RELEASE DATE: September 29, 2026
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLHSMV) – Beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, September 30, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) will begin issuing a newly designed Florida driver license and identification card featuring elements of Florida’s history.
Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the rollout of Florida’s newly designed driver licenses and identification cards during a Florida Cabinet meeting at the Florida State Capitol. The updated credential will be available at service centers statewide beginning September 30 and will be available for online orders through MyDMVPortal.flhsmv.gov by early November.
The new credential continues to provide Floridians with one of the most secure over-the-counter identification options available today. In addition to its updated design, the credential incorporates an image of the state seal as an enhanced security feature and includes the “Temporary Non-Domiciled” marking for Commercial Driver Licenses and Commercial Learner’s Permits.
“Florida continues to set the standard for secure credentialing. Our last major redesign introduced high‑security features that nearly doubled the fraud protection measures, significantly strengthening the integrity of Florida’s credentials,” said FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner. “Since then, we’ve enhanced our credentialing practices to anticipate emerging fraud trends and strengthen identity verification across agencies. This latest redesign further solidifies Florida’s leadership in secure identification technology and REAL ID compliance.”
The new design showcases Castillo de San Marcos as the background image on the front of the card. Located in St. Augustine, Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fortress in the continental United States. Florida’s iconic orange is incorporated as the “O” in “Florida,” while the bottom left corner features the Florida manatee, one of the state’s most recognizable native species. The Florida alligator is also incorporated into the REAL ID star in the top right-hand corner of each card.
The back of the card pays tribute to Florida’s Space Coast with an image of Space Shuttle Discovery, which flew 39 missions and spent 365 days in space before making its final landing in Florida on March 9, 2011. The card also features the motto “Let Us Alone” from Florida’s first unofficial state flag, which was presented to Governor William D. Moseley upon his inauguration.
Florida residents are not required to replace their existing driver license or identification card. All currently valid credentials will remain valid until they expire and will be phased out over time.
Downloadable resources are available at flhsmv.gov/newDL.
###