Florida changes driver license, ID card renewal rules

FLHSMV: Licenses only valid though expiration date on citizenship documents, not to exceed 1 year

Example of Real ID compliant Florida Driver's license (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The state of Florida has announced important changes to the issuance and renewal of Florida driver licenses and identification cards for non-immigrant individuals.

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According to a media release, in Florida, a non-immigrant driver’s license is a driver’s license issued to individuals who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents but have a valid legal presence in the state, often as a result of their visa or immigration status.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, effective immediately (as of May 2, 2025) all driver licenses and identification cards issued to non-immigrants will be valid only through the expiration date listed on the applicant’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) documentation, not to exceed one year.

If the applicant’s immigration documentation does not contain an expiration date, the credential’s validity will be limited to one year from the date of issuance.

The change comes as the Transportation Security Administration will require passengers to have a REAL ID to board domestic flights, beginning May 7.

REAL ID-compliant forms of identification include a Florida driver’s license or state ID card that has a star in the upper right corner, of a valid U.S. passport, or U.S. passport card.

To help with demand in Miami-Dade County, Dariel Fernandez, the county’s tax collector, said the county transformed three tax collectors’ offices to offer driving license services.

For more information, click on this link.


About the Author
Veronica Crespo headshot

Veronica Crespo writes for Local10.com and also oversees the Español section of the website. Born and raised in Miami, she graduated from the University of Miami, where she studied broadcast journalism and Spanish.

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