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How to Apply for Driver License or State ID


Driver License & ID Card Requirements For Non-US Citizens

BEFORE YOU APPLY
Before applying for your Florida Driver License or state ID Card, please be sure all of the information on your documents (listed below) is consistent with the way it appears in your passport. Please be sure page 2 of your I-20 has been signed by a DSO. If you have any questions, please contact The Office of International Programs.

REQUIREMENTS
For original driver license or ID Card, Florida law now requires identification, proof of date of birth, proof of residential address, and proof of social security number from all customers before a driver license or ID card can be issued. The name assigned to the social security number must match the name that will appear on the driver license or ID card. If you have recently changed your name, you must update your records with the Social Security Administration before you can apply for your license or ID card. If you do not have a social security number, please refer to the following page for a list of alternate documents.

REQUIRED TESTS
All applicants must show proof that they have completed a traffic law and substance abuse education course and will be required to pass vision and hearing tests, road rules and road sign tests, plus a driving test. The 4-Hour Drug & Alcohol (DATA) course can be taken online at https://www.123driving.com for $29.95 and a certificate of completion will be mailed to you.

AFTER YOU APPLY
Non-U.S. Citizens applying for an original driver license will be issued a 30-day, no photo, paper temporary permit and a receipt. Non-U.S. citizens applying for an ID card will be issued a receipt. All records are transmitted to a database in Tallahassee, where the information will be examined and run against FDLE, FBI and USCIS databases.

Upon identity and legal status verification, a driver license or ID card will be issued within 30 days from Tallahassee, mailed to the address on the driver record. The license or ID card will be issued for the period of time specified on the USCIS document, up to a maximum of four years. If a problem is detected, a denial of issuance letter will be mailed to the applicant.

RENEWAL/REPLACEMENTS
Non- U.S. Citizens holding a driver license or ID card who needs a renewal or replacement driver license or ID card must apply in person at a driver license office and present the required supporting documents. If you do not have the required documents showing legal presence, your driver license or ID card will be retained and a receipt issued. If you have an unexpired driver license, you will be issued a 30-day temporary permit. When you return with the required documentation, you will be processed for a renewal or replacement license and the expiration date will be changed to the expiration date on your USCIS document, but not for a term greater than one year. Each Non-U.S. Citizens renewing or applying for a new driver license or ID card must submit the following:
 
IDENTIFICATION (must provide either one of the following):
___ Employment authorization card (I-766)

or

___ Proof of nonimmigrant classification (all of the following):
  • Form I-94, not expired
  • Passport
  • I-20 or DS-2019
___ Canadian Citizens must provide one of the following:
  • Valid Canadian passport
  • Canadian Naturalization Certificate
  • Original or certified Canadian birth certificate
  • Canadian Certificate of Citizenship
PROOF OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

___ Social Security Card

If you do not have a Social Security Number you must provide one of the following:
  • A driver license from the District of Columbia, US Territories, or one of the 50 US states
  • Immigration Form I-571
  • Marriage certificate
  • Receipt copy of your last Florida driver license issuance
  • Government-issued out-of-country passport, driver license, or identification card
  • School record stating date of birth, which must contain the registrar’s signature (I-20 works good too)
  • United States military or military dependent identification card
  • Florida license record or identification card record
  • An identification card from the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, or one of our 50 states
  • Florida Vehicle Registration certificate (HSMV 83399, owner’s copy) obtained from the tax collector’s office where the customer’s vehicle was registered, Florida, or out-of-state registration certificate, if name and date of birth are shown
PROOF OF RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS (must provide TWO of the following):
  • Florida Vehicle Registration or Title
  • A utility hook up or work order dated within 60 days of the application
  • Medical or health card with address listed
  • Mail from Federal, State, County or City government agencies (including city and county agencies)
  • Automobile Payment Booklet
  • Unexpired professional license issued by a government agency in the U.S.
  • W-2 form or 1099 form
  • Form DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) status
  • Utility bills, not more than two months old, (Housing Lease Agreement works fine) 
  • Mail from financial institutions; including checking, savings, or investment account statements, not more than two months old
  • The following two options you may request if you live on-campus in a UT residence hall:
    • A letter from the International Programs Office on letterhead stating campus address
    • Enrollment certification from the Registrar’s Office stating campus address
DRIVER LICENSE OFFICE
4100 West M.L. King Jr Blvd. 33614-7090
(813) 635-5200
Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
To make an appointment:
https://www.flhsmv.gov/locations/hillsborough/

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES
http://www.flhsmv.gov/
https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/what-to-bring/non-immigrant/

STUDY IN THE STATES
https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/students/study/driving-in-the-united-states