Florida DETS Course for Teens: What Parents Need to Know

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

The Florida DETS course for teens is a 6-hour, FLHSMV-approved course that teens under 18 must finish before applying for a first learner’s license. As a parent, your biggest jobs are choosing an approved course, signing the HSMV 71142 consent form, and supervising at least 50 hours of practice driving later. This guide walks through each step from the course to a teen driver license at 16.

Key Facts

  • Who needs it: Teens under 18 who have never held a license anywhere. See who must take it.
  • When to start: Florida law sets no minimum age to start DETS, but a learner’s license requires age 15. See timing.
  • Your signature: A parent or legal guardian signs HSMV 71142 in front of an examiner or a notary. See the consent form rules.
  • Practice driving: You certify 50 hours, including 10 at night, on form HSMV 71143. See the practice rules.
  • Full license: Possible at 16 after 12 months with a learner’s license and a driving skills test. See the roadmap.

Does Your Teen Need the Florida DETS Course for Teens?

Since August 1, 2025, Florida applicants under 18 who have never held a driver license from any state or country must complete DETS before applying for a license. FLHSMV explains the rule on its DETS course page.

Your teen may not need DETS if one of these applies:

  • Transferring a valid out-of-state license to Florida
  • Already held a Florida learner’s license before August 1, 2025
  • Enrolled in a school course that counts instead, such as FDOE courses 1900300 or 1900310, or a qualifying county DELAP course

If your teen takes driver education at school, ask the school if it counts. It could save you from buying DETS.

If you have an older child who got a license before August 2025, the process has changed. Older siblings likely took the 4-hour TLSAE course. Your younger teen now takes the 6-hour DETS course instead.

When Your Teen Should Take DETS

A teen must be at least 15 to get a learner’s license under F.S. 322.1615. But Florida law does not set a minimum age to start DETS. Each provider sets its own.

We checked four national online schools on October 19, 2026:

  • One stated a start age of 14 and a half.
  • Others listed their course for ages 14 to 17 or 15 to 17.

Many families plan for DETS to finish a few weeks before the 15th birthday.

That leaves time to fix any certificate problems, gather documents, and book the driver license office visit. For more on the age question, read Can You Start the Florida DETS Course at 14? Age Requirements Explained.

Choosing a Course

Start with approval. The course must come from an FLHSMV-approved provider. On October 19, 2026, FLHSMV’s DETS page listed four approved providers, all online.

Some schools sell DETS under their own brand name. Ask which FLHSMV-approved provider’s course they use, then find that provider on FLHSMV’s list.

After approval, compare the details that affect your total cost and stress level:

What to compareWhat we found on four national online courses
List price$19.95 to $36
Extra feesOne school added an $8 certificate and handling fee
Failed examRanged from free restarts to buying the course again
Time to finishOne school gave 90 days, and others did not say
Start age14 and a half at one school, 14 or 15 at others

See Florida DETS Course Cost: What to Expect for the full price review.

What Your Teen Will Learn

DETS must meet or exceed Florida’s Department of Education standards for Driver Education/Traffic Safety–Classroom (course 1900300). So your teen will study topics like these:

  • Florida traffic laws, signs, and signals
  • Right-of-way and sharing the road safely
  • Defensive driving and hazard spotting
  • Alcohol, drugs, and driving, including Zero Tolerance and Implied Consent
  • Distracted and drowsy driving
  • Florida’s graduated driver license rules for teens
  • Crashes and bad weather

The course ends with a 40-question final exam. Your teen needs 80% (32 correct) to pass. A provider may allow up to three attempts.

How Parents Can Help During the Course

You do not need to sit through all 6 hours. A few simple steps go a long way:

  • Set up the account together. Use your teen’s legal name and correct date of birth.
  • Agree on a schedule. Two or three short sessions work well for most teens.
  • Ask about one lesson after each session. For example, “What did you learn about following distance?”
  • Check the retake rule before your teen starts the final exam.
  • Save the certificate right after your teen passes.
Five ways parents can help a teen through the Florida DETS course

Every unmarried teen under 18 needs a parent or legal guardian to sign the Parental Consent Form, HSMV 71142. You sign it in front of a driver license examiner at the office, or before a notary if you can’t attend.

Only one parent or guardian needs to sign, and a step-parent can sign only after adopting the teen. If you can’t go to the office, line up a notary ahead of time so the visit isn’t delayed. Many banks offer notary services, so call ahead to check.

By signing, you accept legal responsibility for your teen’s driving. Our guide to the Florida Parental Consent Form HSMV 71142 covers who can sign, foster care, liability and how to withdraw consent.

The Learner’s License Visit

After DETS, your teen applies for a Class E learner’s license, usually at a county tax collector’s driver license office. Some people call it “the DMV,” but in Florida, licenses are issued under FLHSMV.

