FLORIDA \u2013 Florida licenses and identification cards just got a new look.<\/p>\n
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will begin issuing newly designed driver licenses and identification cards on Wednesday, Sept. 30.<\/p>\n
The front of the card features Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, the oldest masonry fortress in the continental United States.<\/p>\n
The design also incorporates several symbols associated with Florida. The state\u2019s iconic orange is used as the \u201cO\u201d in \u201cFlorida,\u201d while a Florida manatee appears in the bottom left corner. The alligator is incorporated into the REAL ID star in the top right corner.<\/p>\n
The back of the card pays tribute to Florida\u2019s Space Coast with an image of the Discovery space shuttle. Discovery launched 39 missions and spent 365 days in space before making its final landing in Florida on March 9, 2011.<\/p>\n
The card also features the motto \u201cLet Us Alone,\u201d which came from Florida\u2019s first unofficial flag.<\/p>\n
Florida residents do not need to replace their current driver\u2019s license or identification card because of the redesign. All valid credentials will remain in circulation and will be phased out over time.<\/p>\n
The updated credentials will be available at service centers statewide. They are expected to become available for online orders through MyDMVPortal.flhsmv.gov<\/a> by early November.<\/p>\n