The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has begun issuing a new, more secure Florida driver license and ID cards throughout the Tampa Bay area.
The new ID's are said to be the most secure over-the-counter credentials on the market today, according to FLHSMV.
Click here for Florida’s new driver license and ID card implementation timeline for Tampa Bay.
The new look
Unique to Florida, the new card will have a light blue rendering of the Florida state seal and the letters "FL" in a large, bold font over a white base. On the back, the ID will have a light blue image of the state of Florida that is overlain with blue waves. The year 1845 is displayed on the back representing the year Florida became the 27th state in the union.
Headshot images will now be printed with a transparent background and appear in four locations on the ID's.
Protection against fraud
The new ID's will feature nearly double the protection against fraud.
Designated head colors
The new ID's will be issued with differentiating head colors that make it easy to determine what type of license each person has.
- Blue font is for commercial drivers licenses
- Green font is for drivers licenses
- Red font is for identification cards
- Orange font is for a learner's permit
New/Updated Designations
The new design incorporates designations for:
- FWC Lifetime Sportsman’s
- FWC Lifetime Boater
- FWC Lifetime Freshwater
- FWC Lifetime Hunting
- FWC Lifetime Saltwater
- Insulin Dependent
- Veteran
- Organ Donor
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing
- Developmentally Disabled
Getting Your New Card
Previous driver license and ID cards will still be in use alongside the new credential until replaced or phased out. You are only required to replace your current ID if it has expired or a required change is needed.
Click here for additional FAQ’s.
Click here to find out when the new ID's will be available to you locally.
