Pretty soon, all driver license exams in Florida will be available in English only. Those seeking a license could previously take exams in multiple languages. The change goes into effect on Friday; here’s what you need to know.
Prospective Florida drivers will be required to take exams in English starting Feb. 6
On Friday, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles announced that all prospective drivers will have to take exams in English exclusively. This applies to all driver license classifications, including oral exams.
“To implement this change, FLHSMV has updated its driver license testing system statewide,” the agency said in a press release. “Language translation services will no longer be permitted for knowledge or skills examinations, and any printed exams in languages other than English will be removed for use.”
Exams for most non-commercial driver licenses were previously offered in multiple languages. Commercial Learner’s Permit and Commercial Driver License exams were available in English and Spanish.
Some Florida residents say the change will affect those whose first language isn’t English: “I feel like a lot of people are going to other states or stop working because they won’t have a license, which will affect not only the Hispanic community, but also Florida,” Lizzy Lopez, a Honduran resident who took her exam in Spanish, told WJHG.
Nearly 7% of Florida households are non-English speaking, according to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. It is the fourth state in the country with the highest concentration of non-English speaking households.
Why the change?
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said in its press release that it “remains committed to ensuring safe roadways for all Floridians and visitors by promoting clear communication, understanding of traffic laws, and responsible driving behavior.”
In April 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced new enforcement policies regarding English proficiency requirements for truckers.
“Federal law is clear, a driver who cannot sufficiently read or speak English—our national language—and understand road signs is unqualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in America. This commonsense standard should have never been abandoned,” he said in a press release. “This Department will always put America’s truck drivers first.”
On June 25, 2025, the Trump administration reversed an Obama administration policy that suspended the enforcement of the English proficiency rule. Truckers are now required to speak to inspectors without the use of smartphone apps or a translator, according to The Tallahassee Democrat.
Since then, thousands of truckers have reportedly been taken off roads across the country after failing mandatory roadside English tests.
In March 2025, Trump declared English as the official language of the United States: “A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language,” his order said at the time, per The Tallahassee Democrat. “Government operations, and create a pathway to civic engagement, it is in America’s best interest for the Federal Government to designate one — and only one — official language.”