The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles announced yesterday that newly designed driver licenses and ID cards will begin being issued at service centers statewide Wednesday, Sept. 30. Online orders through MyDMVPortal.flhsmv.gov will get the new design by early November.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the rollout Tuesday during a Florida Cabinet meeting at the Capitol.
What’s new on the design
The new credential is loaded with Florida history and keeps the same high-security, REAL ID-compliant features. FLHSMV says it incorporates the state seal as an enhanced security feature.
FRONT:
- Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine — the oldest masonry fortress in the continental U.S. — as the background image
- An orange as the “O” in “Florida”
- A Florida manatee in the bottom left corner
- An alligator inside the REAL ID star in the top right corner
BACK:
- Space Shuttle Discovery — which flew 39 missions before its final landing in Florida in 2011 — to honor the Space Coast
- The motto “Let Us Alone” from Florida’s first unofficial state flag presented to Governor William D. Moseley upon his inauguration
The new design will appear on driver licenses, ID cards, learner’s licenses, and commercial driver licenses. It also includes a “Temporary Non-Domiciled” marking for Commercial Driver Licenses and Commercial Learner’s Permits.
Do you need to replace yours?
No. FLHSMV says all currently valid credentials will remain valid until they expire and will be phased out over time. You will automatically get the new design when you renew, replace, or get a first-time license.
If you’re in Polk County, you can go to any Polk County Tax Collector driver license service center starting tomorrow to see the new card in person.