Florida Driver License Renewal Options (Concerning "Real ID")

[wondermint2]

Just wanted to follow up with my previous post.

When it is required that you go in to the driver's license office to renew you must bring the proper documents to get the RealID driver's license. In Florida you are allowed to do every other driver license renewal online or by mail.

Customers must visit an office with the required documents if:

They are applying for their first driver license or ID card;

Their current credential expires, their last renewal was completed through the mail or online and their current driver license or ID card does not have a star in the upper corner; or
They have legally changed their name since their last issuance (e.g., by marriage, divorce or court order).

The name(s) on their marriage certificate(s) or court order must show how their birth name was changed to their current name.

If their name has changed multiple times and the document they provide shows their current name and their birth name, they need only bring the final name change document.
If the final marriage certificate does not have both names, they will need to bring all documents that show how their name changed from birth name to current name.

Customers may be eligible to renew their license online; however, the DHSMV encourages customers without REAL ID-compliant driver licenses or ID cards to renew in an office.

https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licens...what-to-bring/

[Crashj007]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Hi all. My FL driver's license expires in three months. Today I learned some interesting things when I got my renewal notice in the mail. I am allowed to just send in a check and renew by mail - and I can also do the "simple" renewal online from the GoRenew web site<>

This is not a Florida issue, it is Federal. Eventually without the real ID you will not be able to leave the country by air, land, or sea. Since you will need it to get into Federal and some State buildings you will be frustrated.
"just do it . . . and be glad you don't get chipped like a dog"

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by Crashj007

This is not a Florida issue, it is Federal. Eventually without the real ID you will not be able to leave the country by air, land, or sea. Since you will need it to get into Federal and some State buildings you will be frustrated.
"just do it . . . and be glad you don't get chipped like a dog"

There are no state buildings that require the RealID - only "some" Federal buildings. I'm not planning on doing air travel so I'll probably renew my driver license online within the next few days. And then for my next renewal (in eight years) I'll be required to go into the office with my documents for the RealID driver license. Eight years is a long time and I'll be happy if I'm still living by then.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by Crashj007

This is not a Florida issue, it is Federal. Eventually without the real ID you will not be able to leave the country by air, land, or sea. Since you will need it to get into Federal and some State buildings you will be frustrated.
"just do it . . . and be glad you don't get chipped like a dog"

In my opinion, this would violate my freedom of movement rights under the Privleges and Immunities clause in the US Constitution. The Federal Government cannot hold any citizen of the United States captive within its borders through taxation, or by any other means. If what you claim is accurate, then maybe Trump is building the wall to keep us all in.

[rnc2mbfl]

So, after some searching online, I still have some questions about what constitutes a real ID. The new FL licenses have gold stars in the upper right corner with USA next to it. My license, issued in 2014, has a star circled by a round gold surrounding (but the start isn't gold). It also doesn't have USA written next to it. It's also in the upper right corner. Does anyone know if that too is a Real ID?

[loves2read]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Rules

If you've had a name change through marriage, they require a clerk of court certified copy of your marriage certificate. Birth certificate must be original or certified copy by the county health department, not the copy your parents received from the hospital. Both my husband and myself ended up having to track down certified copies before we could obtain our RealID compliant drivers licences.

So if you do decide to go the RealID route, double check what documentation is required on their website, it may save you an extra trip.

My license is Texas issued because that is our state of residence
Mine expires early August on my b'day but I didn't pay attention and get it renewed before we came to FL in May
I will let mine expire vs flying home to DFW to renew it --main reason for that is my updated license would be a paper copy (w/photo of me on it) but still a paper copy--
This is not considered a "valid" ID and creates some issues going through security
So I am just going to wait until we get home to renew it...
Plus it would have meant flying r/t home ---with that hassle

The reason to have a "validated" ID is because they get your SSN and other info to ensure citizenship
They can still use a non-validated ID (I think one state--NJ maybe--still has some older valid licenses w/o a photo ID on them) like my current license which when I renewed it the last time I didn't have to produce my SSN card...

Some posters on the TX CD thread told me to take my SSN w/me when I renew but think I will also take my birth certificate as well just to avoid a second trip...

[johns55]

Originally Posted by motordavid

Get whichever driver license you want, but get a passport also...
If one ever travels out of US/overseas the passport will work, the DL will not, in most cases.

I don't know anyone that doesn't have a passport.
GL, mD

I know many people who have not kept their passports current or don't have one.

[motordavid]

Originally Posted by johns55

I know many people who have not kept their passports current or don't have one.

Lol!

We must 'know' very different sets of people...all anecdotal, but my point was that doing the passport process gives one a very good set of ID, for air travel, et al and if one does ever leave the country, by plane/cruise, swimming away, it is a good doc to have in addition to or vs the newer state driver licenses, imo.

GL, mD

[johns55]

Originally Posted by motordavid

Lol!

We must 'know' very different sets of people...all anecdotal, but my point was that doing the passport process gives one a very good set of ID, for air travel, et al and if one does ever leave the country, by plane/cruise, swimming away, it is a good doc to have in addition to or vs the newer state driver licenses, imo.

GL, mD

Oh I agree. My wife didn't have a current passport until 9/11. She then needed it to get into Canada. Until then, never left the US. I had a ten year period where I didn't keep my passport current. Nowadays with heightened security everywhere, It's good to have a current passport.



I have been traveling a good amount overseas in the last 10 years, and you'd be surprised how many people, when needing to travel, realize that their passport expired two years ago.

[Avalon08]

I got a passport in 2007 for a trip to Bermuda that I never went on. So I never used the passport at all....but I got it renewed anyway, because it trumps any kind of ID issue. For example, when I got my FL driver's license, I could have had a real problem. I go by a nickname that is different from what's on my birth certificate. Because that nickname is the name that was on all my official documents, the passport was issued in that name. It all could have been very confusing and problematic, but because I had a passport, that trumped everything. The passport expired in 2017 and even though I have no intention of traveling overseas, I got it renewed.