Your teen will need to:

  • Be at least 15
  • Have DETS on record with FLHSMV
  • Pass the knowledge exam, which has 50 questions, and 40 correct answers are needed to pass
  • Pass the vision and hearing tests, including 20/40 vision or better in each eye and both eyes
  • Bring documents: proof of identity, Social Security number, and two proofs of address
  • Meet school attendance requirements
  • Bring the signed HSMV 71142, or have you sign it at the office

Teens can take the knowledge exam online through a third-party administrator. If they do, a parent or guardian must complete HSMV 71144, the online test proctoring form. It must be signed in front of an examiner or notarized.

The Hillsborough County Tax Collector page is a good example of what offices ask for. Check your own county’s office before you go.

For the full order of steps, see How to Get a Florida Learner’s Permit Step by Step.

The Learner’s License Year

Once your teen has a learner’s license, Florida’s rules from FLHSMV’s teen licensing page apply:

RuleWhat it means for your family
Supervising driverA licensed driver 21 or older must be in the front passenger seat
First 3 monthsDriving only during daylight hours
After 3 monthsDriving allowed until 10 p.m.
Holding period12 months, or until age 18, whichever comes first
Practice drivingAt least 50 hours, including 10 at night

You certify the 50 hours on HSMV 71143, the Certification of Minor Driving Experience. A parent, guardian, or responsible adult over 21 signs it in front of an examiner, or has it notarized.

Plan the 10 night hours for month 4 or later, since the first 3 months are daylight only. Our Florida 50-hour driving guide shows how to pace and certify the hours.

Start a driving log on day one. FLHSMV links a practice log sheet on its teen licensing page, and it makes the certification easy later.

Try to cover different conditions over the year. Include night driving, rain, highways, and busy parking lots, so your teen practices the situations DETS teaches about.

The Parent Roadmap From DETS to Age 16

Parent roadmap from the Florida DETS course to a teen driver license at 16
  1. Pick an approved DETS course and set up your teen’s account.
  2. Your teen completes DETS and passes the 40-question final exam.
  3. Sign HSMV 71142 and gather documents.
  4. Learner’s license at 15+ after the knowledge, vision, and hearing tests.
  5. Supervise practice for at least 50 hours, including 10 at night.
  6. Hold the learner’s license 12 months, with no moving violation convictions.
  7. Driver license at 16+ after the driving skills test and HSMV 71143.

For the class E license, FLHSMV also says the teen must have no moving violation convictions for one year from the learner’s license issue date. One violation is allowed if adjudication was withheld.

Driving Hours After the License

Teen license limits continue after the learner’s license:

  • Age 16: Driving only between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., unless driving to or from work or with a licensed driver 21 or older.
  • Age 17: Driving only between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m., with the same exceptions.

These rules are part of what DETS teaches, so your teen will already know them. Review them together before your teen drives alone for the first time.

Common Parent Mistakes

  • Buying the 4-hour TLSAE. It does not count for teens who completed it on or after August 1, 2025.
  • Skipping the approval check. Ask which approved provider a school uses.
  • Bringing a step-parent to sign. A step-parent cannot sign HSMV 71142 unless they adopted the teen.
  • Forgetting the notary. If you cannot attend, the consent form must be notarized first.
  • Not logging practice hours. The 50-hour certification is easier with a log from the start.
  • Using a nickname on the course account. The name must match the teen’s documents.
  • Waiting too long to book the office visit. Check your county office’s appointment options a few weeks before the 15th birthday.

How Requirements Can Vary

Florida’s course and license rules apply statewide, but some details depend on where you live. Driver license services are often handled by your county tax collector’s office, and each office sets its own appointment process and hours. Some county school boards also offer driver education programs, such as DELAP courses, that can count instead of DETS.

FLHSMV can update course rules, forms, documents, and fees. Check FLHSMV and your county office for current requirements before your appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age can my teen take the Florida DETS course?

Florida law does not set a minimum age to start DETS, so providers set their own. Of four schools we checked, one stated 14 and a half, and others listed 14 to 17 or 15 to 17.

Do I have to go to the driver license office with my teen?

A parent or guardian must sign HSMV 71142 in front of an examiner. If you cannot attend, the form must be notarized ahead of time.

Only if they have legally adopted the teen, according to FLHSMV.

How many practice hours does my teen need?

At least 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 at night, certified on HSMV 71143.

How long does my teen keep the learner’s license?

At least 12 months, or until age 18, whichever comes first, before applying for a driver license.

Can my teen take the permit test online?

Yes, through a third-party administrator. A parent or guardian must complete form HSMV 71144 for an online test.

How much does the DETS course cost?

Prices vary. Four national online courses we checked on October 19, 2026, listed $19.95 to $36, with some fees and discounts.

Conclusion

The Florida DETS course for teens is the first step on a path that runs from age 15 to a driver license at 16.

Pick an approved course, sign HSMV 71142 the right way, and log at least 50 practice hours. Our Florida DETS Course: The Complete Guide for Teens Under 18 covers each step in more detail. Driving Logic is a state-approved driver improvement course provider, and our online Florida DETS course is coming soon.

Sources

Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, a state-approved driver improvement course provider serving Florida and other U.S. states.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Florida licensing requirements, course rules, documents, and fees are set by FLHSMV and Florida law and can change. Use official FLHSMV and Florida statute sources for current requirements before you enroll in a course or visit a driver license office.