Question about residency

[Colette80]

My fiance and I are temporarily residing in Florida and are heading to Disney in a few weeks. I am curious about how the discount works for Florida residents, we are only here (in Fl) for 2 more months so it would be a pain to switch our drivers licences over just to have to do it again but the discount is huge.
So to cut to the chase, it seems there is the option of getting a special "valid only in Florida" licence without surrendering your home state one and it costs $20--but will this work? Or is there another way of still receiving this discount? We actually don't pay the utility bills so our names aren't even on them so this wouldn't help us even if they did still accept it...

Thanks for the help!

 

[FergieTCat]

Wouldn't you need proof of Florida residency to even get a "Valid Only in Florida" driver's license? You said your name isn't on the utility bills, so how else could you prove your residency?

I'm thinking that Disney probably wouldn't accept it, in any event, because alot of people have parents who reside in Southern Florida. It seems to me that many people who don't live in Florida could obtain the second driver's license quite easily by having a parent put their name on a utility bill.

I don't know for sure, but that's my logic.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

A friend divides her time between NY and her son's house in FL. She opened a bank account with her son's address to establish residency because she is there a lot but does not want or need to have a separate home.

 

[DawnM]

I have a Florida DL and a NC licence. My husband had a FL ID only and a NC licence. I think I am really not supposed to have 2 licences, but I haven't felt like dealing with the lines to change it to an ID only.

Disney will take the ID.

FL DMV's (at least the one we went to) seemed like they were used to people having 2 residences and didn't ask for any proof whatsoever. They simply said, "What address would you like to use?"

It will take an hour or two, but it will save you a bundle.

Dawn

 

[IrishWake]

The Florida Only Driver's license is for people that have established a least part time residency in Fla.

Don't try to apply for a license or ID if you don't qualify. The folks at the DMV have heard all the stories, they're tough to fool. Also, when you sign the application for a license you're swearing that all information is true and if it's not that's a felony. Not worth it in my opnion.

 

[DawnM]

Noone asked me anything. If the person already lives in FL, then it wouldn't be a felony to get a FL ID. In fact, if you own property or have a 2nd home in FL it is fine to get a FL ID.

When you move to FL, you have only 30 days to change over your DL, so I don't know how you could prove residency in 30 days. Typically, the first few weeks are spent trying to find a place to live so it would be hard to actually have any kind of "proof" anyway.

Dawn

The Florida Only Driver's license is for people that have established a least part time residency in Fla.

Don't try to apply for a license or ID if you don't qualify. The folks at the DMV have heard all the stories, they're tough to fool. Also, when you sign the application for a license you're swearing that all information is true and if it's not that's a felony. Not worth it in my opnion.

 

[ducklite]

Noone asked me anything. If the person already lives in FL, then it wouldn't be a felony to get a FL ID. In fact, if you own property or have a 2nd home in FL it is fine to get a FL ID.

When you move to FL, you have only 30 days to change over your DL, so I don't know how you could prove residency in 30 days. Typically, the first few weeks are spent trying to find a place to live so it would be hard to actually have any kind of "proof" anyway.

Dawn

Most people don't show up in a new state without a place to live. If you are living in an extended stay hotel temporarily, you really aren't a resident yet.

That said, when we built our home in Florida we were still living/working in NJ. But we got FL only drivers licenses so we could register the car that we kept down here. Between paying property taxes and having a car registered, we felt we were entitled to FL residents discounts, and so did WDW.

Once we sold the house in NJ and moved here permanantly, we gave up the NJ licenses and got full FL DL's.

Anne

 

[DawnM]

Well, maybe it depends on your idea of a place to live. When we moved to NC we lived in a temp. apt. for 3 months while waited for our house to sell.

When we were in FL we rented the guest house of a friend for a while.

Not real places to live as we knew they were very temporary, but we were still legally told to change our DL.

Dawn

Most people don't show up in a new state without a place to live. If you are living in an extended stay hotel temporarily, you really aren't a resident yet.

That said, when we built our home in Florida we were still living/working in NJ. But we got FL only drivers licenses so we could register the car that we kept down here. Between paying property taxes and having a car registered, we felt we were entitled to FL residents discounts, and so did WDW.

Once we sold the house in NJ and moved here permanantly, we gave up the NJ licenses and got full FL DL's.

Anne

 

[onyx8]

So to cut to the chase, it seems there is the option of getting a special "valid only in Florida" licence without surrendering your home state one and it costs $20--but will this work? Or is there another way of still receiving this discount? We actually don't pay the utility bills so our names aren't even on them so this wouldn't help us even if they did still accept it...

I hold one of these FL only licenses, my family owns a vacation home in FL. I was not asked show any proof of residency to obtain the license. Just give them the street address, $20 and pass the eye test. WDW absolutely accepts these licenses as proof of residency for discounts.

