Florida Senate - 2026                                     SB 566
       
       
        
       By Senator Yarborough
       
       
       
       
       
       4-00730-26                                             2026566__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to certificate of title application
    3         requirements; amending s. 319.23, F.S.; including
    4         certain proof of identification and residency in
    5         requirements for certificate of title applications;
    6         providing that certain documents may include
    7         fingerprints and other unique biometric means of
    8         identity; providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (3) of
   13  section 319.23, Florida Statutes, to read:
   14         319.23 Application for, and issuance of, certificate of
   15  title.—
   16         (3) If a certificate of title has not previously been
   17  issued for a motor vehicle or mobile home in this state, the
   18  application, unless otherwise provided for in this chapter,
   19  shall be accompanied by a proper bill of sale or sworn statement
   20  of ownership, or a duly certified copy thereof, or by a
   21  certificate of title, bill of sale, or other evidence of
   22  ownership required by the law of the state or county from which
   23  the motor vehicle or mobile home was brought into this state.
   24  The application shall also be accompanied by:
   25         (d)1.The applicant’s proof of identity satisfactory to the
   26  department. Such proof must include one of the following
   27  documents issued to the applicant:
   28         a.A driver license record or identification card record
   29  from another jurisdiction that required the applicant to submit
   30  a document for identification which is substantially similar to
   31  a document required under sub-subparagraph b., sub-subparagraph
   32  c., sub-subparagraph d., sub-subparagraph e., sub-subparagraph
   33  f., sub-subparagraph g., or sub-subparagraph h.;
   34         b.A certified copy of a United States birth certificate;
   35         c.A valid, unexpired United States passport;
   36         d.A naturalization certificate issued by the United States
   37  Department of Homeland Security;
   38         e.A valid, unexpired alien registration receipt card
   39  (green card);
   40         f.A Consular Report of Birth Abroad provided by the United
   41  States Department of State;
   42         g.An unexpired employment authorization card issued by the
   43  United States Department of Homeland Security; or
   44         h.Proof of nonimmigrant classification provided by the
   45  United States Department of Homeland Security. In order to prove
   46  nonimmigrant classification, an applicant must provide at least
   47  one of the following documents. In addition, the department may
   48  require applicants to produce United States Department of
   49  Homeland Security documents for the sole purpose of establishing
   50  the maintenance of, or efforts to maintain, continuous lawful
   51  presence:
   52         (I)A notice of hearing from an immigration court
   53  scheduling a hearing on any proceeding.
   54         (II)A notice from the Board of Immigration Appeals
   55  acknowledging pendency of an appeal.
   56         (III)A notice of the approval of an application for
   57  adjustment of status issued by the United States Citizenship and
   58  Immigration Services.
   59         (IV)Official documentation confirming the filing of a
   60  petition for asylum or refugee status or any other relief issued
   61  by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
   62         (V)A notice of action transferring any pending matter from
   63  another jurisdiction to this state issued by the United States
   64  Citizenship and Immigration Services.
   65         (VI)An order of an immigration judge or immigration
   66  officer granting relief that authorizes the alien to live and
   67  work in the United States, including, but not limited to,
   68  asylum.
   69         (VII)Evidence that an application is pending for
   70  adjustment of status to that of an alien lawfully admitted for
   71  permanent residence in the United States or conditional
   72  permanent resident status in the United States, if a visa number
   73  is available having a current priority date for processing by
   74  the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
   75         (VIII)An unexpired foreign passport with an unexpired
   76  United States Visa affixed, accompanied by an approved Form I
   77  94, documenting the most recent admittance into the United
   78  States.
   79  
   80  A driver license or temporary permit issued based on documents
   81  required in sub-subparagraph g. or sub-subparagraph h. is valid
   82  for a period not to exceed the expiration date of the document
   83  presented or 1 year.
   84         2.Documents submitted with an application pursuant to
   85  subparagraph 1. may include fingerprints and other unique
   86  biometric means of identity.
   87  
   88  Verification of the vehicle identification number is not
   89  required for any new motor vehicle; any mobile home; any trailer
   90  or semitrailer with a net weight of less than 2,000 pounds; or
   91  any travel trailer, camping trailer, truck camper, or fifth
   92  wheel recreation trailer.
   93         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.