Driver license the official handbook

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FLORIDA CLASS E
DRIVER LICENSE
THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK

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Customer Service Center  ................................................ 850/617-2000
DHSMV Official Website  ........................................................flhsmv.gov
Online Transactions (DHSMV Virtual Office)  ..................
GoRenew.com
Identification Requirements  ....................................
GatherGoGet.com
To Order a Crash Report  .................................................. 850/617-3416
Neil Kirkman Building
2900 Apalachee Parkway
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Our Mission
 
Providing Highway Safety and Security through Excellence in 
 
Service, Education and Enforcement.
Our Vision
 
A Safer Florida
Our Values
 
We believe in:
 
Service
 by exceeding expectations;
 
Integrity
 by upholding the highest ethical standards;
 
Courtesy
 by treating everyone with dignity and respect;
 
Professionalism
 by inspiring confidence and trust;
 
Innovation
 by fostering creativity; and
 
Excellence
 in all we do!
©2017 Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.  
All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be modified in any way 
for distribution or publication without the express prior written permission 
of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Cover Photo by Kim Seng, CaptainKimo.com. 

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The Official Florida Driver License Handbook—rev. 051417
  
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INTRODUCTION
The Official Florida Driver License Handbook is produced by the Florida Department of 
Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV)
. This guide has the information you need 
to prepare for the Florida Driver License Class E knowledge and skills exams and to help 
you drive safely and lawfully.  
Disclaimer
The Official Florida Driver License Handbook contains many condensed and paraphrased 
points of Florida laws and provides safety advice not specifically addressed in the laws. The 
handbook is not a legal authority and is not intended for use in court. This handbook will 
not reflect any changes made by the Florida Legislature after the last revision date (located 
at the bottom of this page). 
Warning
Florida law prohibits using a false name, making a false statement, concealing a material 
fact or otherwise using fraud in an application for a driver license or identification card. 
The penalty can be up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine, and suspension of any existing 
driving privilege for at least one year. 
In addition, it is illegal to permit or authorize an unlicensed person to drive a motor vehicle. 
Doing so can result in a 60 day jail sentence and a $500 fine. If the vehicle is involved in 
a crash resulting in bodily injury or death of any person, the person who permitted the 
unlicensed person to drive shall have his/her license suspended for one year.
Public Records
Florida law requires the DHSMV to collect certain personal information during the 
licensing process. This information, which identifies licensed individuals, is used for records 
management, driver improvement, financial responsibility, and law enforcement purposes. 
If you do not provide the required information, you will not receive a driver license or 
identification card. 
Florida’s Public Records Law makes all records made or received by DHSMV in the 
course of its official business available for inspection, unless specifically exempted by law. 
Your personal information, including name, address, and driver license number is exempt 
from public disclosure, but may be given to law enforcement agencies and other entities 
permitted by law to get the information. Your medical information, social security number, 
and emergency contact information are available only as specifically authorized by law.
We strive to ensure the accuracy of the information we obtain during the licensing process. 
If you discover any incorrect information, please call us at [phone] or mail your 
request with your complete name, date of birth, driver license number, information about 
the error, and any documentation to support your request to: Chief of the Bureau of 
Records, 2900 Apalachee Parkway MS 89, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0575. Some information, 
such as reports of convictions we received from a court, can only be corrected if we received 
notification from the court that the report was in error.

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©2017 Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
FLORIDA STATUTE CHANGES FOR 2016
§316.1964, F.S. Requires the governing body of each publicly owned or publicly operated airport 
to grant free parking to any vehicle displaying specified license plates for disabled veterans and 
clarifies that such license plates, rather than “DV” license plates, are exempt from certain parking fees 
charged by a county, municipality, or an agency thereof.
§316.003, F.S. Defines “commercial megacycle,” and provides specifications and requirements 
related to the operation of commercial megacycles.
§316.85, F.S. Exempts vehicles operating in autonomous mode, from a prohibition on certain 
electronic displays that are visible from the driver’s seat; authorizes a person holding a valid DL 
to operate an autonomous vehicle in autonomous mode on roads in this state if the vehicle is 
equipped with autonomous technology. Operation of an autonomous vehicle on roads in this state 
are no longer be limited to licensed drivers designated for testing purposes. Removes provisions 
regarding the operation of vehicles equipped with autonomous technology on roads for testing 
purposes, provisions requiring a human operator to be present in the vehicle being tested, employees, 
contractors or other persons designated by manufacturers of autonomous technology to operate such 
vehicles on roads in this state and removes requiring proof of insurance or surety bond before testing. 
§320.02(4), 322.19(1) & (2), F.S. Provides that the owner of any motor vehicle registered in the 
state shall notify the Department in writing of any change address within 30 days. 
§322.19(1), F.S. Provides that any person after applying for or receiving a driver license or 
identification card, changes his or her legal name, that person must within 30 days obtain a 
replacement card that reflects that change.  
§322.08, F.S. Provides a means on the application form for an original, renewal, or replacement 
driver license or identification card to allow veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces to request written 
or electronic information on federal, state, and local benefits and services. The veteran may elect to 
receive the information through the U.S. mail or by e-mail.
§316.003, 316.302, 316.3025, 316.3026 & 322.53, F.S. Defines “covered farm vehicles” and 
exempts them from federal regulations relating to controlled substances and alcohol use and testing, 
commercial driver licenses, physical qualifications, and examinations, hours of service of drivers and 
vehicle inspection and repair.
§768.139, F.S. Provides immunity from civil liability for damage to a motor vehicle related to the 
rescue of a vulnerable person or animal under certain circumstances.
§322.051 & 943.0439, F.S. Provides a law enforcement officer, upon the request of an individual 
with autism or their parent or guardian, make a good faith effort to ensure that a psychiatrist, 
psychologists, mental health counselor, special education instructor, clinical social worker, or related 
professional is present at all interviews of the individual. Requires the Department to issue an 
identification card exhibiting a special designation for a person who has a developmental disability 
under certain circumstances. Changes made will apply upon implementation of new designs for the 
driver license and identification card.
§322.051, 322.14, 327.395 & 379.354, F.S. Changes made will apply upon implementation of 
new designs for the driver license and identification card. Allows the state-issued identification 
card or driver license displaying the lifetime designation to be used as proof of possession of that 
lifetime license or card. Allows individuals who hold and present a lifetime freshwater fishing license, 
a lifetime saltwater fishing license, a lifetime hunting license, a lifetime sportsman’s license, or a 
lifetime boater safety identification card to have a symbol displaying that lifetime status voluntarily 
added to his or her driver license or identification card. When the driver license or identification 
card is being issued, renewed, or replaced for a purpose other than solely including the recreational 
symbol on the card (i.e., an address or name change), adding the symbol requires the payment 
of a $1 fee, in addition to the applicable issuance, renewal or replacement fee. An individual 
who surrenders and replaces his or her driver license or identification card for the sole purpose of 
including his or her status as a lifetime fishing, hunting, or sportsman’s licensee holder or a lifetime 
boater safety cardholder is only required to pay a $2 fee.  

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