Visiting Florida Frequently Asked Questions

Please visit our SB1718 webpage for more information.

Visitors to Florida who wish to drive while here are required to have in their immediate possession a valid driver license issued in his or her name from their country of residence.

If renting a car while visiting Florida, we suggest you check with the rental car company prior to your visit to see what they require. However, it’s our understanding that rental car companies have not changed their procedures or requirements for having a valid driver license from any state, U.S. territory or foreign country.

We will honor another state’s learner’s license/permit while you are vacationing in Florida. However, you must abide by Florida’s learner’s permit restrictions which are as follows:

Drivers with a learner’s license may only drive during daylight hours during the first three months after issuance and until 10 p.m. thereafter, and always with a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old and occupies the front passenger seat.

Learn more information for teen drivers and parents on our Florida Teen Drivers webpage.

You must get a Florida license within 30 days of becoming a resident. You are considered a resident of Florida if you:

1.  Enroll your children in public school, or
2.  Register to vote, or
3.  File for a homestead exemption, or
4.  Accept employment, or
5.  Reside in Florida for more than six consecutive months.

Current law requires customers to present proof of legal name, lawful presence, Social Security Number and two forms of residential address. If your name has ever been changed by marriage, divorce or court order, then you must present these documents. You will have to provide proof of any and all name changes. To find out more regarding these documents, please visit our What To Bring page.

If you are not able to provide the necessary documents, you may be issued a 60-day temporary permit, providing your out-of-state license is valid or has been expired for 60 days or less. This will permit you to drive for 60 days while you are obtaining the documents.

Also, you can make an appointment. Appointments are recommended, but not required at most offices. Look at the list of offices–some are by Appointment Only. Otherwise, you can go to any office that is convenient.

Visit the FLHSMV fees page for more information and a list of fees.

Every operator of a motor vehicle driven on Florida roads must provide for the protection of any child, 5 years of age or younger, by using a crash-tested, federally approved car seat.

For children up to 3 years old, the restraint must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer’s integrated child seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a booster seat may be used. For passengers age 6 through 17 years, a seat belt must be used while riding in a motor vehicle.

You may find more information regarding child restraint requirements by visiting the Florida Senate website.

There is some additional information available on our Safety Center.

All front seat occupants must buckle up, even if the vehicle is equipped with an air bag. It is unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle in the state of Florida unless each passenger of the vehicle under the age of 18 years old is restrained by a safety belt or child restraint device pursuant to Florida Statute 316.613. It is unlawful for any person 18 years of age or older to be a passenger in the front seat of a motor vehicle unless such person is restrained by a safety belt when the vehicle is in motion. The law applies to all cars, pickup trucks, and vans operated on Florida’s roads. All passengers under the age of 18 must use a seat belt while riding anywhere in the vehicle.

You may find more information regarding child restraint requirements by visiting the Florida Senate website.

There is some additional information available on our Safety Center.

Yes. We will honor any special license plate or parking permit issued to a disabled person by any other state or district subject to the laws of the United States, or by a foreign country that issues disabled parking permits that display the international symbol of accessibility.

We are not able to foresee what the volume of traffic may be for any particular day due to the variables involved such as weather conditions, traffic crashes, etc. You may dial 511 from your cell phone to get up to date traffic information and road conditions. If you are currently out-of-state, please call FDOT toll free at 1-866-511-3352 for current road conditions and closures. You may also visit the Florida’s Statewide 511 website. This website gives you up to date traffic alerts, construction,emergency information, and road closures. If a road is not listed, assume it is open. The system lists major roads only, not neighborhood roads, etc.

The Florida Highway Patrol provides a website to view current crashes and/or road closures.

Star FHP (*347) is a cellular phone program used by motorists to report drunk drivers, traffic crashes, stranded or disabled motorists, or any suspicious incidents occurring on Florida roadways. Motorists who dial *FHP from their cellular phones are able to contact the nearest FHP communications center free of charge, courtesy of participating Florida cellular phone companies.

On a two-lane roadway, you are required to slow to a speed that is 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit.

If the speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less, you must slow down to five miles per hour.

If you are driving on an interstate or roadway with multiple lanes of travel in the same direction, and you approach an emergency or law enforcement vehicle parked along the roadway, you must vacate the lane closest to that vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you are not able to safely move over, you must slow down to a speed of 20 MPH below the posted speed limit unless directed otherwise by a law enforcement officer.

Violating the move over law puts both yourself and a public safety professional at risk.

Violating the move over law can result in a fine and points on your license. For more information please visit our Safety Center.