Florida/Georgia Personal Injury & Workers Compensation

You're probably overthinking it. Call a lawyer.

Call Now: 904-383-7448
Florida Statute 322.04 - Full Text and Legal Analysis Florida Statute 322.04 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Fla. Stat. § 322.04 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
322.04 Persons exempt from obtaining driver license.
(1) The following persons are exempt from obtaining a driver license:
(a) Any employee of the United States Government, while operating a noncommercial motor vehicle owned by or leased to the United States Government and being operated on official business.
(b) Any person while driving or operating any road machine, farm tractor, or implement of husbandry temporarily operated or moved on a highway.
(c) A nonresident who is at least 16 years of age and who has in his or her immediate possession a valid noncommercial driver license issued to the nonresident in his or her home state or country operating a motor vehicle of the type for which a Class E driver license is required in this state, if the nonresident’s license is not invalid under s. 322.033 relating to proof of the licensee’s lawful presence in the United States.
(d) A nonresident who is at least 18 years of age and who has in his or her immediate possession a valid noncommercial driver license issued to the nonresident in his or her home state or country operating a motor vehicle, other than a commercial motor vehicle, in this state, if the nonresident’s license is not invalid under s. 322.033 relating to proof of the licensee’s lawful presence in the United States.
(e) A person 18 years of age or older operating a golf cart, as defined in s. 320.01, which is operated in accordance with s. 316.212.
(2) This section does not apply to any person to whom s. 322.031 applies.
(3) Any person working for a firm under contract to the United States Government whose residence is outside this state and whose main point of employment is outside this state may drive a noncommercial vehicle on the public roads of this state for periods up to 60 days while in this state on temporary duty, if the person has a valid driver license from the state of the person’s residence and if the license is not invalid under s. 322.033 relating to proof of the licensee’s lawful presence in the United States.
History.s. 16, ch. 19551, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 4151(630); s. 16, ch. 20451, 1941; s. 1, ch. 21949, 1943; s. 3, ch. 29721, 1955; s. 1, ch. 59-315; s. 1, ch. 61-124; s. 1, ch. 69-186; s. 5, ch. 78-394; s. 2, ch. 84-111; s. 45, ch. 87-198; s. 34, ch. 89-282; s. 5, ch. 91-243; s. 395, ch. 95-148; s. 32, ch. 95-333; s. 45, ch. 2012-181; s. 1, ch. 2013-1; s. 4, ch. 2023-40; s. 2, ch. 2023-67.

Cases Citing F.S. 322.04

Copy

·Paul Stephens v. Nick Degiovanni, individually, 852 F.3d 1298 (11th Cir. 2017).

Cited 155 times | Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 5548, 2017 WL 1174381

...possession a valid noncommercial driver license issued to the nonresident in his or her home state or country operating a motor vehicle, other than a commercial motor vehicle, [is exempt from obtaining a driver license] in this state.” Fla. Stat. § 322.04(1)(d) (emphasis added). 8 Case: 15-10206 Date Filed: 03/30/2017 Page: 9 of 46 Broward County Jail, where he remained for several hours until he was able to pay his $100...
0 red1 yellow81 green0 procedural
Cited "but see"Logan (2024)
phrase: "but see"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2026)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2026)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Copy

·Crain v. State, 79 So. 3d 118 (Fla. 1st DCA 2012).

Cited 6 times | Published | Florida 1st District Court of Appeal | 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 812, 2012 WL 181453

...never actually had or been issued a driver's license. The state does not argue otherwise. [4] Mr. Crain concedes that one can obtain the privilege to drive in Florida via a statutory exemption pursuant to section 322.031, Florida Statutes (2009) or section 322.04, Florida Statutes (2009), but argues that, because Mr....
0 red0 yellow5 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2018)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2017)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityBurgess (2016)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Copy

John Eugene Williams, III v. State of Florida, 244 So. 3d 356 (Fla. 1st DCA 2018).

Cited 1 times | Published | Florida 1st District Court of Appeal

...ial court certified the following two questions as being of great public importance: 1: Does a person who has never had a driver’s license issued to them by any government (state, federal, or foreign), and who is not exempt under section 322.04, have a ‘driving privilege’ in the State of Florida? 2: If the answer to Question One is no, can that person nonetheless be convicted of DWLSR, in violation of either section 322.34(1) or section 322.34(2), if...
...We have jurisdiction pursuant to Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure 9.030 and 9.160, and we rephrase the certified questions as follows: Does a person who has never had a Florida driver’s license and who is not exempt from the licensing requirement under section 322.031 or section 322.04, Florida Statutes, have a “driving privilege” such that he or she can be convicted under section 322.34(1) or section 322.34(2), Florida Statutes? We answer the rephrased certified question in the negative. The purpose of a m...
...(2016); see also § 322.39(1), Fla. Stat. (2016) (“It is a misdemeanor for any person to violate any of the provisions of this chapter, unless such violation is declared to be otherwise by this chapter or other law of this state.”). Sections 322.031 and 322.04 set forth exceptions to the Florida driver’s license requirement, which include nonresidents who possess a valid driver’s license issued by their home state. §§ 322.031, 322.04, Fla....
...Moreover, “[a] person operating a motor vehicle on the roads of this State must possess a valid license issued by the State of Florida or fall under an exception to licensure.” State v. Miller, 227 So. 3d 562, 564 (Fla. 2017) (citing section 322.03(1)). Considering sections 322.03 and 322.04 in pari materia, the term “driving privilege” “refers to all the individuals who may lawfully operate vehicles on Florida’s roads, even if they do not possess a Florida driver license.” Id....
...section 322.34(2). In light of Miller, we answer the rephrased certified question in the negative and conclude that a person who has never had a Florida driver’s license and who is not exempt from the licensing requirement under section 322.031 or section 322.04 does not have a driving privilege such that he or she can be convicted under section 322.34(1) or section 322.34(2)....
...zed by chapter 322. See §§ 322.03(1), 322.39(1), Fla. Stat. Chapter 322 in turn sets forth specific exemptions to the Florida licensing requirement, such as for nonresidents, members of the army, and federal government employees. See §§ 322.031, 322.04, Fla....
Copy

Ago (Fla. Att'y Gen. 2004).

Published | Florida Attorney General Reports

provisions of Chapter 322, Florida Statutes.3 Section 322.04, Florida Statutes, however, enumerates several
Copy

Ago (Fla. Att'y Gen. 2002).

Published | Florida Attorney General Reports

1981). 8 262 So.2d 661, 668 (Fla. 1972). 9 Section 322.04(1)(e), Fla. Stat. 10 Section 316.212(6), Fla
Copy

Marrero v. State, 921 So. 2d 748 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006).

Published | Florida 5th District Court of Appeal | 2006 Fla. App. LEXIS 1998, 2006 WL 358233

...bicycles as defined in section 316.003. § 322.01(26), Fla. Stat. (2004). Clearly, the definition of motor vehicle is broad enough to include a front-end loader. Nonetheless, Marrero argues that he is exempted from that general require *750 ment by section 322.04(l)(b), Florida Statutes (2004), which provides that: (1) The following persons are exempt from obtaining a driver’s license: [[Image here]] (b) any person while driving or operating any road machine ......
Copy

Ago (Fla. Att'y Gen. 1978).

Published | Florida Attorney General Reports

highways without a valid Florida driver's license. Section 322.04(1)(c), F. S., specifically provides an exemption

This Florida statute resource is curated by Florida Bar member Graham W. Syfert, a Jacksonville, Florida personal injury and workers' compensation attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.