Driver license

As a new Florida resident, you must obtain a valid Florida driver license within 30 days of establishing residency to drive on Florida roads. In addition, you must obtain insurance from a Florida insurance agent that is licensed to sell insurance in Florida in order to title and register your vehicle(s), vessel(s), and mobile home(s) within 10 days of establishing residency.

Application

Applications for driver license/ID cards must be made in person. When applying for a driver license, you will be given a vision test.

Required documentation:

For a list of the required documentation you will need to obtain a Florida driver license or Florida ID card, please click on your applicable residency status below:

• U.S. Citizen
• Immigrant
• Non-immigrant
• Canadian

Title/registration

For vehicles with a lien:

• If the out-of-state title is currently in the possession of an out-of-state lienholder, you must contact the lienholder to request that the title be transferred to Florida.
• Regardless of whether the lienholder will transfer the title to Florida or not, you must have your vehicle registered.
• If the lienholder refuses to transfer title from the previous state, request for them to send that to you in writing on letterhead. Once you obtain that letter, you may bring it to one of our branches to apply for a registration.
• If the lienholder agrees to have the title transferred to Florida, you may visit one of our branches to complete the Application for Certificate of Title With/Without Registration (HSMV form 82040).

For vehicles without a lien:

1. Prepare a packet containing the following: (Please note: special circumstances may require additional documentation.)
• Proof of identity (required for all owners)
• Proof of Florida insurance
• Original out-of-state title
• When applying for title, ALL owners are required to sign a completed Application for Certificate of Title With/Without Registration (HSMV form 82040).
• Verification of physical inspection of the motor vehicle's vehicle identification number (VIN) completed on an Application for Certificate of Title With/Without Registration (HSMV form 82040) or Vehicle Identification Number and Odometer Verification (HSMV form 82042). The VIN must be physically inspected and verified by one of the following:
1. Law enforcement officer
2. Military police officer
3. Licensed florida dealer
4. County tax collector employee (brances and hours)
5. Division of Motorist Services Compliance Examiner (state office locations)

Make sure you meet the requirements below to turn your permit into a driver license:

• Must be at least 16 years old;
• Must hold learner's license for at least one year (12 months) OR reach age 18, whichever comes first;
• A parent, legal guardian or responsible adult over 21 years old must complete the Certification of Minor Driving Experience Form, certifying the driver has 50 hours of driving experience, of which 10 hours must be at night. Use this Practice Log Sheet to track driving experience time;
• NO moving violation convictions for one year from learner's license date of issuance (OR may have one moving violation as long as adjudication was withheld);
• Must pass Class E Driving Skills Test (road test)

Veterans who live in Florida can add a veteran designation to their driver license or ID card. Replacement driver licenses are free to veterans only adding the “Veteran” designation.

To add Veteran to a license or ID card, bring the following:

• Present their DD-214, which shows their honorable discharge from active duty.
• Visit our What To Bring page to ensure they have all the other documents required.

Veterans who need to obtain a copy of their DD-214, may request it through the National Archives, which provides information on how to make the request online at www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/.

What you need to know

What you need to know

The federal REAL ID Act of 2005 sets new standards for the issuance of driver licenses and ID cards.

The REAL ID Act became effective nationwide on May 11, 2008. Florida began issuing REAL ID compliant credentials after January 1, 2010. The new credentials have a star in the upper right corner of the card, as shown in the sample license example. Florida is a REAL ID compliant state and all Florida licenses should be accepted nationwide.

Visit what-to-bring to find out more about the required documents.