Driving Tests

What to Bring for a Florida Driver's License: REAL ID Documents List

informational·how to guide·Published October 5, 2026

What documents do you need for a Florida driver's license?

Bring one primary ID (for a U.S. citizen, for example a U.S. passport or a birth certificate), one proof of your Social Security number, and two different documents that show your Florida residential address. Each document must be original or certified. Notarized documents are not accepted. A Florida card with a star in the upper right corner is REAL ID-compliant.

Where these document rules come from

The lists come from the What to Bring pages of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) for U.S. citizens, immigrants, non-immigrants and Canadians. The REAL ID and card facts come from other FLHSMV pages. The teen rules come from the FLHSMV Required Forms for Teens page and section 322.09 of the Florida Statutes. The facts are as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (flhsmv.gov) before you drive.

When you must bring documents to a Florida office

You must visit an office with the required documents if you apply for your first Florida license or ID card, if your name changed by marriage, divorce or court order, or if your card does not have the REAL ID star and it expires. At that visit, bring original documents for three things: your identity, your Social Security number (SSN) and your Florida residential address.

REAL ID star and airport security

Florida licenses and ID cards that are REAL ID-compliant have a star in the upper right corner. After May 7, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) accepts only licenses and ID cards with the star as proof of identification at airports. A U.S. passport can be used in place of a REAL ID-compliant card. You also need REAL ID-compliant identification to enter military bases and most federal facilities.

Primary identification by applicant group

Primary identification by applicant group
Applicant	Primary ID examples from the FLHSMV lists
U.S. citizen	Valid U.S. passport or passport card, a U.S. birth certificate (including some U.S. territories and the District of Columbia), or a Certificate of Naturalization (form N-550 or N-570).
Immigrant (green card)	Valid green card (form I-551), or an I-551 stamp in a passport or on an I-94.
Non-immigrant (visa)	A valid employment authorization card (form I-688B or I-766), or a non-expired I-94 with its required supporting documents and a valid passport with a date of entry stamp.
Canadian citizen	An original valid Canadian passport. Without it, you also need a USCIS document that shows legal presence in the U.S.

Proof of your Social Security number

Bring one original document with your complete name and your complete SSN: a Social Security card with your current name, a W-2 form or any 1099 form (not handwritten), a pay check or stub, or an SSA-1099. The name on your SSN record must match the name that will appear on your Florida license.

Two proofs of Florida residential address

Give two different documents that show your Florida residential address. Printouts or faxes are acceptable.
A deed, a mortgage, a monthly mortgage statement, or a residential rental or lease agreement.
A valid Florida vehicle registration or title.
A utility bill (for example water, gas, electricity, cell phone or cable), dated within the last 60 days.
A bank, credit card or investment statement, dated within the last 60 days.
A Florida voter registration card (U.S. citizen list only). The lists have more items.
Your current driver license or ID card is not a proof of address.
An out-of-state or U.S. territory address is no longer accepted for a Florida Class E license or ID card.

Documents if you are not a U.S. citizen

If you hold a green card

Show the valid green card (form I-551) or an I-551 stamp in your passport or on your I-94. After a name change, first change the name on your USCIS documents.

If you hold a visa

Bring the I-94 with a valid passport that has a date of entry stamp. F-1 and M-1 students also need the I-20; J-1 and J-2 holders need the DS2019. Your documents must be valid for more than 60 days from the date of issuance. If you are not sure, bring all your USCIS documents.

If your visa does not let you work in the U.S.

The What to Bring FAQ says that you do not need proof of an SSN, and the non-immigrant page says that you do not need an SSA refusal letter. The FAQ asks for an SSA letter of ineligibility if you show work authorization documents but are not work authorized.

If you are a Canadian citizen

Your primary ID is an original valid Canadian passport. With no passport, a USCIS document that shows legal presence is also required.

Name change documents

If your name changed by marriage, divorce or court order, bring the original or a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order. Photocopies and church-issued marriage certificates are not accepted. The papers must show how your birth name changed to your current name: after more than one change, bring all of them, unless the final one shows both names. A valid U.S. passport with your current name replaces these papers. Change your name with the Social Security Administration first, and wait 24 to 48 hours before you apply. A Canadian first changes the name on the Canadian driver license or passport.

Temporary permit and card validity for non-U.S. citizens

If you are not a U.S. citizen and you apply for an original driver license, you get a 60-day temporary paper permit without a photo, and a receipt. For an ID card, you get a receipt only. After FLHSMV verifies your identity and legal status, the card is issued within 60 days and mailed to the address on your driver record. For a non-immigrant, the license is valid for the period on the USCIS document, not more than one year.

Teens under 18: parent signature, forms and documents

A teen under 18 who is not married needs a parent or legal guardian to sign the application in front of the driver license examiner or agent, or a notary public. The parent who signs agrees to take responsibility for the teen's driving.
Step-parents may not sign unless they legally adopted the teen. A married teen shows a certified marriage certificate.
By law, the teen's original license application comes with a certified U.S. birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport, a green card, an employment authorization card or proof of nonimmigrant classification.
For a Florida learner's license (often called a permit), bring the Parental Consent Form (71142).
If the teen took the Class E Knowledge Exam online through a third party administrator, bring form 71144, signed in front of an examiner or notarized.
For the driver license, form 71143 certifies at least 50 hours of driving, 10 of them at night. It is also signed in front of an examiner or notarized.

New Florida card design from September 30, 2026

On September 30, 2026, FLHSMV began to issue a newly designed license and ID card, with the Florida gator in the REAL ID star. You do not need to replace your card for the new design: valid cards stay in use. Replace it only if it expires or you need a change, such as a name or address change. After a move, you have 30 days to update the address on your card. For the fees, see our guide to Florida driver license cost.

Key takeaways

Bring original or certified documents for your identity, your SSN and your Florida address. Notarized documents are not accepted.
Give two different proofs of Florida residential address. A utility bill must be dated within the last 60 days.
A non-U.S. citizen who applies for an original license gets a 60-day temporary paper permit and a receipt.
Next step: practice on the free Florida Class E Knowledge practice test.

Florida license documents: common questions

Can I use a hospital birth certificate for a Florida license?

No. A hospital birth certificate is not a certified document, so it is not accepted. Only a birth certificate issued by a county health department or the CDC Bureau of Vital Statistics is accepted. A birth certificate from Puerto Rico must have an issue date after July 1, 2010.

What if the bills are not in my name?

The person you live with can complete a Certification of Address form for you, with two proofs of address from the list on that form. That person must come with you to the office, or sign the form in front of a notary.

Can my out-of-state license be my primary ID?

No. Out-of-state driver licenses are not accepted as primary identification in Florida. Bring a primary ID from the list for your status instead: for a U.S. citizen, for example a U.S. passport or a Certificate of Naturalization; for a green card holder, the valid green card.

Do I have to bring my documents again when I renew?

Usually no. Under the REAL ID Act, after you give the required identity documents one time, you give them again only if your information changes, for example your name or your residential address.

Does the office keep my original documents?

No. The office scans your documents into your record and gives them back to you right after the transaction. If you have no original or certified copy, plan extra time and fees to get one from the issuing office. For example, certified marriage certificates and divorce decrees come from the clerk of court in the county where they were filed.