Florida Learner's Permit - First Time Driver Course

Florida Student Training Alcohol Related Topics (START) Course Details

The START course is a 4-hour learner's permit course that all first time drivers must take before they can get their first Florida Class E learner's license. This requirement is set forth in §322.095, Florida Statutes, which states that any driver who has not been licensed must complete a Traffic Law Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) course before obtaining a Florida driver license. The START course is a Florida DHSMV approved TLSAE course.

Who Can Take the START Course?

The START course is most commonly taken by Florida teens before they apply for their first Florida learner's permit. The course can be taken before your 15th birthday. Anyone who has never had a license in another U.S. state must take this course before he or she will be eligible to receive a Florida driver's license.

Other common names for this course include:

NOTE: Drivers who have been licensed in another U.S. state do NOT have to take this course. Drivers who have been licensed in another country might have to complete the course, depending on the licensing standards of the country in which they were licensed. If you are not sure whether you need to take this course, please contact your local Florida driver license office.

What Does the START Course Teach?

The START course teaches participants about the dangers of driving after drinking or taking drugs and the harmful effects these substances can have on the human body and mind. The course also explains several Florida traffic laws (especially those pertaining to the use of alcohol or drugs while driving) and explores traffic safety concepts through the use of DTA's IPDE strategy for effective and risk-free driving.

DTA's START course is the only Florida drug and alcohol course that teaches students how to control their emotions and attitudes through the understanding of the concept of Attitude States. Using Dr. Eric Berne's groundbreaking theory of Transactional Analysis (TA), the START course teaches students that each of us has three Attitude States -- Parent, Adult, and Child -- that constantly influence our behavior. Learning how to identify these Attitude States is the key to controlling them, which can be critical during potentially hazardous activities such as driving a motor vehicle. Students learn that remaining in the Adult Attitude State is the best way to minimize their risk of a crash and to prepare for driving emergencies.

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