Florida REAL ID Driver’s License Requirements and Documents

To get a Florida REAL ID driver’s license, you must apply in person at a county tax collector’s office or FLHSMV service center and bring original documents in three categories: one proving your identity and legal presence, one showing your full Social Security number, and two showing your Florida residential address. The finished card carries a gold star in the upper right corner, which is what TSA officers look for at airport checkpoints. Since May 7, 2025, a Florida license without that star will not get you through security. ¹

Photocopies, notarized copies, and hospital-issued birth certificates don’t count. Everything must be an original or a copy certified by the issuing agency.

One Document Proving Identity and Legal Presence

U.S. citizens can satisfy this requirement with any one of the following:

A valid, unexpired U.S. passport
A certified birth certificate issued by a state office of vital statistics (not the decorative version from the hospital)
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad from the U.S. Department of State
A Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570)
A Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561)

These are the source documents the federal REAL ID regulation requires every state to accept. ² Florida follows the federal list. ³

Proof of Your Social Security Number

Bring your Social Security card. If you can’t find it, the FLHSMV accepts certain substitutes that display your full nine-digit number, including a W-2, an SSA-1099, or a pay stub showing the complete SSN. ³ If none of those are handy, ordering a replacement card through the Social Security Administration’s online portal is usually faster than hunting for a qualifying substitute.

Two Proofs of Florida Residential Address

You need two separate documents, each showing your name and current Florida address. Accepted items include:

A Florida voter registration card or Florida vehicle or vessel registration
Utility bills for electricity, water, gas, cell phone, or cable
Bank, credit card, or investment account statements
Homeowner’s or auto insurance policies or bills
Correspondence from any federal, state, county, or city agency
A W-2, 1099, or recent pay stub
A deed, mortgage statement, or lease agreement

Most address documents must be dated within the last 30 days. Deeds, mortgage statements, and lease agreements are not subject to that 30-day rule. ⁴

If none of your bills are in your own name, a parent, spouse, or child who lives at your address can provide their two address documents along with proof of the relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate. A person experiencing homelessness can submit a letter from a shelter or transitional service provider confirming their location.

Name Change Documents

If your current legal name differs from the name on your identity document, you must produce a certified document for every change in between. One marriage, one certificate. Two marriages and a divorce, three documents. The chain cannot have gaps.

What the FLHSMV accepts:

A marriage certificate (original or certified copy from a government agency; church certificates don’t qualify)
A divorce decree that contains the specific name-change or reversion order
A court order for any other legal name change

Each must be an original or a copy certified by the issuing authority. ³ This is where most applications fail. If you were married in another state years ago and no longer have the certificate, order a certified replacement from that state’s vital records office before your appointment. Counter staff cannot waive a missing link.

If You Are Not a U.S. Citizen

Lawful permanent residents and other non-citizens qualify for a Florida REAL ID using different identity documents:

A valid Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), or an I-551 stamp in a passport or on an I-94
For refugees and asylees, an immigration judge’s order granting asylum along with a valid passport, or an I-797 confirming approved refugee or asylee status with a valid passport
For visa holders, an unexpired foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and an approved I-94
An unexpired Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766)

The full list of acceptable pairings sits on the FLHSMV’s immigrant documentation page. ⁵ A REAL ID issued on the basis of temporary immigration documents expires when the underlying document expires or after one year, whichever comes first. ⁶ Non-citizens who need a name change due to marriage or divorce must update their USCIS records before applying.

How to Apply and What It Costs

Your first REAL ID has to be obtained in person because an examiner needs to physically inspect your original documents. Most Floridians handle this at a county tax collector’s office, though some FLHSMV-run service centers also process applications. Scheduling an appointment online through the FLHSMV portal or your county tax collector’s website is far faster than walking in.

Bring every document organized and ready. Examiners reject applications on the spot for missing or non-qualifying paperwork. There is no partial approval that lets you return with the missing piece; a rejection sends you back to the start.

An original Class E driver’s license costs $48, and a renewal is also $48. There is no separate REAL ID upgrade fee. Transactions processed at a county tax collector’s office carry an additional $6.25 service fee. Veterans who provide proof of honorable discharge, such as a DD-214, are exempt from the service fee. ⁷

A quick note before you book anything: check your current license. Florida has been issuing REAL ID-compliant credentials since January 2010, so if you obtained or renewed yours after that date and brought the right paperwork then, the gold star is probably already in the upper right corner. You can also only hold one REAL ID credential at a time. If you have both a REAL ID license and a REAL ID identification card, one will be canceled during your next transaction. ³

Renewals Without a Trip to the Office

If the star is already on your license and none of your information is changing, you can renew online through the FLHSMV portal or by mail when you receive a renewal card indicating eligibility. ⁸ No additional documentation is required for a straightforward renewal. Any change of name or address, though, means an in-person visit with the supporting documents.

When You Can Skip the REAL ID

A non-REAL-ID Florida license is still a valid driver’s license. The gold star only matters at TSA checkpoints, federal buildings that require ID, and certain military installations. ⁹ TSA accepts several alternatives at airport security:

A U.S. passport or passport card
A U.S. military ID, including dependent IDs
DHS trusted traveler cards such as Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI
A state-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (Florida does not currently issue these)

If you already have a valid passport, your non-REAL-ID license is fine for driving and your passport covers the airport. ¹ Children under 18 don’t need to show ID at TSA checkpoints when traveling with an adult. ¹⁰

1
Transportation Security Administration. TSA Begins REAL ID Full Enforcement on May 7
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eCFR. 6 CFR Part 37 – Real ID Drivers Licenses and Identification Cards
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. REAL ID
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Orange County Tax Collector. Florida Updates Proof of Address Requirements for Drivers Licenses
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Immigrant – What to Bring
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Florida Senate. Florida Code 322.051 – Identification Cards
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
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Manatee County Tax Collector. Florida Driver License or ID Card Renewal, Replacement, Address Change, or Name Change
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint