Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill that will add legal status to an individual’s driver’s license starting January 1, 2027.
Florida will add individual legal status to driver’s licenses and ID cards that meet REAL ID requirements starting in 2027 under a new state law. This comes as part of House Bill 991, which Florida’s governor signed into law.
Ron DeSantis as part of Florida’s SAVE Act legislative package, which focuses on election “security,” the Miami Herald reported.Under the law, new, renewal, and replacement driver’s licenses issued on or after January 1, 2027, will indicate whether the holder is a U.S. citizen or has other lawful immigration status. Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Darrell Fernandez issued a statement on HB 991, calling it a “comprehensive measure that strengthens verification processes, enhances data coordination, and modernizes how identification and eligibility are handled throughout Florida.”“My office is the hub of many of these operations because we handle driver’s licenses and identification services for our residents,” he said. Fernandez said including legal status in identity documents is “an important step toward greater transparency and accountability in government records.”He added that his office is “proactively evaluating how to implement these changes locally,” and pledged a “smooth transition for residents.”
Who will get this new driver’s license?
Those with valid driver’s licenses or ID cards will not be required to obtain new ID cards because their existing ID cards will not become invalid under the new rule. The regulation will not take effect immediately. It will be implemented gradually as drivers go through the renewal or replacement process starting in 2027. The new format will officially go into effect on January 1, 2027, and will apply to all first-time, renewal and replacement licenses issued from that date forward.If you recently renewed your Florida driver’s license or identification card, your document will remain valid until its expiration date.
