The number of residents in Bay County continues to increase with many moving to Florida for the first time. If you have recently moved to Bay County from a different area of the country, we want to welcome you to our beautiful county and offer assistance as you transition to becoming a Florida resident. Here are some things you need to know before visiting our office to obtain your Florida Driver License/Identification Card or to register and tag your vehicles. Follow these directions and you should be able to get everything accomplished in one trip!
Make Sure You Have the Required Documents to Complete Your Transactions.
To register your out-of-state vehicles in Florida, please bring the following:
• Out-of-State Title and Registration. If the vehicle has a lien on it, please have your lienholder information available (Name, Address, Phone Number, Fax Number) as we will have to send a request to the lienholder before we can title and register the vehicle in Florida.
• All vehicle owners on title should be present with photo identification. If one of the owners cannot be present, a Power of Attorney should be completed for that individual.
• Proof of Florida Insurance on the vehicle. Call your insurance company and ask them to switch you to a Florida policy.
• Bring the vehicle with you. A VIN inspection will need to be done at our office.
• Driver License/ ID Card: Florida is a Real ID State, which requires residents to provide specific documents to prove their identity when applying for a driver license or identification card. If you’re a U.S. citizen, you’ll need to bring the following original documents with you to your appointment, we cannot accept photocopies of these documents.
• State Certified Birth Certificate or Valid U.S. Passport
• Two pieces of mail with your current name and current address
• Social Security Card or number
• If your name has changed since birth, please bring proof of every legal name change document (certified marriage license, court order, etc.).
Maximize Your Time, Schedule An Appointment
A New Resident Appointment can be set up at BayTaxCollector.com. Scheduling an appointment provides us the ability to take care of driver license and vehicle registrations for new residents in one visit.
New Resident transactions are a bit lengthier than a standard driver license renewal or vehicle registration renewal, please be patient with our team. Our goal is to get you served in a timely manner and to minimize your visits to our office.
Did You Purchase Property? File for Homestead.
If you have purchased property in Florida and will be claiming it as your homestead, don’t forget to apply for homestead exemption with the Property Appraiser’s Office. The deadline to qualify for homestead exemption for 2023 property taxes has already passed, but you can apply for 2024. You can learn more about Homestead Exemption and other exemptions at www.baypa.net or contact the Property Appraiser’s Beach Office at (850) 248-8470.
More information can be found online at BayTaxCollector.com.
