TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –Florida drivers will soon see a new look when they renew their licenses or order replacement cards.
Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 30, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will start issuing newly designed Florida driver licenses and identification cards that incorporate elements of the state’s history. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the rollout during a Florida Cabinet meeting at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee.
The updated credentials will be available at service centers statewide beginning Sept. 30. They also will be available for online orders through MyDMVPortal.flhsmv.gov by early November.
State officials said the redesigned cards are intended to maintain Florida’s security standards while adding new features. The credential incorporates an image of the state seal as an enhanced security feature and includes the “Temporary Non-Domiciled” marking for Commercial Driver Licenses and Commercial Learner’s Permits.
“Florida continues to set the standard for secure credentialing. Our last major redesign introduced high-security features that nearly doubled the fraud protection measures, significantly strengthening the integrity of Florida’s credentials,” FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner said. “Since then, we’ve enhanced our credentialing practices to anticipate emerging fraud trends and strengthen identity verification across agencies. This latest redesign further solidifies Florida’s leadership in secure identification technology and REAL ID compliance.”
The front of the new card features Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine as the background image. Florida’s iconic orange is incorporated as the “O” in “Florida,” and the bottom left corner includes the Florida manatee. The Florida alligator is incorporated into the REAL ID star in the top right-hand corner of each card.
The back of the card includes an image of Space Shuttle Discovery in a tribute to Florida’s Space Coast. Discovery flew 39 missions and spent 365 days in space before making its final landing in Florida on March 9, 2011. The card also features the motto “Let Us Alone” from Florida’s first unofficial state flag, which was presented to Gov. William D. Moseley upon his inauguration.
Florida residents are not required to replace their existing driver license or identification card. Current credentials will remain valid until they expire and will be phased out over time.
Additional resources are available at flhsmv.gov/newDL.
