The Florida Legislature recently passed a law regarding voter registration. Some call this new law the “Florida SAVE Act” and others call it the “Show Me Your Papers Act.” It requires individuals to document their citizenship to become/remain a registered voter. This law will be effective on January 1, 2027, so it will not affect the 2026 elections. There is no need to panic but you may want to understand how this new law may affect your ability to vote after 2026.
If you are a registered voterand have a Real ID (Florida Drivers License or Florida ID Card) with a gold star on the upper right corner, and you were a citizen when the ID was originally issued, you are good to go! The documentation that you supplied for your Real ID already proved to the State of Florida that you are a US citizen, and the Department of Motor Vehicles has this information on file. As long as this information is in your voter file you will not need to do anything to comply with the law. Be sure to renew your license before it expires. If you renew or replace your Real ID be sure to check the box that says, “update my voter file.”
If you are not sure your current driver’s license number is in your voter file or if you renewed/replaced your DL/ID card after August 1, 2024, you should verify that the correct number is in your voter file. Contact the Supervisor of Elections (SOE) office at 352-374-5252 (TDD 352-374-5232) for verification.
If you have a U.S. Passport, you have what you will need to prove that you are a citizen.
If you are a citizen and do not have a Real ID or passport, you should consider getting a Real ID to make verifying your citizenship much easier. You may apply for a driver’s license ($48) or an ID card ($25). If your name does not match the one on your birth certificate you will need documentation of marriage/divorce or other reasons for the change.
If you are registered to vote but your Real ID was issued before you became a citizen you will need to provide your naturalization document to remain a voter. You will need to provide it to the SOE in 2027.
Many young people do not have a driver’s license and rely on their student ID when they vote in person. The new law does not include a student ID as an acceptable form of identification for in-person voting.
If you are not a registered voter you can still register for the upcoming 2026 election without proving citizenship.
PLEASE NOTE! The Administration is pressuring the Senate to pass the federal SAVE Act which would require documentation of citizenship prior to the November elections. The House has already passed it. Most policy makers think the SAVE Act is unlikely to pass the Senate, but life is uncertain so you may want to begin to collect the documents you need now. If the Federal SAVE Act passes we will send a special alert.
If you are a US citizen but do not have a Real ID or a passport you will need to prove you are a citizen. This will require you show the SOE one of the following:
- An original or certified copy of a United States birth certificate
- A Consular Report of Birth Abroad provided by the United States Department of State
- A naturalization certificate issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security
- A current and valid photo identification issued by the Federal Government or the state which indicates United States citizenship
- An order from a federal court granting United States citizenship
If you obtain or have the needed documentation you will need to show it to the SOE to maintain your registration or register to vote. We recommend you obtain a Real ID, which you will be able to reference in your voter file and use it as your ID when if you want to vote in person. The Florida ID would cost $25 and the Drivers License would cost $48. An extra $6.25 may be added as a service charge. You will have to obtain a Real ID in person at an office of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Click here to find out what you need to bring.
If the name you are using when you register(ed) to vote is different from the one on your birth certificate, you will need to provide a legal record of the changes.
Click here for information how to obtain documents you may need. This website provides access to birth certificates and marriage and divorce documents. There is no time like the present to get your documents in order.
In-Person Voting (early or on election day) requires identification that includes a photo and signature. The new law has reduced the types of identification that are acceptable. The ONLY types of Photo ID you can use for in-person voting are:
- Florida Drivers License
- Florida ID
- U.S. Passport
- United States uninformed services or merchant Marine identification
- Veteran health identification card issued by US Department of Veterans Affairs
- A license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued pursuant to s. 790.06
- Any other employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or a municipality, excluding identification cards issued by an educational institution. If the photo ID you have does not contain the signature, an additional identification is required that provides the signature.
You may use 2 different documents if needed.