You can get a photo ID for a child in Florida at any Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) service center or at an authorized county tax collector’s office that handles driver license and ID services.1Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Locations The child must be at least five years old, must come with you in person, and the base fee is $25.2The 2025 Florida Statutes. Florida Statutes 322.051 – Identification Cards A child younger than five qualifies only if they have a disability and are applying for a disabled parking permit.
Service Center or Tax Collector Office
Either kind of office can issue the card. The FLHSMV website has a county-by-county locator with addresses, hours, and appointment links. Some locations take walk-ins; others require an appointment, so check before you go.3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Driver Licenses and ID Cards
Tax collector offices often have shorter waits, but they add a $6.25 convenience fee on top of the $25 card fee, bringing the total to $31.25.4Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees An FLHSMV service center avoids that surcharge.
What to Bring
Florida requires original documents in three categories. Photocopies are not accepted.5Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. U.S. Citizen – What to Bring
Proof of the Child’s Identity
One original identity document for the child. For a U.S. citizen child, that usually means a certified U.S. birth certificate issued by a state, territory, or the District of Columbia, a valid U.S. passport, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. Hospital-issued birth certificates do not qualify; the document has to come from an official vital records office.5Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. U.S. Citizen – What to Bring
Proof of Social Security Number
The child’s Social Security card, or another document showing the full number such as a W-2 or SSA-1099.5Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. U.S. Citizen – What to Bring The name on Social Security records must match the name that will appear on the ID, so update the Social Security Administration first if the child has had a recent name change.
Two Proofs of Florida Residential Address
You need two different documents showing the parent’s or guardian’s Florida address. Common options include a deed, mortgage statement, lease, Florida voter registration card, or a utility bill, bank statement, or credit card statement dated within the last 60 days. The full accepted list on the FLHSMV website is broader than most parents assume, so look before you leave the house.5Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. U.S. Citizen – What to Bring
Parent or Guardian Documentation
The adult bringing the child needs their own valid photo ID plus proof of the relationship. The child’s birth certificate usually covers the relationship by naming the parent. A legal guardian who is not a birth parent needs a court order establishing guardianship. If your name has changed since the birth certificate was issued, bring the original marriage certificate or court name-change order to connect the paperwork.5Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. U.S. Citizen – What to Bring
If the Parent the Child Lives With Cannot Come
When the person the child lives with cannot be at the office, that person must complete FLHSMV form 71120, Certification of Address, and either appear in person or have the form notarized.6Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Certification of Address Form Two proof-of-address documents in that person’s name still have to be submitted with the form. Florida notaries may charge up to $10 per notarial act.7Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 117.05 – Use of Notary Commission
Non-U.S. Citizen Children
A child who is not a U.S. citizen brings an immigration document in place of the U.S. birth certificate or passport. Accepted items include a valid alien registration receipt card (green card), an I-551 stamp in a foreign passport, or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services documentation showing approved refugee or asylum status.8Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Immigrant – What to Bring The Social Security and two-address requirements are the same.
Cost and How Long the Card Is Good For
The base fee is $25 at an FLHSMV service center and $31.25 at a tax collector’s office after the convenience fee.4Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees How long the card lasts depends on the child’s age when it’s issued:2The 2025 Florida Statutes. Florida Statutes 322.051 – Identification Cards
- Ages 5 to 14: expires on the child’s fourth birthday after the date of issue (up to four years).
- Ages 15 and older: expires on the eighth birthday after issue (up to eight years).
Applying closer to a birthday squeezes the most time out of each cycle.
Fee Waivers
Households at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level pay $6.25 instead of $25. Bring proof of eligibility, such as enrollment documentation from the Department of Children and Families Access Florida Benefits Program or a recent tax return showing qualifying income.
Homeless applicants pay no fee at all for an original, replacement, or renewal ID. Qualifying documentation includes a letter from a homeless shelter, a public assistance agency, or a school district homeless education liaison. These waivers apply to children’s cards too.
At the Office
Your child has to be present for the whole visit. The clerk reviews each original document, photographs the child, collects the fee, and may ask an older child to sign. You leave with a temporary paper ID the same day, and the permanent card arrives by mail at the address on file, usually within a couple of weeks.
One common holdup: a name that doesn’t match across documents, like a middle name spelled one way on the birth certificate and another on the Social Security card. Check for mismatches before you go, because any discrepancy the clerk spots can delay the application.