Florida is done bending over backward when it comes to road safety—and language barriers are officially off the table.
As of Feb. 6, English is the only language in which Floridians can take driver’s license knowledge and skills tests, marking a sweeping policy shift by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). The Sunshine State is making it clear: if you want to drive here, you need to understand the language on the road.
The change was announced late last month and applies across the board, ending years of multilingual testing that critics said put convenience ahead of safety.
According to the department’s Jan. 30 press release, “Previously, knowledge exams for most non-commercial driver license classifications were offered in multiple languages, while Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) and Commercial Driver License (CDL) knowledge exams were only available in English and Spanish.”
That system is now history.
“Under the updated policy, all driver license knowledge and skills testing will be conducted in English,” FLHSMV stated.
The department didn’t stop there. Officials confirmed the overhaul is already live statewide.
“To implement this change, FLHSMV has updated its driver license testing system statewide. 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 agency explained.
Supporters argue the move was overdue. Road signs, emergency instructions, construction warnings, and police commands are overwhelmingly in English—and misunderstandings can turn deadly in a split second.
Gov. Ron DeSantis wasted no time applauding the decision, framing it as a matter of common sense rather than controversy.
“Good reform by @FLHSMV to require driver exams be conducted only in English. Need to be able to read the road signs!” the governor wrote in a Jan. 31 post on X.
Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, a Republican who entered the governor’s race last month, echoed that sentiment, tying the policy directly to public safety.
“Thank you to FLHSMV for taking a commonsense step to strengthen highway safety. Ensuring drivers can understand road signs, instructions, and safety commands in English helps keep everyone on our roads safer,” Collins posted on X on Jan. 30.
