How do I Get A Florida State ID Card?

[TiggerStac]

My parent have dual residency. They had to surrender their fl license when they went to renew but were able to get fl ID. So they have MA license and fl ID.

 

[Tomcat3791]

Online information has been very confusing about obtaining a Florida Id Card while still retaining an out-of-state Drivers License.

This thread showed up repeatedly in my searches for information on obtaining a Florida Id Card as a 'snowbird' Florida property owner, so I wanted to post some current information as I learned it Nov 2011-- hopefully it helps someone else in the same situation. THIS IS JUST MY EXPERIENCE, FOR WHATEVER IT IS WORTH. I have just been very frustrated by sketchy information online, and am trying to correct outdated info.

I wanted to obtain a Florida Id Card showing my Florida address AND keep my out of state Drivers License (for insurance and vehicle registration purposes). I read many online discussions of how it can be done, I gathered the required documentation listed on the Florida state 'Gather Go Get' website, I went to my local Florida Licensing Bureau. At the licensing bureau I was told that getting a FL Id Card would invalidate my out of state drivers license because of a national registry that now only allows ONE State Id card or Drivers License per individual. I immediately walked out and called a friend in the local Sheriff's office to confirm this. He checked and confirmed that this is TRUE.

Upshot: it was explained to me that as of 2009, new national rule changes affected Florida's practices. Currently, (Nov 2011) if you obtain a Florida Id Card or Florida Drivers License, that information goes into a national database and 'overrides' (invalidates? expires?) your Drivers License from any other state. The same thing would likely happen in any other state; the most recent DL or state Id Card invalidates any active DL or Id Card from any state. You do not even have to 'surrender' a physical drivers license/card; it is an automated system. It is conceivable that the staff at the Florida Licensing Center could simply issue snowbirds a new Florida Id with no warning about this repercussion. I am grateful that they warned me-- I would have continued carrying and using my out of state Drivers License without knowing it had been made invalid.

Apparently, Florida USED TO offer 'temporary' drivers licenses, and 'Florida Only' drivers licenses/Id Cards for part-time or temporary residents. They do not any longer, and that change is not well documented on any official Florida website. In my opinion, this is where much of the misinformation about these Florida Id Cards comes from. Many people DID get them in the past with no issues, but following that same practice today could cause you big problems.

Hope this is helpful. Thanks.

 

[minnie56]

I have a FLorida drivers licence and kept mine but I am from Canada so likely that's why. My Florida one is good only in the State of Florida and my Canadian everywhere else in between!

 

[vicki_c]

Tomcat's information is 100% the way I understand the rules for FL residency / IDs NOW (although previously it was different).

Cheshire Figment often posts the rules for FL residency on the Theme Parks boards (as it pertains to Disney tickets) and we've had a few discussions about this there and I've been to the DMV website a few times reviewing information. It was part of the new federal ID laws that took effect in 2009.

You basically have to choose your state from what I understand, snowbird or not.

 

[LivingtheWDWdream]

When we moved to FL they made us surrender our CT license's. It used to be that you could get a State ID and not turn in your ID but with tightened rules and regulations they are not allowing that any longer.

Given that someone already posted that from the FL website I would go with that you will have to give up the out of state ID if you want the FL state ID.

Disney does accept utility bills to show that you are a resident for discount purposes.

 

[cornflake]

I agree that would make sense, but consider these scenarios (again, from the local paper (DB News Journal):

Posted in: Letters to the Editor
This is in response to "Caught in an ID quagmire," April 10. I merely tried to renew my driver's license. I had my birth certificate, Medicare card, voter registration, federal retiree ID card and my current driver's license. None of these were enough to identify who I am! I was told I must have my marriage certificate, a 1099, a W-2 and my Social Security card (which I have misplaced.) The Social Security Administration advises never to carry your card with you. I had to go to the Social Security office in Port Orange (20 miles away) to apply for a new card, which I won't receive for at least two weeks. Wish me luck when I go back and try again!

And this one:

In reference to the letters regarding the identification mess -- Ms. Himmer's son and Mr. Guertin's quagmire. Fortunately, they were men! Otherwise, it would have been even more difficult.
If you are a woman born in the 1930s, married in the 1950s, divorced in the 1970s, remarried in the 1980s, moved to Florida from another state in the 1990s, you better have all the documents to prove it.
Men will not have this problem. They could have moved or married six times -- but would still not need the documents I needed. Why? Their name never changed at all.
Ladies, you have to explain why your name changed three times from what appears on your birth certificate. I know. I went through this last week.
I understand why this is needed. Our government passed a law for proof of identity because of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But isn't the government run by a majority of men? Someone needs to explain "equal rights" to them!

I don't get the people writing in. It's got nothing at all to do with sex or equality. Those are individuals choosing to change their names all back and forth. That's on them and I have no idea why they think they wouldn't need proof they did that.

I don't know many people that do that at all, and it's pretty even among the few that have, sex wise. It's not 1932 anymore.

 

[sap1227]

Why wouldn't you think about that, if you've had a name change? I didn't change my name, but if I did, or if DH does in the future (he wants to), of course we would take the legal documentation for legal ID... Strange to think that there are people complaining about it.

I don't get the people writing in. It's got nothing at all to do with sex or equality. Those are individuals choosing to change their names all back and forth. That's on them and I have no idea why they think they wouldn't need proof they did that.

I don't know many people that do that at all, and it's pretty even among the few that have, sex wise. It's not 1932 anymore.

The thing people are complaining about is the fact that even though you have had that name on your ID/license for 30 or 40 years you are STILL having to prove how you got that name.

Example (not about me )


I got married in 1975 and legally changed my name (including license)
I got divorced in 1980
Remarried in 1982, and again legally changed my name
Divorced in 1985
Remarried in 1990, again with a name change

To renew my license in 2011, I will need:
Certified Birth Certificate
Certified Marriage Certificate from 1975
Certified Divorce from 1980
Certified Marriage Certificate from 1982
Certified Divorce from 1985
Certified Marriage Certificate from 1990

EVEN THOUGH MY LICENSE HAS HAD THE 1990 Married name on it SINCE 1990.