TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Floridians who have recently renewed or replaced their driver’s licenses may need to take an extra step to ensure they remain eligible to vote.

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) has introduced a new policy issuing driver’s licenses with randomized ID numbers instead of lifelong fixed numbers. Officials say this change aims to reduce fraud and identity theft by making it harder for criminals to track or duplicate personal information across databases.

However, this update can cause an unintended complication: the new randomized ID number may not match the one linked to a voter’s registration record.

“Your voter record is tied to your driver’s license or Florida ID number,” the Division of Elections explained in a recent advisory. “If the number changes and isn’t updated, it could delay or complicate the verification process when you go to vote.”

What Voters Should Do

State officials urge all residents who receive a new license number to update their voter registration as soon as possible. This can be done online at registertovoteflorida.gov, by mail, or in person at a local supervisor of elections office.

While failure to update won’t automatically remove a voter from the rolls, it may cause issues verifying eligibility at polling stations or when requesting mail-in ballots.

Why the Change?

The shift to randomized ID numbers is part of a broader statewide effort to combat identity theft. Florida consistently ranks high in reported fraud cases, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Officials hope that unpredictable ID numbers will make it harder for personal information to be misused.

Timing Is Important

With the 2026 election season approaching, supervisors of elections across Florida stress the importance of updating records early.

“It’s a simple fix that takes five minutes online,” said Jennifer Edwards, Collier County’s Supervisor of Elections. “But if you wait until Election Day, it could mean long lines and a lot of frustration.”

✅ Bottom line for Florida voters: If you’ve recently renewed or replaced your driver’s license, double-check that your voter registration reflects your new ID number—before you head to the polls.