How to Get a State ID in Florida: Documents, Fees, and REAL ID

To get a state ID in Florida, visit a Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) service center or an authorized county tax collector office in person, bring proof of identity, your Social Security number, and two documents showing your Florida address, and pay the $25 fee.¹ Anyone who lives in Florida and is at least five years old can apply, and you don’t need to be a U.S. citizen.²

One rule catches people off guard: you can’t hold a Florida driver’s license and a Florida ID card at the same time, and out-of-state licenses or ID cards must be surrendered when you receive your new Florida card.³⁴

What to Bring to the Office

You need documents in three categories. All must be originals or certified copies. Photocopies, printouts of scanned documents, and notarized copies are not accepted for identity or Social Security proof.⁵

One Primary Identity Document

Bring one of the following:

Certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate
Valid, unexpired U.S. passport
Certificate of Naturalization issued by the Department of Homeland Security
Consular Report of Birth Abroad
Certificate of Citizenship

If your current legal name doesn’t match the name on your primary document, bring every document that links the two. A marriage certificate showing both names is often enough. If you’ve changed your name more than once, bring each marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order so the clerk can trace the full chain.⁵

Proof of Your Social Security Number

Bring one original document showing your full Social Security number and your name. Accepted documents include your Social Security card, a W-2, a paycheck or pay stub, an SSA-1099, or another 1099 (handwritten forms are not accepted).⁶ The name on your Social Security record must match the name that will appear on your ID card, so if you’ve recently changed your name, update it with the Social Security Administration before your visit.

Two Proofs of Florida Address

Bring two different documents showing your name and current Florida residential address, each dated within the last 60 days. Acceptable options include utility bills (water, gas, electric, cell phone, cable), bank or credit card statements, a residential lease, insurance policies or bills, medical bills, and mail from a federal, state, county, or city agency.⁶ Unsolicited bulk mail doesn’t count. Printouts and faxes are acceptable for this category.

Homeless applicants can provide a letter from a homeless shelter, transitional service provider, or halfway house confirming they reside at that address, dated within the last 60 days.⁶

Where to Apply and What Happens at the Counter

You can apply at any FLHSMV driver license service center or authorized county tax collector office statewide.⁷ Many counties have moved their offices from state management to local tax collector administration, but the process and fees are the same at either type of office.⁸

Most offices operate by appointment. Use the FLHSMV website or your county tax collector’s website to find the nearest location and book a slot. Walk-ins are possible at some offices but tend to mean long waits.

At the counter, you’ll hand over your original documents for verification, have your photo taken, and provide a digital signature. The gender printed on the card comes from your primary identity document, so changing that marker requires updating the underlying birth certificate or passport first. Once your documents check out, the visit usually takes under 30 minutes.

Fees

The state fee for an original, renewal, or replacement Florida ID card is $25. County tax collector offices add a $6.25 service fee on top. Veterans who have previously provided proof of veteran status are exempt from that surcharge.¹

Cash, credit cards, and debit cards are accepted. Card transactions may carry an additional processing fee.

Who Qualifies for a Free Card

Florida law waives the fee for several groups:⁹

Anyone who presents a valid Florida voter registration card and attests to financial hardship. No additional proof of hardship is required.
Anyone who provides evidence of homelessness as defined by Florida law.
Minors in the custody or under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Justice who are receiving transition services.
Individuals receiving an ID card through the Department of Corrections’ pre-release program.

Veterans with a 100 percent service-connected disability rating are eligible for a completely free card. Homeless veterans, along with their spouses and children, also qualify.¹⁰ Bring your DD-214 showing honorable discharge, and for the disability waiver, a VA identification card showing the 100 percent total and permanent rating.

Optional designations like organ donor, insulin dependent, or deaf or hard of hearing can be added for about $1 each; the veteran designation is free to add. Each requires specific supporting documentation, which the FLHSMV website lists.¹¹

Ask for the Gold Star (REAL ID)

Since May 7, 2025, TSA no longer accepts state IDs that aren’t REAL ID compliant at airport security for domestic flights.¹² A compliant Florida card has a gold star in the upper right corner. If you plan to fly domestically and don’t carry a U.S. passport, you want that star.

Florida has been issuing REAL ID-compliant credentials since January 2010, and the documents required are the same three categories described above.¹³ Bring everything on the list, apply in person, and the star is added automatically. Your first REAL ID-compliant card cannot be issued online; you must visit an office.

If You’re Not a U.S. Citizen

Non-citizens follow the same process but need different primary identity documents, and the FLHSMV splits applicants into two tracks.

Immigrants with permanent resident status typically bring a valid alien registration receipt card (green card, Form I-551), an I-551 stamp in a passport or on an I-94, or immigration documentation showing an approved application for asylum or refugee status.¹⁴

Non-immigrants must provide a valid employment authorization card (Form I-766) or a non-expired I-94 with supporting documents. The I-94 must be paired with a valid passport bearing a date-of-entry stamp. F-1 or M-1 students also need their I-20, and J-1 or J-2 exchange visitors need a DS-2019.¹⁵

Non-citizens don’t leave the office with a card. You’ll receive a receipt, and after FLHSMV verifies your identity and legal status (a process that can take up to 60 days), the card is mailed. The card’s expiration date matches the period of authorized stay on your immigration documents, up to a maximum of one year, rather than the standard eight-year term.¹⁵

Getting a Card for a Child

Children age five and older can get a Florida ID card. A parent, step-parent, or legal guardian must either accompany the child to the office or complete a Certification of Address form beforehand. The adult must live at the same address as the child and present two proofs of that shared residential address.

Cards issued to children between ages 5 and 14 are valid for four years, not the standard eight.¹⁶ That shorter cycle means renewing (and paying $25) more often.

Getting Your Card and How Long It Lasts

You don’t walk out with your permanent card. The office issues a temporary paper ID on the spot, which serves as valid proof of identification until the hard card arrives by mail at the address on file, typically within 7 to 10 business days.

For U.S. citizens and immigrants age 15 and older, the card is valid for eight years from the date of issue. For children age 5 to 14, it’s valid for four years.¹⁶ The expiration date is printed on the card.

Renewing or Replacing Your Card

You can renew your Florida ID up to 12 months before it expires.¹⁷ The renewal fee is the same $25 as the original.¹

Florida allows online renewal through the MyDMV Portal, but only every other cycle. If you renewed online last time, you’ll need to visit an office this time. You also need to go in person to update your photo, change your name, or become REAL ID compliant for the first time.¹⁷

If your card is lost or stolen, you can replace it before it expires. Online replacements through the MyDMV Portal carry a $2 processing fee on top of the $25 replacement fee, and the new card arrives by mail within two to three weeks. In-person replacements at any service center follow the same process as a new application.¹⁷

1
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
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Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Chapter 322 Section 051 – Identification Cards
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Manatee County Tax Collector. Surrendered Driver License/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. What to Bring
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. U.S. Citizen – What to Bring
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Driver Licenses and ID Cards
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Miami-Dade County Tax Collector. Driver License and ID Card Services
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Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Chapter 322 Section 051 – Identification Cards
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Military and Veterans Information
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Designation Fees and Required Documentation
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Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. REAL ID
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Immigrant – What to Bring
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Non-Immigrant – What to Bring
16
Constitutional Tax Collector. ID Card
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Renew or Replace Your Florida Driver License or ID Card