Florida to add legal status on drivers' licenses from 2027: US citizen or legal immigrant

Florida will add the legal status of an individual on driver’s licenses and ID cards that meet REAL ID requirements beginning in 2027 under a new state law. This comes as a part of the House Bill 991, which was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis as part of the Florida SAVE Act legislative package, which focuses on election “security”, Miami Herald reported.Under the law, new, renewed and replacement driver’s licenses issued on or after January 1, 2027, will indicate whether the holder is a US citizen or has another legal immigration status. Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel 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 across Florida.”“My office is at the center of many of these processes because we handle driver licenses and identification services for our residents”, he said. Fernandez said including legal status on identification documents is “a significant step toward greater transparency and accountability in government records.”He added that his office “is proactively evaluating how these changes will be implemented locally,” and pledged a “smooth transition for residents.”

Who will get this new driver’s license?

Those who have valid driver’s licenses or ID cards will not be required to get new as their existing IDs are not becoming invalid under the new rule. The regulation will not take effect immediately. It will be phased in as drivers go through the renewal or replacement process beginning in 2027. The new format will officially take effect on January 1, 2027, and will apply to all first-time, renewed and replacement licenses issued from that date forward.If you recently renewed your Florida driver’s license or ID, your document will remain valid until its expiration date.