Redesigned drivers’ licenses and ID cards being issued in Sarasota County as of this month

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More security features provided

Colm Human (center) shows off the first new Florida driver’s license in Sarasota County, which was issued to him on Oct. 25 to at the Driver’s License Office on South Pompano Avenue near the Sarasota Fairgrounds. With him are Office Manager Sheri Silvio (left) and Julio Cesar, customer service representative. Image courtesy Tax Collector’s Office

As of this month, all offices of the Sarasota County Tax Collector will be issuing the new, more secure Florida driver’s license and ID card, Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates has announced.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) has redesigned the cards to include almost double the number of fraud protection measures, compared to the previous design, a news release explains. “The cards provide the most secure, over-the-counter credential available, according to representatives from the DHSMV,” the release adds. Among the security features are redundant data, ultraviolet (UV) ink and optically variable features, the release notes.

The new design also incorporates optional designations for lifetime fishing and hunting licenses, veterans, organ donors, people with deafness/hearing disabilities and the developmentally disabled.

“We are pleased and excited to announce the first issuance of the new card at our offices; however, there is no urgency to replace your card immediately,” said Ford-Coates in the release. “Existing cards will remain valid until their expiration.” Individuals will need to renew their driver’s licenses or ID cards only upon expiration or if they have had a change in name or address, the release points out.

To find out more about Florida’s new driver’s license or ID card, visit www.flhsmv.gov/newDL. For a list of documents required to get a new or replacement driver’s license or ID card, visit www.GatherGoGet.com.