Florida Personal Identification Card: Documents, Fees, and Renewal

A Florida ID card costs $25 and is issued in person at any Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) service center or at a county tax collector’s office that handles driver license transactions. The card meets federal REAL ID standards, which means it works for domestic flights, entry to federal buildings, and everyday proof of identity and age. Since May 7, 2025, TSA has enforced REAL ID at airport checkpoints, so a compliant card now matters even if you never plan to drive.¹

Who Can Get a Florida ID Card

Any Florida resident age five or older can apply. The age minimum is waived if you have a disability and need a disabled parking permit.²

You cannot hold a Florida ID card at the same time as a valid driver’s license, and that rule crosses state lines. If you still have an unexpired driver’s license or ID card from another state, you’ll surrender it when you pick up the Florida card. If the out-of-state card was lost or stolen, the office will try to verify your prior issuance electronically, and you may be asked to bring a driving record from that state.

Documents You Need to Bring

Florida follows federal REAL ID rules, so you’ll bring originals or certified copies in three categories: proof of identity, proof of your Social Security number, and two different proofs of your Florida residential address. Photocopies are not accepted.³

Proof of Identity

If you’re a U.S. citizen, bring one of these:

Certified copy of your U.S. birth certificate
Valid, unexpired U.S. passport
Certificate of Naturalization
Consular Report of Birth Abroad

If your current legal name doesn’t match the name on your identity document, you need a continuous paper trail connecting the two. Marriage certificates and court-ordered name changes work. If you’ve changed your name more than once, bring documentation for every step.⁴

Non-citizens follow the same Social Security and address rules but use different identity documents. Permanent residents bring their green card (Form I-551), an I-551 stamp in the passport, or an I-797 notice granting refugee or asylum status with a valid passport. Non-immigrants bring Form I-94 with proof of classification and a valid passport with date-of-entry stamp, plus any status-specific papers: an I-20 for F-1 or M-1 students, a DS-2019 for J-1 or J-2 exchange visitors, or an I-571, I-512, or judge’s order for refugees and asylees. A valid Form I-766 employment authorization card is accepted on its own. All immigration documents must be valid for more than 30 days from the date you apply.⁵⁶

Proof of Social Security Number

One original document showing your full name and complete SSN. Your Social Security card works, as does a W-2, a pay stub, an SSA-1099, or any other 1099. Handwritten W-2s and 1099s are not accepted. The name on your Social Security record has to match the name that will appear on your card.⁷

Two Proofs of Florida Address

You need two different documents showing the same Florida physical address. Two utility bills won’t satisfy the rule; a utility bill paired with a lease will. Acceptable documents include:

Deed, mortgage statement, or residential lease agreement
Florida vehicle registration or title
Florida voter registration card
Utility bills for water, gas, electric, or cable, dated within the last 60 days
Homeowner’s or automobile insurance policy, dated within the last 60 days
Bank or financial institution statements, dated within the last 60 days
Mail from a federal, state, county, or city government agency, dated within the last 60 days

Watch the 60-day window. A three-month-old utility bill will be rejected even if the address is right.⁴

If Nothing Is in Your Name

Living with family, a partner, or a friend doesn’t disqualify you. Florida has a Certification of Address form (HSMV 71120) for exactly this situation.⁸

The person you live with fills out the form and supplies two address documents in their own name. One must prove they own or lease the home: a deed, mortgage statement, property tax bill, or lease. The second is a supporting document such as a voter registration card, pay stub, insurance policy, or bank statement dated within 60 days. Their signature has to be notarized or witnessed by the office staff when you apply. Bring the completed form and their documents to your appointment.

For applicants under 18, the process is easier. A parent or guardian simply brings two address documents in their own name from the standard list. No certification form is required.

Where to Apply

Your first Florida ID card must be obtained in person. You cannot apply online or by mail for an original card. You have two options:³

A DHSMV service center. State-run offices exist in every county; use the DHSMV location finder to search by county.
A county tax collector’s office that offers driver license and ID services. These charge an added $6.25 service fee on top of the state fee.⁹

Most offices let you book an appointment online, which cuts wait times considerably. Walk-ins are accepted, but expect long waits early in the week and around the first of the month. Florida also runs 14 mobile units called Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW) that travel to community events and can issue ID cards, which helps in rural areas or when transportation is a barrier.¹⁰

At the counter, a representative reviews your documents, takes your photo, and collects the fee. You leave with a temporary paper card. The permanent card arrives by mail, typically within about two weeks.

Fees and Who Pays Nothing

The state fee is $25 for an original, renewal, or replacement card.¹¹ If you apply at a tax collector’s office rather than a DHSMV center, the $6.25 service fee brings the total to $31.25.⁹

Several groups qualify for a free card:

People who meet the statutory definition of homelessness
Applicants whose annual income is at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level
Youth in the custody or supervision of the Department of Juvenile Justice when the card is issued through a DHSMV mobile unit¹¹
Veterans with a 100 percent total and permanent service-connected disability rating from the VA, who also get the veteran designation free
Homeless veterans and their spouses and children¹²

Veterans entitled to the veteran designation are also exempt from the $6.25 tax collector service fee on that transaction.⁹

Renewing Your Card

ID cards for anyone 15 or older are valid for eight years. You can renew up to 18 months before the expiration date.¹³

Florida allows online renewal through the MyDMV Portal every other cycle. If you renewed online last time, you’ll go into an office this time. You’ll also need to show up in person if any personal information has changed or if you want a new photo. The portal tells you whether you qualify for online renewal when you log in.¹⁴ Renewal costs the same $25, plus the $6.25 service fee at a tax collector’s office.

Replacing a Lost, Stolen, or Outdated Card

A replacement for a lost, stolen, or damaged card costs $25 and can be requested online through MyDMV or in person. If your current card is already REAL ID-compliant and nothing has changed, you’ll generally need fewer documents than for your original application.

Name and address changes require a replacement card. Florida law gives you 30 calendar days after moving to update the address on your ID. Missing that window is classified as a nonmoving traffic violation with a $30 fine.¹⁵ You can update an address through MyDMV if nothing else has changed, though the replacement fee still applies.

Veteran and Organ Donor Designations

Any honorably discharged veteran living in Florida can add a “Veteran” designation to their ID card by visiting a service center with their DD-214. Adding the designation to an existing card is free. Veterans with a 100 percent service-connected disability should also bring their VA ID card showing that rating.¹²

When you apply, the representative will ask whether you want to register as an organ, tissue, and eye donor. Saying yes places the designation on your card and adds you to the Donate Life Florida registry; you can also register separately at DonateLifeFlorida.org.¹⁶

1
TSA. TSA Reminds Bay Area Residents About REAL ID Enforcement Deadline
2
Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Chapter 322 Section 051 – Identification Cards
3
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. What to Bring
4
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. REAL ID
5
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Immigrant
6
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Non-Immigrant
7
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. U.S. Citizen – Section: Proof of Social Security
8
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Certification of Address
9
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
10
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW)
11
Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Chapter 322 Section 21 – License Fees
12
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Military and Veterans Information
13
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Driver Licenses and ID Cards
14
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Renew or Replace Your Florida Driver License or ID Card
15
The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes Chapter 318 Section 18 – Amount of Penalties
16
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Donation of Tissues and Organs