with a learner’s permit and a very excited teenager. Now the real work starts.
STEP 3
The Year of Practice
This is the hard part for most families.
Before your teen can take the road test, Florida requires three things:
Hold the learner’s permit for at least 12 months (or until age 18, whichever comes first)
Complete 50 hours of supervised driving (40 daytime, 10 at night), certified by a parent, guardian, or adult over 21
No moving violation convictions during that year. A ticket adds another full year, counted from the conviction date
50 hours. 12 months. No tickets. The habits your teen builds this year are the ones they’ll drive with for years.
The part nobody warns you about
On paper, parents handle all 50 hours. In real life it’s harder than that. This is what we hear from Broward and Miami-Dade parents all the time:
We both work full-time. When are we supposed to fit in 50 hours?
I’m terrified. My car doesn’t have a second brake. If she panics, all I can do is pray.
Every session ends in an argument. He doesn’t listen to me the way he’d listen to a teacher.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This is where a professional instructor helps the most.
How we fit into your year
In 33 years we’ve seen that most teen drivers fit one of two situations, and each needs something different. Which one sounds like yours?
Path A: The Brand-New Driver
Build the Foundation First
Your teen has never driven. Our certified instructors teach the basics in dual-brake cars, and we pick up and drop off so lessons fit around your work day.
Foundation Package (10 hours, 5 lessons):
Defensive driving: reading other drivers and spotting trouble early
City practice in real Broward and Miami-Dade traffic: lane changes and busy intersections
Highway training: merging, keeping speed, and getting comfortable on I-95
Complete Package (20 hours, 10 lessons):
Everything above, plus a mock test and practice on the actual test route, a Green Light sign-off when your teen is ready, and the road test included. Payment plans available.
After that, you cover the rest of the supervised hours yourself. Your teen already has the basics from a professional, so your practice drives are a lot calmer.
Path B: The Mastery Package
We Handle the Hours
For some families the math doesn’t work. Both parents work, there’s no safe car to practice in, or your teen just does better with a professional. This path is for them.
Mastery Package (50 hours, 25 lessons), $3,495:
It covers the full requirement: 40 daytime hours and 10 at night with a certified instructor in a dual-brake car, with pickup, drop-off, and the road test included. Payment plans available.
State-certified instructors
Dual-brake training vehicles
Pick-up & drop-off included
4.9★ from 450+ South Florida families
STEPS 4 & 5
Road Test Day & The License
Once your teen has held the permit for 12 months, finished the 50 hours, and turned 16, they can take the road test. Two things catch parents off guard:
The certification form. A parent or guardian has to sign the Certification of Minor Driving Experience Form confirming all 50 hours, including 10 at night. Keep the practice log updated all year and this part is easy.
The test car. The car your teen tests in needs valid registration and proof of insurance, and the examiner will inspect it. If it doesn’t pass, there’s no test that day.
Test with us
Your teen can take the road test in the same school car they trained in, with registration, insurance, and inspection already handled. It’s included in our Complete and Mastery packages, or $100 added to Refresher or Foundation.
After they pass: the rules still apply
Even with a license, Florida’s Graduated Driver Licensing rules still apply:
16-year-olds may not drive between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
17-year-olds may not drive between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Exceptions: driving to or from work, or driving with a licensed driver 21 or older
Talk through these rules as a family before the first solo Friday night.
The Master Checklist
Print this page and stick it on the fridge.
Phase 1: Before the Permit (age 14½+)
Complete the 6-hour DETS course
Take practice tests until your teen scores 90% or higher every time
Pass the official Class E Knowledge Exam (online for under-18)
Gather documents and notarize the consent form (HSMV 71018)
DMV visit → vision/hearing test → PERMIT
Phase 2: The Permit Year
Start the 50-hour log right away (40 day / 10 night)
Learn the basics (professional lessons or supervised practice)
Log hours every week. One hour a week won’t get you to 50
No tickets (a conviction adds a full year)
Book highway training for the final stretch
Phase 3: Test & Beyond (age 16+, 12 months later)
Fill out and sign the 50-hour certification form
Check the test car: registration, insurance, ready for inspection
Pass the road test → LICENSE
Agree on curfews and house rules as a family
Ready to get your teen started?
Thousands of South Florida families have trusted us with their teen’s permit year. That’s where our 4.9 stars from 450+ reviews come from.
Call us: (954)-925-6090
📍 We serve all of Broward and Miami-Dade, with pickup and drop-off included.
What families say
4.9 stars from 450+ South Florida reviews.
