A new Florida law that will require driver’s licenses and state-issued identification cards to display whether a person is a U.S. citizen is generating mixed reactions across South Florida.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the measure into law this month, and it is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
Under the law, anyone applying for a new driver’s license, renewing an existing one, or obtaining a state ID will have their citizenship status printed directly on the card. Current license and ID holders will not be required to replace their documents immediately, as existing cards will remain valid until they expire.
According to Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez, who oversees driver’s license offices in the county, the change is meant to add another layer of identification.
“This is something coming from the state because we don’t make the law,” Fernandez said. “What this law is going to do is put on your physical card a designation that says you are a citizen of the United States.”
For those who are not U.S. citizens, the designation is expected to read “NC,” meaning “not a citizen,” even if the person is legally residing in the country.
Some residents say they are unsure about the need for the change.
“I don’t know if it should be on a driver’s license,” said Nicholas Diaz. “I don’t think you should have to say that you’re not a citizen.”
Fernandez, however, maintains that the measure provides clarity when identifying individuals. “It’s another way to identify the person,” he said.
But for some immigrant families, the new requirement raises concerns. Venezuelan resident Laura Rosa Rodriguez said she worries about how the designation could affect everyday interactions while at a driver’s license office in Miami.
“What if a police officer stops you and sees you’re not a citizen?” Rodriguez said. “That could change the way they treat me. It’s concerning.”
The law is part of a broader election reform package aimed at strengthening verification of citizenship in the voting process.
State Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Democrat, voted against the measure, calling it unnecessary. Jones pointed to previous changes involving voter identification rules, noting that lawmakers had removed student IDs from the list of acceptable forms of identification because they did not indicate citizenship status.
The law is already facing legal scrutiny. Two federal lawsuits have been filed in Florida challenging the requirement, arguing that requiring documentary proof of citizenship and marking that status on identification violates constitutional protections under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
Unless a court intervenes, the law is scheduled to take effect as planned on Jan. 1, 2027.
