Florida TLSAE and DETS Requirements: Who Takes Which Course
Florida requires a driver education course before a first-time applicant can complete their license or learner permit application, and which specific course applies is set entirely by the applicant's age. This page lays out the exact requirement text, the statute behind it, and the narrow exemptions and grandfather rule that determine whether you take TLSAE, DETS, or nothing at all.
This site is an independent information resource. It does not decide which course FLHSMV will accept for your application; only FLHSMV does that. See /affiliate-disclosure/ for how this site is compensated.
Who Must Complete Florida's Drug and Alcohol Course Requirement?
Every first-time Florida driver license or learner permit applicant, split by age: applicants 18 and older complete the 4-hour TLSAE course under F.S. 322.095, and applicants under 18 complete the 6-hour DETS course under F.S. 322.1615. Neither course applies to someone who already holds a valid license from another U.S. state, jurisdiction, or country and is simply transferring it - that exemption applies specifically to TLSAE (words/the_acs/fl/research/traffic-school/courses.md "4-Hour TLSAE" record, search-sourced 2026-06-04) and to DETS on the same basis for minors previously licensed elsewhere.
Neither course has a behind-the-wheel driving component. Driving skill itself is tested through Florida's separate Class E knowledge and driving exams, which are administered outside this education requirement (words/the_acs/fl/online-courses/_data/drivers-ed.json in_person_component, verified 2026-08-15). See Permit exam for how the two pieces relate.
How Many Hours Does Each Course Require?
TLSAE requires 4 hours for applicants 18 and older; DETS requires 6 hours for applicants under 18. Both durations come from statute, so a provider cannot legally issue a certificate for less time than the statute sets. TLSAE also requires passing a 40-question multiple-choice test built into the course before a completion certificate is issued (words/the_acs/fl/research/traffic-school/courses.md, search-sourced 2026-06-04). Online providers commonly track active time-on-task to enforce the hour minimum, which is why a course cannot realistically be finished in a fraction of the required time.
What Changed on August 1, 2025?
Before that date, Florida did not split first-license education cleanly by age; effective August 1, 2025, F.S. 322.1615 created the 6-hour DETS course for applicants under 18, while TLSAE narrowed to apply only to applicants 18 and older. This was a genuine structural change, not a renaming: DETS is a distinct course with its own FLHSMV approval pathway, separate from TLSAE's existing provider-approval process (words/the_acs/fl/research/traffic-school/courses.md "6-Hour DETS" record, search-sourced 2026-06-04). A provider approved to teach TLSAE was not automatically approved to teach DETS on that date; each course carries its own FLHSMV approval.
Is There a Grandfather Rule for Minors Who Already Took TLSAE?
Yes. A minor who completed TLSAE before August 1, 2025 still satisfies the requirement, but only if the learner license is obtained within one year of that completion date; after the window closes, the minor must complete DETS instead. This is a narrow, date-bound exception, not a permanent equivalence between the two courses (words/the_acs/fl/online-courses/_data/drivers-ed.json outcome_note, verified 2026-08-15). A family that delayed applying for a learner license after a teen completed TLSAE should check this window carefully before assuming the old certificate still counts.
What Does Each Course Actually Cost the State, Versus the Provider?
Both TLSAE and DETS carry the same $3.00 per-completion assessment fee, which the provider collects from the student and remits to FLHSMV; this state fee is separate from whatever price the provider itself charges for the course. The $3.00 figure comes from F.S. 322.095's fee provision, which the DETS statute mirrors for its own course (words/the_acs/fl/research/traffic-school/courses.md, search-sourced 2026-06-04). See Cost for how providers price the course itself on top of that state fee.
See also: Florida drug and alcohol course hub | Cost | Approved providers | TLSAE vs DATA
Sources
| Fact | Value | Authority | URL | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TLSAE statute, 4-hour minimum, 18+, prior-license exemption | F.S. 322.095 | Florida Legislature / FLHSMV | https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/0322.095 | 2026-09-19 |
| DETS statute, 6-hour, under 18, eff. 2025-08-01 | F.S. 322.1615 | Florida Legislature / FLHSMV | https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/0322.1615 | 2026-09-19 |
| One-year TLSAE-to-DETS grandfather rule for minors | 1 year from TLSAE completion | words/the_acs/fl dossier | words/the_acs/fl/online-courses/_data/drivers-ed.json | 2026-08-15 |
| $3.00 per-completion state fee, TLSAE and DETS | $3.00 | FLHSMV / F.S. 322.095 | words/the_acs/fl/research/traffic-school/courses.md | 2026-06-04 |
| TLSAE 40-question in-course test requirement | 40 questions, must pass | words/the_acs/fl research corpus | words/the_acs/fl/research/traffic-school/courses.md | 2026-06-04 |
| No behind-the-wheel component in either course | confirmed | words/the_acs/fl dossier | words/the_acs/fl/online-courses/_data/drivers-ed.json | 2026-08-15 |
| No general adult certificate expiration in statute or rule | checked, none found | FLHSMV / Florida Administrative Code | https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=15A-8.0061 | 2026-09-19 |
| Driver License Customer Service phone | 850-617-2000 | FLHSMV | https://www.flhsmv.gov/contact-us/ | 2026-09-19 |
Frequently asked questions
Can an 18-year-old take DETS instead of TLSAE?
The sourced record shows DETS is built for applicants under 18 and TLSAE for applicants 18 and older; this site found no provision letting an 18+ applicant substitute DETS for TLSAE, so treat the age line as firm and confirm directly with FLHSMV if your situation is unusual.
What if I turn 18 partway through shopping for a course?
Your age on the day you actually complete the course and apply is what should matter under the age-split rule, but no statute or rule spells out this specific edge case - confirm with FLHSMV (850-617-2000) or your chosen provider before enrolling.
Does completing TLSAE or DETS get me a Florida license by itself?
No. It satisfies the education requirement only. You still need to complete the license or learner permit application and pass Florida's separate knowledge and driving exams. See Learner's license.
Is the $3.00 fee charged once or every time I retake a section?
The sourced record describes it as a per-completion fee tied to course completion, not a per-attempt fee; confirm with your provider if you are required to retake any section.
Does a TLSAE or DETS certificate expire?
TLSAE's certificate is described in the sourced record as valid for use in the original license application. The only dated expiration FLHSMV publishes is the one-year grandfather window for a TLSAE course a minor completed before August 1, 2025. F.S. 322.095's full text and F.A.C. 15A-8.0061 (the Department's TLSAE course-approval rule) were both checked directly 2026-09-19; neither sets a general adult certificate expiration beyond that one-year minor grandfather window.
Where is the exact statute text for TLSAE and DETS?
TLSAE is codified at F.S. 322.095; DETS is codified at F.S. 322.1615, both published by the Florida Legislature.