Florida license renewal for older drivers
Drivers 80 and older must pass a vision exam at each renewal. It can be done at a driver license service center (no extra charge) or by a Florida-licensed physician or optometrist who submits Form HSMV 72119; you can then renew online or by mail. Class E licenses are valid 6 to 8 years. No road or knowledge test is required at renewal because of age.
Preparing for the renewal test
If you need to take a written or signs test to renew, it covers the same handbook as new drivers' tests. Our Florida practice tests and road signs test are free to use, and the read-aloud button can help if small print is hard to read.
Rules that may have changed since you first got your license
Some of the rules in today's Florida handbook are newer than many drivers' first test. Worth a look before renewal:
- Phones: Texting while driving is illegal for all drivers (3 points). Using a wireless device in a handheld manner is prohibited in a designated school crossing, school zone or work zone (3 points). No separate teen-only phone rule is stated in the handbook.
- Move over: For stopped law enforcement, emergency, tow, sanitation, utility and road maintenance vehicles with warning lights, and for disabled vehicles showing hazard lights or flares or with people visibly present: move out of the lane closest to them when safe; if you cannot, slow to 20 mph below the posted limit (to 5 mph if the limit is 20 mph or less).
- School buses: On a two-way street or highway, traffic in both directions must stop for a school bus displaying its stop signal and stay stopped until the signal is withdrawn and children are clear. On a highway divided by a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least 5 feet wide, opposite-direction traffic need not stop (painted lines are not a barrier). Penalty: minimum $265 fine ($465 if passing on the side children enter and exit), 4 points, and a basic driver improvement course.
- Alcohol: the limit for adult drivers is 0.08%.
Vision standard
20/40 or better in each eye (with or without corrective lenses) meets the standard without referral; 20/50 or worse in either eye is referred to an eye specialist; 20/70 in either eye or both eyes together may pass after referral if the worse eye is better than 20/200; if one eye is blind or 20/200 or worse, the other eye must be 20/40 or better. Minimum field of vision 130 degrees. Telescopic lenses are not recognized. Applicants also take a hearing screening.
Source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, checked 2026-10-27.