Overview
- Beginning January 1, 2027, any new, renewed, or replacement Florida driver’s license or state ID will show whether the holder is a U.S. citizen or has another legal status, and current cards stay valid until they expire.
- The law folds license data into voter checks as the DMV shares weekly citizenship information with the Secretary of State and the online registration system verifies license numbers, names, and birth dates.
- Floridians who become U.S. citizens can get a free replacement license reflecting their new status, and the election law also removes student IDs from acceptable voter identification and requires candidates to disclose dual citizenship and recent party affiliation.
- A separate measure, SB 290, takes effect July 1, 2026, increasing penalties for cheating on commercial driver’s license exams and requiring migrants seeking a CDL to show work authorization plus two Florida residency proofs, such as a lease, utility bill, bank statement, or pay stub.
- Civil-rights groups have filed federal lawsuits challenging the license-status rule and warn of greater exposure during traffic stops and administrative errors, while local offices like Miami-Dade’s tax collector begin planning how to implement the new processes.