ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Beginning Feb. 6, all driver license knowledge and skills exams in Florida will be administered exclusively in English, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
The policy applies to every license classification and includes exams previously offered orally. Translation services will no longer be permitted, and printed exams in languages other than English are being removed from use as part of a statewide update to the driver license testing system.
State officials said the change is intended to promote clear communication, ensure understanding of traffic laws and encourage responsible driving behavior.
St. Lucie County Tax Collector Chris Craft said the decision follows a fatal crash that drew attention to language barriers among drivers.
"It's basically a result of the incident that happened on the interstate several months ago where the truck driver made a u-turn. Turns out that he didn't speak English," he said.
Craft was referring to Harjinder Singh, who performed an illegal maneuver on the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce in 2025 that killed three people. The incident prompted the state to review commercial driver licensing requirements and broader testing practices.
State officials later expanded their concerns beyond commercial licenses, leading to the new policy affecting standard driver licenses as well.
"Basically what they're saying is if you cannot communicate in English, meaning you can't take the written test in English and you can't take a road test by English instruction, then we cannot issue a driver license to you," Craft said.
The change is expected to have a noticeable local impact. Craft said a significant share of customers at some tax collector offices primarily speak languages other than English.
"The impact in our offices, like the Fort Pierce offices, probably 25% of our customers that we wait on in that office are non-English speaking folks, a lot of Spanish and Creole," he said.
While Craft said he understands the state’s reasoning, he expressed concern about how the requirement could influence driver behavior.
"I understand where the FLHSMV is coming from, I know what they're attempting to do, but I think it's actually going to have a negative impact on the safety of the people on the roads because these folks are just going to be driving without a driver license," he said.
He added that many residents still rely on driving to reach their jobs and meet daily obligations, regardless of licensing challenges.
"They haven't been tested and they don't have a driver license, they don't have insurance, so they're going to be uninsured as well," he said.
Craft also said local offices have received limited guidance from the state about how the policy will be implemented moving forward. When asked whether drivers who previously passed exams in another language might be required to retest, he said the answer remains unclear.
"I know that they're reviewing CDL. I don't know if they're doing it for Class A. I'm not positive what direction the state is going," he said.
Previously, most non-commercial driver license knowledge exams were available in multiple languages, while Commercial Learner’s Permit and Commercial Driver License tests were offered only in English and Spanish.
With the new requirement taking effect statewide, officials say the goal is to strengthen roadway safety through consistent communication standards, while local leaders continue to assess how the change will affect their communities.