What Is the Florida Drug and Alcohol Test About?

If you want to obtain a learner’s permit in Florida, you must complete the 4-hour Drug and Alcohol CourseFlorida Drivers Ed as part of the state’s requirements. Authorized by the Florida licensing office, and also known as the Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) program, the course is designed so you can complete all of it online.

What Is on the Drug and Alcohol Test in Florida?

The course, using text and video, offers a comprehensive overview of how drugs and alcohol affect a person’s driving abilities. The material covers not only the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs but also the effects of driving when you take prescription or over-the-counter medications.

You will learn all you need to know for the test by simply taking the class, which is available in both English and Spanish.

The six chapters focus on:

• Drugs, Alcohol, and Your Body

• The Cost of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

• Impaired Driving

• Florida Traffic Laws

• Vulnerable Road Users

• Defensive Driving Skills

After finishing the 4-hour Drug and Alcohol Course, you'll take the completion test. This consists of 40 questions, and you must get the correct answer on at least 80% of them — 32 questions — in order to pass.  Questions consist of multiple-choice and true/false answers.

Who Can Take the Test?

In Florida, the minimum age to apply for a learner’s permit is 15. While most applicants are high school students, anyone who has never held—or does not currently possess—a driver’s license from another state, country, or jurisdiction must complete a Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course before applying for a Florida license.

🚨 Update Starting July 1: DETS Replaces TLSAE in Florida
As of July 1, Florida’s Department of Highway Safety is rolling out changes that replace the TLSAE (Drug and Alcohol Course) with a new program called the Drug and Alcohol Traffic Education (DETS) course. But don’t panic — for the month of July, Florida will accept either the TLSAE or DETS for your learner’s permit. If you’re under 18, just make sure you complete one of the two by July 31 to stay on track. Learn more about Florida’s DETS transition hereBig Changes Florida Teen Permit Requirements Starting July 1 2025 Blog.

Additionally, some high school driver education programs participate in the Driver Education Licensing Assistance Program (DELAP). These programs, approved by the Florida Department of Education, may fulfill the driver education requirement. It's important to contact your local school board to determine if their program qualifies.

For drivers under 21 who are caught with a blood alcohol level between 0.02 and 0.05, Florida’s Zero Tolerance law mandates a six-month license suspension. To reinstate driving privileges, these individuals must complete a TLSAE course and may be eligible for a hardship license, which restricts driving to business or employment purposes only.

Importance of the Florida Drug and Alcohol Test

The good news is that, overall, drunk driving statisticsNews 2019 10 29 Drunk Driving Deaths Are Down In Florida Wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu have fallen in the Sunshine State in recent years. It is likely that the mandatory TLSAE played a role in this drop. That was its original purpose when the program began back in the 1990s because so many accidents involved teens behind the wheel. Back then, the course was not available online, and students had to take a formal, in-class test.

The bad news is that roughly one-quarter of all motor vehicle accidents in Florida still involve driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. That is just one reason why new drivers must learn about the dangers of drugs and alcohol before acquiring a learner’s permit.  The information is vital and may save your life once you are behind the wheel.