Stewy

Hi guys, first post here but I have a few questions regarding acquiring a driving licence and I am sure someone here may be able to help me out!

I'm trying to work out what I need to do to get hold of a Florida drivers licence. I am 28, and have 10 years driving experience. I have now got my Social Security number.

What is my next step, should I take the DATA test, or just head down to the DMV to see what they say I have to do?

Thanks in advance!

Nutmegger

You could google Florida DMV and see what they suggest:

http://www.dmvflorida.org/drivers-license-nc.shtml

Stewy

I know that all sounds really obvious, and I thank you for your help. But I have been to these websites in my research, I find they are really unclear on what to actually do. I was looking for a personal opinion from someone who has been through the same process.

Pulaski

I believe that Florida is like most states. You're going to do the theory test, and then take a road "test", which is embarrassingly easy.

Bob

Look up new driver info, that's you. Except for the part where you might need to do classes before doing the tests.

Steve_

There are loads of threads on here if you do a search. Basically, the Florida driver's test is a joke. You don't even go on the road, they just make you drive around the parking lot.

tipex

Our Dmv moved about 6 months ago to the tax collector building and now anyone that does a driving test goes on the road and no more car park.

Sue

Hi and welcome to BE.

The best thing is to read the FL DMV info on their website and take all the documentation they ask and more (the more the better, you can never be too sure). I would also pick the DMV that has the least queue .... you could be in there a few hours. Whereabouts in Orlando are you?

Danoz

We got our Florida license earlier this year.

You do not need to do the drug and alcohol course unless you are a first time driver. Given you have driven overseas you dont need to do it.

You technically have 30 days to get your license if you have entered the country. We waited about 45 days, and no questions were asked.

You dont need to book in most places to sit your theory test, but as we found out, it is worth doing, as otherwise if you are in a busy city, you wait in line. We waited close to 2 hours (even though only one other person in that time did the test, they rely upon the same staff serving others to turn it on for you and check your papers).

The test is pretty easy, 20 questions on signs and 20 questions on road rules. Read the hand book a few times, there are few different rules here (e.g. school buses, move over rule, 20 mile slower rule, and also make sure you know the insurance requirements, penalties and last but not least the stopping distances). The rest you will either already know or are common sense. One word of advice, read the questions properly, they do write them to trick you if not paying attention (this caught me out).

Once you pass you can then book in your driving test. What you dont want to do here if possible is have them give you your learners permit, this will render your international license invalid. As long as you are taking your practical in a few days, they generally advise this to you (or at least they did for us).

The driving test is pretty easy here (and you can see this by all the crap drivers on the roads). Ours was in a car park.Drive up here, and stop. Turn left. Now park between the cones. reverse out. Speed up to 20 miles and then do a hard break. Now reverse in a straight line. And so on. Again nothing hard, ours lasted about 5 minutes each. Only things to make sure is when reversing always look out the back window. When coming to a stop, make sure yo stop for a few seconds.

Also they will generally only give you a license for as long as you visa is valid in full yearly increments. So for us, we have a two year visa. because We had used up 1.5 months on it, they only gave us a 12 month license.

Hope that helps.

Sally Redux

In California, I noticed when my children were learning they were told to get hold of the passenger seat and pull the whole upper body around when reversing. It's not something I've ever done myself.

Danoz

Yes, here you are allowed to put your arm behind the passenger seat and as you say, pull yourself around. They say when you are reversing you should always be looking out the back window. But when you are reversing out of a parallel park, at some stage you need to look at the front of the car before turning... but they didn't test for anything like that.

Sally Redux

I passed the California test all right without doing the arm thing, but as I say it did seem to be stressed for them.

londonboy450

I am just need something sorted. I have a learners permit and on a temp visa. I was stopped by a cop for a small speeding infraction and he happily said that if I got a citation I would be banned from obtaining a full US driving license anywhere and banned for life from driving anywhere in America. I just was let off with a warning but still worried about driving since that day. I am scared if I lose my license I cant drive anymore

Is it true that if I get a citation that I will lose the ability to drive and not able to get a U.S driving license anywhere

londonboy450

yep, Its easy, I nearly passed exact for that parking test. I never been on a test with a parking space that are marked with cones. In my UK driving test it was on road parking and I passed that first time.

Nutmegger

If you passed your UK driving test, why did you get a learner's permit in FL? You only need the learner's permit if you didn't hold a full license in your country of origin.