State Scraps Slower Driver's License Plan

Motorists concerned the wait for a new driver’s license was about to increase dramatically can breathe a little easier.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has issued a statement announcing its decision to scrap a plan that would have resulted in “central issuance” of new licenses. That plan would have required drivers to report to the local Tax Collector’s office to fill out necessary paperwork for new licenses and then wait for their ID cards to be produced at a central location and mailed out from there. All told, the process would have taken about two weeks and would have relied upon the mail to deliver the required credentials to drive in the state of Florida.

While the move was considered by the state because such licenses would have added security features that would make them difficult to alter or forge, county level tax collectors cried foul over the proposal. Local authorities said the move would make it highly inconvenient for drivers to get their licenses and would hurt the customer service level offered at local tax offices. As it stands right now, driver’s licenses are issued locally as an on-demand service that motorists have become accustomed to.

With that in mind, a joint statement from the state department of highway safety and Florida tax collectors was issued Monday.

“Customer service and convenience is a hallmark of Florida’s current system and while central issuance has some distinct advantages in terms of card security, the inability to obtain a credential on-demand in an office is not something either the Department and Florida Tax Collectors are willing to forgo,” the statement said. “We have determined that the central issuance model would not enhance customer service and could be perceived as an inconvenience.”

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