Vehicle Registration and License (Tallahassee: buy, college, tax)

[macrodome2]

Fortunately I have a passport, but it just pisses me off us gals have to have a birth certificate AND marriage license when our existing license and SS card has our married name. What would they think we just pick random names to put on our licenses and SS cards? I've been married to him for 38 years, longer than I had my maiden name and they still want the marriage license! Rant over.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

There are some specific rules about when you have to have marriage and divorce documents and when you don't. It is not automatic. I have been married twice and have had name changes, but they did not require anything from me except my passport and my CA license. My name on both of those match my current name. I think that stuff is only required if there is a discrepancy.

The thing that was harder was proof of residence. All the bills are in hubby's name and we get our mail at a post office box.

[Sunshine Rules]

Originally Posted by Cardiff by the Sea

There are some specific rules about when you have to have marriage and divorce documents and when you don't. It is not automatic. I have been married twice and have had name changes, but they did not require anything from me except my passport and my CA license. My name on both of those match my current name. I think that stuff is only required if there is a discrepancy.

The thing that was harder was proof of residence. All the bills are in hubby's name and we get our mail at a post office box.

If you do not have a passport and you are a woman who is or has been married, you will need the marriage and divorce (if applicable) documents as verification. It's a one time deal. Once you are "verified" and in the system, you will not have to provide documentation again -- at least that is what they claim.

[03bluecoupe]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Rules

If you do not have a passport and you are a woman who is or has been married, you will need the marriage and divorce (if applicable) documents as verification. It's a one time deal. Once you are "verified" and in the system, you will not have to provide documentation again -- at least that is what they claim.

Only if she's changed her name. My wife has had a custom jewelry business for a LONG time and it would have been a royal PITA to change all of the records associated with the business. So she said "do you care if I don't change my last name?" - ME? naw - no problem. So she did not need to have the marriage certificate. I've been divorced but given that my name didn't change, I didn't need the divorce papers. That requirement is only if someone has changed their name.

[justNancy]

I'm so glad I still had a valid passport, because I've been spelling my middle name incorrectly for over 60 years. OTOH, I'm not so sure it would have mattered.

I had no trouble at all, but I've heard horror stories. I was already a FL resident, and I went to the office on San Casa in Englewood with a letter from the Social Security office, because so many people said a laminated Soc Sec card would not be accepted, which was false. I posted about it here.

[url]//www.city-data.com/forum/fort-myers-cape-coral-area/1826494-how-long-get-drivers-license.html[/url]

A deed and/or mortgage is proof of Florida residence. At the time I needed to renew my driver's license, I was sharing a house and had no utility bills. I printed a bank statement and my cell phone bill from the internet. There are numerous "proofs of residence" options like a current bill from your insurance company.

[heatherjay231]

This probably seems like a silly question, but when you bring your certified copy of your birth certificate to get your first Florida license, do they keep it, or simply photocopy/review it? I only have one certified copy and would like to use it to get my passport instead.

[mktobob]

Originally Posted by heatherjay231

This probably seems like a silly question, but when you bring your certified copy of your birth certificate to get your first Florida license, do they keep it, or simply photocopy/review it? I only have one certified copy and would like to use it to get my passport instead.

They do not keep it. They scan a copy into their system and give your copy back to you. The Venice office was really good to work with.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by heatherjay231

This probably seems like a silly question, but when you bring your certified copy of your birth certificate to get your first Florida license, do they keep it, or simply photocopy/review it? I only have one certified copy and would like to use it to get my passport instead.

I just want to add to the other response that the clerk covered my account numbers before scanning everything. She was very pleasant and easy to work with. I was concerned because one of the proofs of residence I used was a current bank statement. Everything was returned to me after the documents were scanned.

By the way, when I received my new Social Security card, it clearly states in the instructions in upper case letters DO NOT CARRY THIS CARD WITH YOU. That's probably why most people don't walk around with them in their wallets and forget to take them to the DMV. LOL Heck, they're free, so now I have a new one. At least my name is spelled correctly on it, unlike my birth certificate (or is it the other way around?)

[justNancy]

RE: Titles

I don't want to start a whole new discussion but, after all the latest hacking incidents, it makes me uncomfortable to know that every agency is storing our personal information in its database. I have a printed title and, if I lose it, will be happy to pay the $10 fee. I figure it's good to have in case it gets lost in the system. I'll tell you why.

In late 2006, I traded my 2001 Sonata for a 2006 Camry. I had a paper title and signed it over to the dealer. When Florida switched to electronic titles, my Hyundai Sonata suddenly popped up as one of the cars I owned showing an outstanding lien, although I had paid off the loan years earlier, a year before I traded it for the Toyota. I called the dealer, but the finance manager only said "it happens." I finally got it removed from my record by submitting a form along with a notarized letter from Hyundai and proof that I traded the car. It was actually the dealer's responsibility IMO, since I sold it debt free with the title, but it made me uncomfortable seeing a car I didn't own listed in my name each time I checked my DMV records online.

[d4g4m]

All of the information we have given to get or renew our driver license are stored in a data base in Tallahassee. Lets hope it is secure. Could be a hackers dream come true if they can get in.