How to find Residency/License info?
 

What I'm trying to accomplish:

Get my drivers license switched to a Florida one.
Get a homestead exemption.
Get my car plates switched to Florida ones.

What I'm finding online:

To get a license switched over to Florida you need to prove you live in Florida, and you have to do it "within 30 days" of becoming a resident.

The options to prove this:
No kids, have to also change voter registration since I'm already registered in the state I came from. Not working yet, just got here, and filing a homestead exemption is on the list of things I need to do.

Problem #2: one of the things I have to do, to file for a homestead exemption, is have a valid Florida drivers license.

Head-banging here. I need a FL license to get homestead, and I need homestead to get license.

Is there some single government website that can explain the entire process of "becoming legal in Florida" in 10 easy steps (or similar)?

Go to the DMV office on Powell Road near Pinellas Plaza. They have handouts that will give you all the information you need. You don't need a homestead exemption to get a Florida drivers license.

It was one of the options. That's what confused me. The DMV page was all over the place too. Thanks for letting me know where the local one is though, I'll check that out this week!
:bigbow:

You can accomplish everything you need to do at that location. Get the form that lists the items you need. Can register to vote, get a Florida drivers license, register your vehicles and get the homestead exemption. The county has made a true one stop location.

Wish they had ice cream at that location.

I think you will need car insurance to register the car so a stop at the insurance broker maybe needed.

This is great information! I went through the same "chicken or the egg" confusion, I finally called the assessors office for direction.

Thanks for the reminder! See this is why I wanted to know /everything/ in one place! It sounds like this place at Pinellas Plaza is where I can get a checklist, ordered in the same order I actually need to do all the things!

I don't remember the exact order that we did things in but the one to hustle it up on is the Homestead. If my memory is correct it has to be done by March or it's going to cost you big time.

The entire experience is different at the TAX COLLECTORS OFFICE. Much more civilized, streamlined, efficient and polite than what I was accustomed to in the North and you don't fear for your life in the Florida Offices!

We used the office at 441 in Leesburg. We just went there to pay our taxes last week. Bang Zoom, outta there in under 5 minutes, a Beautiful Thing! Good Luck!

Utility bills also work to establish residency. Use that and a deed or lease and you should be good. The folks at DMV are amazingly helpful. For homestead, just a point that you can only homestead at one place, so if you are homesteaded at you other location, you will have to pick and if you pick Florida, you will need a letter from your previous tax authority that reflects you surrendered your homestead exemption there.

Go to the government building near you. We went to the one on 466A in the same building as the library.

No such thing as homestead exemptions where I come from so I think that'll be not applicable!

Great to be reminded about utility bills in general - but I think they'd need more than that, since utility bills just means you're paying for the electricity - not that you actually live in that property. Landlords often rent with utilities included. Basically it's proof that your building is up and running.

If you have been divorced they ask for proof of that too. We hadn't but I asked the man what was his record for that and he said he had someone who had to provide documentation of upward of ten marriages.

You can receive a homestead exemption. That means this is your primary home and it takes bucks off your taxes.

It was simpler and more pleasant than any other DMV I've been to ..

Here's a summary:

Proof of Social Security Number. You need to bring one:
Social Security Card
W-2 Form
SSA-1099
Non-SSA-1099
Pay Stub containing individuals name and Social Security number

Residential Address (BRING TWO)

Deed, mortgage, monthly mortgage statement, mortgage payment booklet, or rental agreement
Florida voter registration card
Florida vehicle registration or title
W-2 form or 1099 form
Utility bill, hookup, or work order not more than two months old
Current automobile or homeowner’s insurance policy or bill
Mail from financial institutions, not more than two months old
Medical or health card with address listed
A letter from a shelter or half-way house verifying that applicant lives at the address
Educational transcripts for current school year
Statement from an accompanying parent, stepparent or guardian residing at the same address as applicant. The parent or guardian must present proof of residential address.

Vehicle registration is equally simple - yes, Florida insurance required. IF you have a lien on your vehicle, you need to make sure the lien is transferred from your current state to Florida. The folks at DMV can help you through that process. The wait time at DMV at Pinellas is incredibly short, and the personnel pleasant.

RE Homestead .. two doors down from DMV .. folks equally helpful ..

And if you vote by mail you lose the tootsie roll too.