TLSAE vs. DETS — your age already answered this.
Your age picks the course. Since August 1, 2025, teens 14½–17 take the 6-hour DETS course (Driver Education and Traffic Safety) before a learner’s license. Adults 18 and older getting a first license take the 4-hour TLSAE (Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education). Both are 100% online. Both are filed with FLHSMV the moment you finish. Many sites still show the old rule. This page has the current one, from FLHSMV’s DETS page.
- The old TLSAE grandfather window closed August 1, 2026
- Got a ticket instead? That’s BDI — a different course entirely
Pick by age — everything else follows
Since August 1, 2025. TLSAE no longer counts for 14½–17; the grandfather window closed August 1, 2026.
Which course do you need: DETS for teens or TLSAE for adults 18+?
DETS, 6 hours
Required before applying for a learner’s license, and built for teens. Interactive lessons meet or exceed Florida’s official driver education standard (FDOE Traffic Safety 1900300). The teen guide maps the whole path to the license.
- Length6 hours, online
- Required forThe learner’s license
- Filed withFLHSMV, electronically
TLSAE, 4 hours
The drug-and-alcohol course adults complete for a first Florida license. Then the knowledge exam (in person at 18+), vision check, and driving test. The adult first-timer guide has the full sequence.
- Length4 hours, online
- Required forA first license at 18+
- Filed withFLHSMV, electronically
Already have a license and a citation? This page isn’t your page. That’s Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) — Florida’s traffic school for keeping points off your record. Three courses, three jobs; ads blur them, the state doesn’t.
How do DETS, TLSAE and BDI compare?
| DETS | TLSAE | BDI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Teens 14½–17 | Adults 18+ | Any licensed driver |
| Why you take it | A first learner's license | A first license | To keep points off a ticket |
| Length | 6 hours | 4 hours | 4 hours |
| Price, all in | $29.95 | $27.95 | $24.95 |
| How often | Once, ever | Once, ever | Once a year, 8 in a lifetime |
| Who you elect it with | Nobody — just take it | Nobody — just take it | Your clerk of court, within 30 days |
| Filed with FLHSMV | The moment you pass | The moment you pass | The moment you pass |
| Then | Nothing to carry | Nothing to carry | FLHSMV tells your court, 24–48 h |
The Split, Answered
TLSAE vs. DETS FAQ
What's the difference between TLSAE and DETS?
Mostly your age, and the length. DETS (Driver Education and Traffic Safety) is Florida's 6-hour course. Teens 14½–17 must finish it before they apply for a learner's license. It has been the teen rule since August 1, 2025. TLSAE (Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education) is the older 4-hour drug-and-alcohol course. Since that date it serves adults 18 and older getting a first license. Same family, split by age.
I'm 16. Can I take the 4-hour TLSAE instead of DETS?
No — not anymore. Since August 1, 2025, teens 14½-17 must complete the 6-hour DETS course before applying for a learner's license. The older 4-hour TLSAE is no longer accepted for that age group. The old carve-out — pre-August-2025 TLSAE completions were grandfathered for one year — closed on August 1, 2026. DETS is now the only door for this age group.
I'm 18. Do I need DETS or TLSAE?
TLSAE — the 4-hour course. DETS is the teen requirement. Adults 18 and older getting a first Florida license take TLSAE. Then come the Class E knowledge exam (in person for 18+), the vision check, and the driving skills exam. Our adult first-time driver guide walks the whole path.
I took TLSAE before August 2025 as a teen. Does it still count?
Not anymore — those completions were grandfathered for one year, and that window closed on August 1, 2026. If you're still 14½-17 and applying for a learner's license now, DETS is your course. If you think your case is unusual, FLHSMV's records are the authority.
Are both courses filed with FLHSMV the same way?
Yes — both are FLHSMV-approved, and both completions are filed electronically. The state already has your record when you go for the exam or the license office visit. Nothing to print or carry for the course itself.
Which one do I take for a traffic ticket?
Neither. That's the third course people mix into this: Basic Driver Improvement (BDI). It's Florida's traffic school for licensed drivers who got a ticket and want the points kept off. TLSAE and DETS are first-license education. If a ticket brought you here, the BDI page is your answer.
What do the courses cost?
DETS is $29.95 and TLSAE is $27.95 — each all-inclusive with the course, the final exam, and electronic FLHSMV filing. For teens who'll also need the permit exam, there's a DETS + Class E exam bundle at $65.95. It's the cheaper way to buy both.
Is either course ever required twice?
No — the first-license education requirement is once in a lifetime. Complete the right course for your age once, and it's done for good. There's no renewal and no expiration on the requirement itself.
I already have a license from another state or country. Do I need TLSAE or DETS?
Usually not. Florida's rule (F.S. 322.095(1)) is written for people who have never held a driver license — none from any state or any country. If you hold a license from another state or country and have it with you, you are not required to take TLSAE or DETS for your Florida license. Your steps are the new-resident ones, which the FLHSMV new-resident page lists. Our adult first-time driver guide covers the details.
Right course, first try.
Teens: DETS at $29.95. Adults: TLSAE at $27.95. Both online, both filed with FLHSMV, both done once for life.