Florida Mandates English-Only Driver’s License Exams in Push for Road Safety

Florida has moved to require that all driver’s license examinations be conducted exclusively in English, marking a significant policy shift that state officials say will strengthen road safety and ensure a uniform understanding of traffic laws.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) announced that beginning Friday, February 6, every driver’s license knowledge and skills test — for both commercial and non-commercial licenses — will be administered only in English. The rule also applies to oral examinations and formally ends the use of interpreters or translation services during testing.

“Beginning Friday, February 6th, all driver license knowledge and skills examinations will be administered exclusively in English,” the department said in a statement. “This change applies to all driver license classifications, including exams administered orally.”

Until now, Florida allowed knowledge exams for most non-commercial licenses to be offered in multiple languages, while commercial driver’s license (CDL) and learner’s permit exams were restricted to English and Spanish. Under the new policy, written, oral, and skills-based exams will all be conducted solely in English, with no exceptions.

FLHSMV confirmed that testing systems across the state have been updated to remove non-English materials and ban translation assistance. “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,” the release stated.

State officials framed the decision as a matter of public safety, arguing that consistent comprehension of traffic laws and road signage is essential for responsible driving.

“FLHSMV remains committed to ensuring safe roadways for all Floridians and visitors by promoting clear communication, understanding of traffic laws, and responsible driving behavior,” the department said.

Governor Ron DeSantis applauded the move on X, describing it as basic common sense. “Good reform by @FLHSMV to require driver exams be conducted only in English,” DeSantis wrote. “Need to be able to read the road signs!”

The policy has also won backing from national transportation safety advocates who argue that English proficiency is critical, especially for commercial drivers operating large vehicles on public highways.

James Lamb, executive director of the Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC), said Florida’s decision brings state policy back in line with long-standing federal safety standards. “For four years, the SBTC has zealously pursued public policies across the nation that would result in states testing for English language proficiency in furtherance of Federal Regulations that have been in place since 1937 under 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2),” Lamb said. “We have repeatedly pointed to the 2002 DOT Inspector General’s CDL Standards Audit report as the compelling incentive to do so.”

Lamb also pointed to leadership at the federal level, crediting President Donald Trump for restoring enforcement of English language proficiency rules for truckers. “We have also called for truckers found not in compliance with the ELP regulation to be placed out of service, a policy that has returned as of June 26, 2025, by order of President Trump,” he said.

According to Lamb, Florida’s action complements broader efforts in Congress to tighten licensing standards nationwide. “Our efforts culminated in the introduction of Connor’s Law, introduced last year in both the House by Rep. Taylor and the Senate by Senator Lummis, and additional bills that would effect legislation to guard who is qualified to be licensed to drive a truck and who must be removed from the road when they are not,” he said. “And now, the essence of Connor’s Law is about to pass in the Consolidated Appropriations Act’s Transportation bill, one of six bills in that package.”

He added that Florida’s move reflects straightforward logic that other states should consider adopting. “There is no better way for a state to test for trucker English proficiency than to administer the CDL knowledge and skills tests in, well, English,” Lamb said. “In the state of Florida, at least, common sense will now prevail effective February 6th. We hope other states will follow.”

With this decision, Florida becomes one of the first states in recent years to fully eliminate multilingual testing across all classes of driver’s licenses — a development supporters believe could trigger a nationwide shift toward uniform, English-only standards in the name of public safety.