Florida highway safety officials say all written, oral and behind-the-wheel driver’s license exams—commercial and non-commercial—will be administered only in English beginning Feb. 6, ending the use of translation services and non-English printed tests.
On Friday, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) announced a statewide change to how driver’s license tests are administered.
Effective Feb. 6, 2026, all driver license knowledge and skills examinations—including tests given orally and those for commercial and non-commercial licenses—will be conducted exclusively in English, the agency said. FLHSMV also said it has updated its statewide testing system to enforce the change.
Under the policy, translation services will no longer be permitted for the exams, and printed tests in languages other than English will be removed.
FLHSMV said that 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 available only in English and Spanish.
The announcement followed political and public scrutiny after a fatal crash on Florida’s Turnpike in St. Lucie County last summer. In an Aug. 16, 2025 statement, FLHSMV said a commercial truck driver, Harjinder Singh, was arrested and charged with three counts of vehicular homicide after investigators concluded he attempted an unauthorized U-turn, leading to a collision that killed the three occupants of a minivan. The agency also said investigators, working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, determined Singh had entered the United States illegally in 2018 after crossing the Mexico border.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis highlighted the case in an Aug. 18, 2025 post on X, criticizing California’s licensing practices and alleging the driver did not speak English.
In its announcement of the testing change, FLHSMV said it “remains committed to ensuring safe roadways for all Floridians and visitors by promoting clear communication, understanding of traffic laws, and responsible driving behavior.”
