New Florida Driving Laws 2026: What Drivers Need to Know

Can you still take the Florida driver license exam in Spanish?

No. Since February 6, 2026, every Florida driver license exam is given in English only, and that is one of several recent changes: police must now be called for crashes with injury, death or at least 2,000 dollars in apparent damage, driving without a valid license counts toward habitual offender status, and a Blue Envelope Program is coming for drivers with autism. As a bilingual driving school in Kissimmee, we also answer the English-only question in our driving school FAQ.

Effective February 6, 2026. All knowledge and skills exams, for every license class and including oral exams, are given only in English. Translation services are no longer permitted, and printed exams in other languages were removed. Before this, most non-commercial knowledge exams were offered in several languages. The Florida DMV announced the change on January 30, 2026. Source: Florida DMV announcement.

You can still study in Spanish: the official handbook is published in Spanish, and our beginner driving lessons are taught in Spanish, English or a mix, so you can learn the material first and then test in English. As you study, read the English edition of the handbook too, since that is the vocabulary the exam uses.

What changed for first-time teen drivers (DETS)?

Effective July 1, 2025, and applied to applicants from August 1, 2025. Senate Bill 994 (chapter 2025-104) requires first-time license applicants under 18 to complete the 6-hour Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS) course before applying, in place of the 4-hour course teens used to take. Applicants 18 and older still take the 4-hour TLSAE.

DETS can be taken online or in person, ends with a 40-question final exam that needs 80% to pass, and completion is reported to the state electronically. Teens who finished the 4-hour TLSAE before August 1, 2025 had one year to use it, so that exception has run out.

Be careful with summaries that say this law forces adults into driver education starting July 1, 2026. SB 994 is a 2025 law, and it kept TLSAE for applicants 18 and older.

Sources: Florida DMV DETS course page and SB 994 enrolled bill text. Parents can read how the course fits into our teen driver education program.

What does Florida's new driver license look like, and do you need a new one?

Effective September 30, 2026. The Florida DMV began issuing a redesigned driver license and ID card. Holders under 21 get a red box showing the date they turn 21. Florida's zero-tolerance rule still applies to that group: a driver under 21 with a blood alcohol level of .02 or higher gets an automatic six-month suspension.

You do not need to replace a valid license right away. Existing valid credentials stay valid and are phased out at renewal or when you need a change. Online ordering through the MyDMV Portal is expected by the end of November 2026. Source: Florida DMV new license page.

When do you have to call police after a crash now?

Effective October 1, 2026. Senate Bill 488 (chapter 2026-39, approved April 21, 2026) requires a driver to notify police immediately after a crash that causes injury, death or apparent property damage of at least 2,000 dollars. The old threshold was 500 dollars.

Notify the city police, the county sheriff or the Florida Highway Patrol. The notice has to be immediate, so make the call from the scene once everyone is safe. Source: Florida Senate, SB 488 (2026).

What is the Blue Envelope Program for drivers with autism?

Law effective July 1, 2026; envelopes available from January 1, 2027. Senate Bill 418 (chapter 2026-147, approved June 16, 2026) creates a voluntary program for people with autism spectrum disorder. A blue envelope or card holds the driver's license, registration, insurance and emergency contacts, and includes communication guidelines for officers.

It is voluntary: drivers decide whether to request and carry one. Starting January 1, 2027, they can request it from the Florida DMV or their local tax collector. Source: Florida Senate, SB 418 (2026).

What happens if you keep driving without a valid license?

Effective July 1, 2026. House Bill 35 (chapter 2026-53, approved April 23, 2026) adds driving without a valid license to the offenses that count toward habitual traffic offender designation. That designation applies after three or more qualifying convictions within five years, and driving after being designated can be a third-degree felony. Source: Florida Senate, HB 35 (2026).

For new drivers, the takeaway is simple: drive only with a valid license, or with a learner's license and a licensed driver 21 or older beside you. First-time drivers 18 and older can get licensed by completing the 4-hour TLSAE course and passing the knowledge exam and the road test.

What is 'dangerous excessive speeding' in Florida?

Effective July 1, 2025. House Bill 351 (chapter 2025-77) created the offense of dangerous excessive speeding: driving 50 mph or more over the limit, or 100 mph or more in a way that threatens people or property. A second conviction within five years brings a license revocation of 180 days to one year. Source: Florida Senate, HB 351 (2025).

The stakes rise well before that mark: speeding 30 mph or more over the limit already rules out electing a Basic Driver Improvement course to keep points off your record.

What does Florida's expanded Move Over law require?

Effective January 1, 2024. The Move Over law now covers any disabled vehicle stopped with hazard lights, flares or warning signs, not only emergency, law enforcement, tow, sanitation and utility vehicles. Move over a lane, or slow down to 20 mph below the posted limit. Older editions of the driver handbook describe only the narrower version, so if you are studying for the knowledge exam, go by the current rule. Source: Florida DMV Move Over campaign.