September 10, 2008


New rules for Florida driver licenses go into effect Oct. 1


The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has announced changes that affect drivers and customers beginning Oct. 1.

Identification required for driver licenses

• Customers must present proof of his or her Social Security number, for example, a Social Security card or documents showing the Social Security number, such as a tax return, a W-2 form, a property tax statement, a pay check, a form DD-214, or a school record.

• All passports, permanent resident cards and employment authorization cards presented as proof of identification or legal presence must be valid. Expired documents will not be accepted.

• The department no longer will accept driver licenses or identification cards issued by other states as primary identification.

• Commercial driver license holders who receive a driving under the influence conviction on or after Oct. 1, 2008, even while driving a personal vehicle, will be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for one year for the first offense and permanently disqualified for the second offense. These penalties are based on conviction dates and not offense dates.

• A person will be allowed to elect the school option to avoid points five times in a 10-year period instead of five times in a lifetime.

“Upcoming changes are a result of recent statutory requirements and department efforts to increase security,â€