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Driver License Office
904 301 Blvd. W.
Bradenton, FL 34205
Monday – Friday, 9 AM - 4:30 PM
taxcollector.com

Driving Skills Road Test Information and Instructions
Getting started
• You must be a Manatee County resident.

• You must be at least 16 years of age to be eligible to take the driving skills road test. If you are 16 or 17 years old, you must have held a learner license for at least one year conviction-free. If you are 18 years old, it’s not necessary to hold a learner license for a year, but you must have a valid driving record that shows you passed the exams required to obtain a learner license to be eligible (i.e., DATE [drug and alcohol], Road Signs and Road Rules).

• Driving skills road tests are given by appointment only and are not given to walk-in customers. Make your appointment through our online appointment system (https://www.canva.com/design/DAFPCuqjLdM/JX_JgmAbXV4c7ieV4e6jhg/view). If you are deaf or hard of hearing and require a sign language interpreter, please contact us 
(http://www.taxcollector.com/contactphonefax.cfm) two weeks in advance prior to scheduling an appointment to make arrangements.

• You will be required to take the driving skills road test in a vehicle of your choosing – our office will not supply a vehicle. If the vehicle does not pass inspection, you may need to reschedule the test.

• Driving skills road tests are only administered at our 904 301 Boulevard West, Bradenton, FL, location.

• A minimum fee of $6.25 will be collected.

• Study your Official Florida Driver License Handbook, which is available on the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' handbooks and manuals page (https://www.flhsmv.gov/resources/handbooks-manuals/).

• Review the road test videos at our YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/ManateeTaxCollector. Now road test videos also available in Spanish. (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyr0vZSEy6reRReJOVIJk7dXk8SqMK7Ll)

• If you do not pass, you may schedule an appointment to attempt on another day. Only one attempt is allowed per day.

• Important – Upon arrival, please park in the covered "Reserved" parking spaces on the east side of the building.
 
Required documents
• An online application is required for all transactions! To complete your driver license or ID card transaction at one of our offices, prior to your appointment you must complete the online driver license and ID card application (https://taxcollector.jotform.com/210103795736152). Do not print the application – an associate will access your electronic submission during your appointment. Applications are valid for 90 days.

• If your learner license does not have a gold star on the right corner or you are not a US citizen, you must present documents that establish your identity pursuant to the Real ID Act (i.e., US birth certificate, US passport, USCIS/INS documents, name change document(s), Social Security card and two proofs of residential address). For complete details, visit the state's What to Bring page (https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/what-to-bring/).

• Ensure that your parent, guardian or responsible adult 21 or older is able to accompany you to our office. They will be required to certify that you have completed 50 hours of driving, 10 hours of which was night-time driving. If they are unable to come in, they can complete a Parental Consent Certification of Driving Experience (https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/forms/71143.pdf) and provide it to you. Note: If you are 18 or older, married or legally emancipated, you are not required to obtain consent. However, you would be required to submit a marriage certificate or emancipation court order. (This form will be scanned and subject to verification.)

• If using a rental vehicle, the Rental Vehicle Affidavit (https://www.powerdms.com/public/MCTC/documents/1490956) must be completed by the authorized driver listed on the current rental agreement/contract, which must be presented for verification purposes.

• If you are using an Interpreter for your road test please complete the Interpreter Affidavit.
    • Anyone that is 18 years of age or older can serve as an intepreter; however the interpreter must hold a Florida driver                    license or identification card to interpret driver license exams.  
 
Required vehicle documents and vehicle inspection requirements
• The license plate physically on the vehicle must be current (not expired) and registered to the vehicle.

• You must have the current (not expired) Florida or out-of-state registration document. If using a vehicle owned by a commercial driving school (CDS), you must also present the current CDS Certificate.

• If the vehicle is registered in Florida, you must have proof of current (not expired) Florida Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage Liability insurance coverage. If the vehicle is registered in another state, you can show insurance coverage in that state. Proof must be in the form of a card, policy, or binder – we cannot accept proof of insurance on a mobile device.