 

[ducklite]

Well, maybe it depends on your idea of a place to live. When we moved to NC we lived in a temp. apt. for 3 months while waited for our house to sell.

When we were in FL we rented the guest house of a friend for a while.

Not real places to live as we knew they were very temporary, but we were still legally told to change our DL.

Dawn

The difference being that you had a "lease" in a privately owned residence rather than a hotel room where you legally couldn't stay more than 30 days without starting a new rental contract. The words lease and rent are actually quite drifferent in legal terms, and the legal definition of a resident is not a person who is living in a hotel room, unless part of that hotel is licensed for long-term leasing, such as in a condo-hotel that you might find in larger cities.

Anne

 

[Stein]

I checked the law and I didn't see anything differentiating hotels from apartments from houses. In fact, it appears quite simple to establish "residency." You could even go overseas and not even live in Florida as long as you maintain the "requisite intent" to come back.

"Maintaining a legal residence in Florida requires substantial physical presence as a condition. However, absolute physical presence is not required. For example, a person might take vacations out-of-state without altering his/her residency status. Additionally, a person may go out of the country and remain eligible so long as legal ties and requisite intent with Florida are maintained. Finally, in some circumstances, a person may leave Florida to work or attend school temporarily in another state and still remain eligible for residency. Eligibility in these circumstances depends on the extent to which the absentee Florida resident maintains Florida legal ties and does not establish ties with another state."

If I had an address and was living there for 2 months, I would get a license as the discount would be well worth the effort.

 

[FergieTCat]

A friend divides her time between NY and her son's house in FL. She opened a bank account with her son's address to establish residency because she is there a lot but does not want or need to have a separate home.

That's interesting.

I don't go to WDW that often so I don't think I'd even bother doing that with my mother's home address in Delray Beach. But it's something to keep in mind.

 

[got2lovedisney]

What I think is missing is the "requisite intent to come back". From what the OP wrote, it looks more like an extended vacation than a residency as they will only be here for 2 more months, IMHO.

Let us know what the DMV tells you.

 

[CarolA]

The Florida Only Driver's license is for people that have established a least part time residency in Fla.

Don't try to apply for a license or ID if you don't qualify. The folks at the DMV have heard all the stories, they're tough to fool. Also, when you sign the application for a license you're swearing that all information is true and if it's not that's a felony. Not worth it in my opnion.

And if you read the actual law, tell them the truth and they will still give it to you. Basically they have NO real restrictions on this thing. I went out last year and read the regulations. Your hotel room qualifies...


And as for intent. I intend to retire in Florida, does that count (LOL!) (I have family in Florida, but have not felt a need to pursue this since I get the AP with the DVC Discount which is just as good)

 

[DawnM]

Ah, I see.

Dawn

The difference being that you had a "lease" in a privately owned residence rather than a hotel room where you legally couldn't stay more than 30 days without starting a new rental contract. The words lease and rent are actually quite drifferent in legal terms, and the legal definition of a resident is not a person who is living in a hotel room, unless part of that hotel is licensed for long-term leasing, such as in a condo-hotel that you might find in larger cities.

Anne

 

[DawnM]

Well, here is my .02 on the matter.....if you want to get an ID or a 2nd DL for FL only.....go to the DMV. Ask for one. The worst they can do is say no. If they say yes, it may take you an hour or two, but the savings will more than make up for the hassle.

Dawn

 

[Colette80]

I appreciate everyone's input! I guess we are just going to try going to the DMV and we'll see what they say, for the price difference we really just have nothing to lose so long as Disney accepts it! Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[annsteere]

I own a condo in FL. The mortgage and real estate bill are in my name. Our son lives there year round and I visit in the winter and for long weekends during the rest of the year with an intent to move there permanently in the near future.

Does Disney want a drivers license or would electric bill, real estate bill, etc qualify me? What would they want if I didn't drive? (I also have a bank account established that I pay the monthly bills from).

 

[DawnM]

They say on their website that they want an ID, DL or military ID. Now, I am assuming you could get an ID pretty easily. My Mom has one and she doesnt' drive either.

I have heard of one person just using a bill in their name. I don't think they normally take it though.

Dawn

I own a condo in FL. The mortgage and real estate bill are in my name. Our son lives there year round and I visit in the winter and for long weekends during the rest of the year with an intent to move there permanently in the near future.

Does Disney want a drivers license or would electric bill, real estate bill, etc qualify me? What would they want if I didn't drive? (I also have a bank account established that I pay the monthly bills from).

 

[got2lovedisney]

I read somewhere (sorry, can't remember) that Disney is no longer acepting utility bills as proof of residency.

Annsteere...I think you'd have to go to the DMV and get a State of Florida ID card. Looks just like a driver's license but it's for people who don't drive.