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Requirements for a Limousine Driver in Florida

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To become a limousine driver in the state of Florida you must obtain a Class C Commercial Driver License (CDL). The Class C CDL allows you to operate a commercial vehicle, like a limousine, that can hold more than 15 people and is less than 26,000 pounds. To get the Class C CDL, you must meet the basic requirements, pass a general knowledge test and pass a road test.

Basic Requirements

To apply for a CDL in Florida you have to be a resident of Florida and be at least 18 years old to drive intrastate and 21 years old to drive interstate. You must surrender any other licenses you were granted by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or any other Department of Motor Vehicles. You must provide proof that you have a Social Security number, pass an eye exam, and your driver's license cannot be suspended, revoked or canceled. The cost of getting your license will be approximately $80.

General Knowledge Test

Once you meet the basic requirements of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles you must pass a general knowledge test, answering 80 percent of the questions correctly. The test is multiple choice and will have at least 30 questions. Each question will be related to general commercial motor vehicle operation and road safety. The best way to ensure that you pass the general knowledge test is by studying the appropriate handbook, which you can view online or get from your local Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office.

Road Test

The final requirement for obtaining your Class C CDL in Florida will be passing a road test in a limousine. Anyone can take this test as long as you have already met the basic requirements and passed the general knowledge test. There are three components to the road test. In the pre-trip vehicle inspection, you will inspect your vehicle and explain to the person testing you what you are inspecting and why. Next, there is a component that tests how you control the limousine. Using traffic lanes, cones, or some other control mechanism, the examiner will ask you to move forward, backward, and within a specified area. The final part of the test will be the traffic test where you will drive the limousine in traffic situations. The examiner may ask you to make specific turns, park in a designated area, make lane changes and perform other real-life limousine driving functions.

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Writer

Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Jordan Whitehouse has been writing on food and drink, small business, and community development since 2004. His work has appeared in a wide range of online and print publications across Canada, including Atlantic Business Magazine, The Grid and Halifax Magazine. Whitehouse studied English literature and psychology at Queen's University, and book and magazine publishing at Centennial College.