How Much Does a Florida ID Card Cost? Fees, Waivers, and REAL ID

A Florida ID card costs $25 at a state-run FLHSMV service center, or $31.25 at a county tax collector’s office, which adds a $6.25 service fee.¹ That $25 base is the same whether it’s your first card, a renewal, or a replacement for one that was lost or stolen. Several groups pay nothing at all, and letting the card expire adds a late fee on top.

What You Pay in Each Situation

The base fee doesn’t change with the type of transaction. First issuance, renewal, and replacement all run $25.¹ Most Floridians handle these at a county tax collector’s office rather than a state-operated FLHSMV center, so the practical total for most people is $31.25.

If your card has already expired when you go to renew, Florida adds a $15 late fee.¹ A lapsed renewal at a tax collector’s office therefore comes to $46.25. Renewing before the expiration date printed on the card avoids the charge entirely.

Online renewal through the MyDMV Portal carries the same $25 base. You can use it every other cycle: if you renewed online last time, the next renewal has to be in person.² First-time applicants can’t apply online at all.

Who Pays Less or Nothing

Florida waives the ID card fee entirely for several categories of applicants, and waives just the tax collector service fee for a broader group.

Veterans with a 100% service-connected disability pay nothing, including any additional charges.³
All U.S. veterans are exempt from the $6.25 tax collector service fee on ID card transactions. Adding the “Veteran” designation to an existing card is also free if you’re not making any other changes at the same visit. Veterans who have already shown proof of veteran status do not need to show it again next time.¹⁴
Homeless individuals receive an original, renewal, or replacement card at no charge. You’ll need a homeless certification from a shelter, public assistance agency, or school district homeless education liaison, dated within 90 days of your visit.⁴
Applicants 80 or older whose driving privilege was denied because they couldn’t pass the required vision test get their ID card at no charge.⁴
Youth in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice and released inmates receiving cards through state programs are also exempt.⁴

Does REAL ID Cost More?

No. A REAL ID-compliant Florida ID card costs the same $25 as any other ID card transaction. Florida has been issuing REAL ID-compliant cards since 2010, so if your current card has a gold star in the upper-right corner, you already have one.⁵

Since May 7, 2025, a REAL ID-compliant credential (or another accepted form of identification, like a U.S. passport) is required to board a domestic flight or enter most federal facilities.⁶ If your card doesn’t have the gold star, you’ll need to upgrade in person with your identity, Social Security, and residency documents. The upgrade cannot be done online.²

How Long the Card Lasts

The $25 buys a card that lasts eight years for anyone 15 or older. Cards issued to children ages 5 through 14 are valid for four years.⁷ Over an eight-year cycle, the fee works out to roughly $3 a year.

You can hold a Florida ID card only if you don’t have a Florida driver’s license: the state doesn’t issue both to the same person at the same time. The card is designed for residents who don’t drive. Eligibility starts at age five, except that anyone with a disability applying for a disabled parking permit can get a card at any age.⁴

What to Bring

Bringing the wrong documents to your appointment turns a $25 errand into two trips. For a first-time card, Florida requires originals in three categories: proof of identity (such as a certified U.S. birth certificate or valid U.S. passport), proof of Social Security number (such as a Social Security card, W-2, pay stub, or 1099), and two documents from different sources showing your Florida residential address (such as a lease, a utility bill dated within the last 60 days, or a Florida voter registration card).⁸ After the first issuance, you only need to bring documents again if your information has changed.⁹

Non-U.S. citizens follow a different identity path built around immigration documents such as an employment authorization card (Form I-766), an unexpired I-94 with a valid passport, an I-20 for F-1 or M-1 students, or a DS-2019 for J-1 or J-2 visa holders. All immigration documents must be valid for more than 30 days from the date of issuance.¹⁰

You’ll leave the office with a temporary paper ID. The permanent card arrives by mail in roughly 7 to 10 business days for online transactions; non-U.S. citizens should allow up to 60 days because status verification can take longer.¹¹

1
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Renew or Replace Your Florida Driver License or ID Card
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Florida Senate. Florida Code 322.21 – Driver Licenses; Issuance, Renewal, Expiration, and Suspension
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Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 322.051 – Identification Cards
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. REAL ID
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Frequently Asked Questions
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. U.S. Citizen
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. What to Bring
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Non-Immigrant
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. FAQ – Florida’s NEW Driver License and ID Card