Overview
- The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department confirmed on June 9, 2026 that starting January 1, 2027 all new, renewed and replacement driver’s licenses and state IDs must show the holder’s citizenship status.
- Existing licenses and ID cards remain valid until they expire and Florida will issue a free replacement card to non-citizen residents who later naturalize.
- Florida law requires drivers to turn on headlights in rain, smoke or fog and makes it illegal to use hazard lights while a vehicle is moving, rules that often surprise out-of-state drivers during short afternoon storms.
- Holding a phone while driving is prohibited in school zones and active construction zones where workers are present, and violations carry fines and points on a license.
- Florida bars any obstruction of license plates, including frames or heavy dirt, and violations can be charged as a second-degree misdemeanor; rental-car drivers are advised to check plates, mount phones and set navigation before leaving the lot.