• In accordance with chapter 316 of the Florida statutes, the vehicle must pass the safety inspection. The road test will not be given if your vehicle doesn't pass the inspection. Examiners reserve the right not to administer a road test if the vehicle is unsanitary or the condition of the vehicle places an examiner in danger. This includes wet seats, plastic or other material in place of missing windows, and other hazards. The following items are not inclusive. Please refer to the Official Florida Driver License Handbook for additional vehicle requirements.
         o Seat belts must work (with the exception of vehicles manufactured before 1968 and trucks before 1972).
         o Gas gauge cannot display Empty (E).
         o Horn must be heard from 200 feet.
         o Directional signals must work, or you must know and use the proper hand signals.
         o Two brake lights must work.
         o Headlights must work.
         o Driver and front passenger door must open from inside and outside.
         o Driver and front passenger windows must work.
         o Emergency brake must work.
         o Tires must be in good condition (not worn).
         o If raining, windshield wipers must work.
         o If applicable, required adaptive equipment must be installed and working properly.
         o Vehicle must be clean
 
Driving test after hours and on weekends
For information on taking the Class E road test after hours or on the weekends: For a full list of private providers, visit the state's driver license exams page (https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-idcards/driver-license-exams/).
What to Expect When Taking the Road Test
During your driving skills road test, the driver’s license examiner will give you directions as to where to go and what to do next. There are no tricks on the driving test, and you will not be asked to do anything illegal. Pay close attention to the instructions, and obey speed limits and traffic laws at all times. Remain calm at all times, and perform the maneuvers to the best of your ability. All driving test results will be discussed with you when you and the examiner have returned to the office and enter the building.The examiner’s decision about your performance is final in all cases.
You are expected to perform the following maneuvers on the driving test:
• Approach of crossing – Get in the proper lane, and look in each direction. If your car has a manual shift transmission, change gears smoothly and correctly.
• Backing – Back for a distance of 50 feet at a slow speed. Do not use the rear-view mirror when backing. You must look to the rear of the vehicle until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Only use your mirrors if you are unable to see out of your rear window.
• Follow at a safe distance – Do not drive too closely behind other cars. Use the Four-Second Rule.
• Observe right-of-way – Allow pedestrians to cross, pull over and stop for emergency vehicles, and do not enter an intersection where you will interfere with other traffic.
• Obey stop signs – Give the proper signal if turning, approach in the proper lane, come to a complete stop before reaching the pedestrian crosswalk or stop line, and remain stopped until you can move safely without interfering with cross traffic or pedestrians. Keep in mind that most intersections contain marked or unmarked legal crosswalks. An unmarked crosswalk is the portion of the roadway at an intersection  that would connect opposite sides of the street.
• Obey traffic signals – Get in the proper lane, and approach the light at a speed that will allow you to stop if the light should change. When you must stop, stop before the pedestrian crosswalk or stop line. When the light turns green, do not move forward until the other traffic has cleared the intersection. Give the correct signal for stopping and turning. Watch for "no turn" and "one way" signs.
• Passing – Always look ahead and behind to make sure you can pass safely. Pass on the left, unless the car ahead is about to make a left turn or is in the left turn lane on a street with more than one lane in each direction. Do not pass on the shoulder (side of the road).
• Shift Gears – If your car has a manual shift transmission, change gears smoothly and correctly.
• Straight-in parking – Park your vehicle inside the parking space straightin. When properly parked, the vehicle should be centered inside the space with no part of the vehicle extending out in the traffic lane. This maneuver gives the examiner the opportunity to observe your ability to:
   o Handle the vehicle in close quarters
   o Judge distance
   o Maintain control of the vehicle as you turn into a straight-in parking space
• Stop/start on a grade – This maneuver is simulated when the car is in the straight-in parking space or when the car is pulled over to the side of the road. You will be instructed to show or tell the examiner what you would do if you were going to leave the vehicle parked up or down a hill, with or without a curb.
• Stop quickly – Drive at 10 miles per hour and make a quick, safe stop when the examiner instructs you.
• Signal and turn – Get in the proper lane, and signal your turn for the last 100 feet. You may use either hand signals or mechanical signals. Slow before reaching the crosswalk, and turn into the proper lane.
• Stay in proper lane – Drive in the right lane, except on a one-way street. Do not change  lanes until you may do so safely.
• Turnabout (three-point turn) – Turn your car around in a 30-foot to 40-foot space.
• Use proper posture – Keep both hands on the steering wheel, and do not rest your elbow in the window.

Inclement weather: Driving tests are given during inclement weather. However, the examiner can suspend a driving test if the weather conditions are too severe. If you are not comfortable taking the driving test during inclement weather, you may reschedule your appointment.
Exams Road Test – Last Update: 01/05/22
This transaction may only be processed at the Driver License Office.