All driver license services in Pinellas County are handled by the Pinellas County Tax Collector on behalf of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. There is no separate state DMV office. You’ll visit one of four branches to apply for a first Florida license, renew, replace a lost card, or transfer a license from another state. A Class E license costs $48 and is valid for eight years if you’re under 80.
Where to Go
Four Tax Collector branches process driver license transactions:1Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Pinellas County
- Clearwater (Gulf to Bay): 1663 Gulf to Bay Blvd., Clearwater, FL 33755
- Clearwater (US 19): 29399 Highway 19 N., Suite 100, Clearwater, FL 33761
- Largo: 13025 Starkey Road, Largo, FL 33773
- St. Petersburg: 2500 34th St. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33713
Appointments are no longer required for most services, but you can reserve a time slot through the Tax Collector’s website if you want to skip the wait.2Pinellas County Tax Collector. Home Walk-ins are accepted. Hours vary by branch, so check before you drive over.
Documents You Need to Bring
Florida issues REAL ID-compliant licenses by default, and the document rules are strict. You need originals or certified copies from three categories: identity, Social Security number, and residential address. Photocopies are not accepted.3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. U.S. Citizen
Proof of Identity
Bring one primary document, usually an original U.S. birth certificate or a valid U.S. passport.4USAGov. How to Get a REAL ID and Use It for Travel If your current legal name doesn’t match the name on that document, bring the originals linking them, such as a marriage certificate or a court order for a name change.
Proof of Social Security Number
Your Social Security card is the simplest option. A W-2 or a pay stub showing the full number also works.4USAGov. How to Get a REAL ID and Use It for Travel
Proof of Residential Address
Two separate documents showing your current Florida address. A utility bill, a lease, and a Florida voter registration card all qualify.3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. U.S. Citizen
Non-U.S. citizens have an additional immigration verification step and receive a 60-day temporary paper permit while their status is confirmed.5Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Non-Immigrant
Moving to Florida From Another State
If you’ve just moved here, you have 30 days to get a Florida license after you start a job, begin a trade or profession, or enroll a child in public school.6The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 322.031 – Nonresidents; 30-Day Requirement for License The deadline applies to you, your spouse, and any dependent children who drive.
You’ll take a vision screening, but typically won’t need to retake the written knowledge test or road test if your out-of-state license is current.7Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. New Resident – Welcome to Florida Bring the full REAL ID document set along with your current license. You’ll surrender the old card at the counter; Florida does not let you hold two state licenses at once.
Renewing Your License
A standard Class E license is valid for eight years, dropping to six years at age 80.8The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 322.18 – Original Applications, Licenses, and Renewal Licenses
Renewing Online
Florida allows online renewal through the MyDMV Portal every other cycle. If you renewed online last time, you’ll need to come in this time. You also can’t renew online if your license isn’t REAL ID compliant, if you hold a commercial license, or if your name is changing. The portal checks your eligibility when you sign in.9Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Renew or Replace Your Florida Driver License or ID Card
Renewing in Person
Bring the same REAL ID documents listed above. You’ll retake the vision screening and have a new photo and signature captured.
Drivers 80 and Older
Drivers 80 and up who aren’t eligible for online renewal must pass a vision test. You can take it at any driver license office at no extra charge, or have a Florida-licensed physician or optometrist complete the state’s Mature Driver Vision Test form in advance.10Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Driver License Renewal Requirements and Options for Older Drivers
Late Renewals
If your license has already expired, you have 12 months to renew it with a $15 delinquent fee added to the standard $48.11Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 322.21 – License Fees Driving on an expired license is a citable offense, so don’t put it off.
Replacing a Lost or Stolen License
A replacement card costs $25. You can request one through the MyDMV Portal in many cases, or visit a branch with your identity documents.
Fees
The Pinellas County Tax Collector accepts credit cards, debit cards, and personal checks. Fees are set by Florida statute and are the same at every office in the state:11Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 322.21 – License Fees
- Original or renewal Class E license: $48
- Replacement (lost or stolen): $25
- Delinquent renewal within 12 months: $48 plus a $15 late fee
- Reinstatement after suspension or revocation: $45
- Motorcycle endorsement: $7
- Original or renewal commercial driver license: $75
Administrative reinstatement after a DUI or other serious violation runs between $60 and $170 depending on the offense.11Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 322.21 – License Fees
First-Time Applicants: Testing
If you’re getting your first license and not transferring from another state, you’ll pass a written knowledge exam and a behind-the-wheel road test.
The knowledge exam has 50 multiple-choice questions on traffic laws and road signs. You need 40 correct (80%) to pass, with one hour to finish. The questions come directly from the Florida Driver Handbook, which is free on the FLHSMV website.12Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Class E Knowledge Exam and Driving Skills Test
For the road test, you must bring a vehicle that is registered, insured, and in safe working order. The examiner checks lights, signals, and brakes before the test. If anything fails or your insurance isn’t current, you’ll be sent home to reschedule.
Teens can take the knowledge exam online at home under a parent’s supervision. A parent or legal guardian signs a notarized proctoring form certifying the teen took the test without help or reference materials.13Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Parent Proctoring of On-line Driver License Testing by a Minor Misrepresentation can suspend the teen’s driving privileges.
Vision Standards
Every applicant takes a vision test. The minimum is 20/70 in either eye, with or without corrective lenses, and a field of vision of at least 130 degrees. If one eye is blind or worse than 20/200, the other eye must test at 20/40 or better.14Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Report of Eye Examination Form A reading worse than 20/40 means a referral to an eye specialist. If corrective lenses bring you within standards, your license carries a restriction requiring you to wear them while driving.
Teen Graduated Licensing
Florida phases in driving privileges for teenagers through a graduated system:15Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Licensing Requirements for Teens, Graduated Driver License Laws, Driving Curfews
- Learner’s permit at 15: a licensed driver age 21 or older must ride along at all times. Daylight only for the first three months, then until 10 p.m. The permit must be held at least 12 months (or until age 18, whichever comes first), with 50 hours of supervised driving logged, including 10 at night.
- Restricted license at 16: driving allowed 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. without a supervising adult. Outside those hours, driving is limited to work travel or with a licensed driver age 21 or older in the car.
- Less restrictive license at 17: driving window expands to 5 a.m. through 1 a.m., with the same work and adult-accompaniment exceptions.
These curfews are enforced statewide. A stop outside permitted hours can result in a citation and affect the teen’s license status.
REAL ID and Air Travel
REAL ID enforcement for domestic flights began on May 7, 2025.16Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID A gold star in the upper right corner of your Florida license means you’re compliant.17Pinellas County Tax Collector. REAL ID and Required Documents No star means you need to visit a branch with the required documents before your next flight.
One point to plan around: the temporary paper license you receive at the counter is not accepted at TSA checkpoints.18Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint If you’re flying soon after a visit, carry a passport, passport card, military ID, permanent resident card, or a trusted traveler card like Global Entry or NEXUS.
After Your Visit
You leave the office with a temporary paper license that’s valid for driving immediately. Your permanent plastic card with the gold REAL ID star is printed at a central state facility and mailed to the address on file, typically within a couple of weeks.
If the card hasn’t arrived after two weeks, check with your mail carrier first. The state won’t reissue a card until 30 days have passed from the original mailing date.