Did you know? – Changing Drivers Licenses for TEMPORARY Address
Florida Sex Offender Laws
By now we all know (hopefully) that when visiting Florida, or staying at a temporary location for five (5) or more days, a sex offender is required to register where they are staying as a “temporary address”. But did you know that in addition to going to the local sheriff and registering, you are also required to go to the DMV and get a new driver’s license/ID?
Who would have thought, right?
It was just brought to our attention that even registering a temporary address triggers the requirement that you go down to the DMV drivers license office also.
Florida Statutes 943.0435 states:
(4)(a) Each time a sexual offender’s driver’s license or identification card is subject to renewal, and, without regard to the status of the offender’s driver’s license or identification card, within 48 hours after any change in the offender’s permanent, temporary, or transient residence or change in the offender’s name by reason of marriage or other legal process, the offender shall report in person to a driver’s license office, and shall be subject to the requirements specified in subsection (3).
So say you live in another state and plan to take a family trip to Florida for winter break, plan to spend half a day at the sheriff’s office to register and another half day at the driver’s license office getting your license or ID card. Say you live in North Florida and plan on visiting your parents in Boca Raton for 5 days, you’ll need to BOTH go to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to register your temporary location AND go to the DHSMV to change your driver’s license, even though you have a Florida license with the designation on it!
I have been doing this since I got off of Parole in 2013. I work for the same company that I worked for before my offence, they don’t judge me for my past bad choice. I have to travel to different cities and counties in at least three different states. All I had to do was first, go to the police agency that controls the registry, tell them the address in the state and county that I will be staying at. If I’m going to be there , and this is where I’m not sure , for three days or more I have to go to the driver’s license department and ask to have a temporary address added to my ” license”. They charge me 6 dollars and and a few cents for every “temporary address” that I will need to be living at. If I have a new or different address to claim, I have to go back and add it to my “driver’s license record/file ” that they keep in their computer about me. They, the driver’s license clerk, will also ask me if I have any temporary address that I no longer use, if so, they will then remove it from my “license record of temporary addresses. It is very confusing…and it’s just one more think that I have to memorize in order to stay this side of Prison. I hope this helps to clear up the temporary addresses additional requirements.
What in God’s name do you do about this once it’s long past and you did not goto the dmv about a temp address????
Not for nothing but a thought came to mind you go for 2 or 3 day trip you end up in hospital either due to car accident or emergency suitation you end up for more than 5 or more days in a hospital. Will you get arrested for this unforeseen situation?
Not if you register. If you don’t register you are subject to arrest.
Ok if you are in a hospital because of a bad accident you cannot go register at the sheriffs office in person am I to assume they will come to me ?
I live in a county that I have no trouble if I go to visit my family for the weekend I just let the sheriffs office know I am going so it is in the system just in case
Even though I don’t have to.
But if you stay in a different county more than 48 hours I believe you must register unless you leave that county and then return to it later
Larry – the statute says you must report IN PERSON to change any permanent temporary or transient address. The “IN PERSON” is in caps.
We all know that the requirements are as confusing for law enforcement as they are for the registrant and that you can ask three different people and get three different answers when it comes to SO restrictions. However, the “IN PERSON” part appears in the statute.
I am hoping the authors of this article missed something.
The DMV requirement makes no sense.
Just register the temporary address with law enforcement at home and in visiting city/county. Right?
Not according to the Sheriff’s office in Brevard or the FDLE. After adding a temporary address at the Sheriff’s, you must also go to the DMV to add it there.
It is absolutely absurd.
FAC will be requesting clarification from FDLE in a letter, but we won’t hold our breath waiting for an answer.
FAC has requested clarification: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/FDLE-Temporary-Address-Inquiry.pdf
Just had an RC neighbor, off papers, return from a one week vacation to St. Augustine. He went in person to Sherriff and was informed to go to the DMV to inform of temporary address showing the temporary registration paper issued, which he did. The Fl DMV office issued a letter ‘to show that you reported to the Office of Alachua County tax Collector (D87)to obtain/update your Florida Drivers License or identification card as required in s. 775.21 (6) Florida Statutes.
At the time of reporting, a Florida drivers license or identification card could not be issued because you could not produce the required documentation or payment to secure or update a Florida drivers license or identification card.”
Documentation required is identification documents, residency documents payment of fees.
The letter further goes on to state that the issuance of the letter DOES NOT fulfill the requirements to obtain or update a Florida drivers license or identification card as required in s. 775.2(6) F.S.. Failure to comply with this requirement is a felony in the 3rd degree punishable in sections 775.082, 775.083 or 775.084F.S.
When he checked on the FDLE website upon arriving in at St. Augustine, he noted that the site was updated with his ‘temporary’ address. Anyway, he went on vacation with this done and is now back, He reported within the 48 hours of returning . NO need to return to the DMV.
This letter is dated Oct 27, 2017 at 12:04:16.
which would be impossible to do in person if you were in a hospital bed for more than 5 days.
Here’s an idea, how about you just go on your trip, do none of that bullshit, and drive the sleep limit wherever you’re at so you don’t get pulled over and found out. That’s what I would do anyway. How in the hell would anyone at the sheriffs office even know you went somewhere. Gimme a break
Here’s why just leaving without letting the Sheriff know, 99% of the time, You will probably be fine, BUT, Say you get into an accident ??? Then the cop runs your license ???!!!!!. Guess what !!!, You’re on a one way trip to HELL !!. I’ve been stopped for stupid things and THANK GOD I had my travel papers !!. . Just leaving the state without “Complying” with the “Punishment” is NOT a Good idea !!!. There are all kinda stupid things that could get you “Caught”!!!. Then your problems would just multiply !!. Not to mention, A couple years in Prison !!!. Instead of trying to “Skirt” around these ILLEGAL LAWS, Let’s Band together and FIGHT TO CHANGE THEM !!.
This is unacceptable stupidity of epic proportions!
It is CLEAR that at this point (and for some time now) that Florida is ONLY interested in seeing how far they can go with these additional punishments and not only for those stuck in Florida but for those even stepping foot in the state.
These are unnecessary and overly complicated and why?
So they can violate people and keep the prison system full. It is clear that is part of the state business plan at this point.
It has NOTHING to do with child safety and everything to do with money – Period.
I agree many years ago when I was in prison a superintendent at that prison told my dad that the prison system is a money making business. Look at the money family members send for canteen and other items.
Not sure how all us RSO get to really stand together except for to do a march on Tallahassee for those of us not on probation.
Remember they cannot see our emails because their rights are being violated right now with no internet access the FAC is a great place to start but that of us that can afford to donate have to ,I have and will do more
I want my drivers license not to say Sexual predator because I was forced to accept it in my plea deal and the court ordered it. That is the first thing that I have finally just made me say enough is enough.
You nailed it my man. Until you can cut off the state’s money flow with the prison industry, nothing, and I do mean NOTHING is going to change for the better. Whether it’s sex offenders, drug offenders, or any of us. As long as the state and the politicians and legal system all benefit financially from the industry, nothing will ever change. You can bank on it. Our efforts are futile.
At 35 bucks a pop in Orange county I can see why the state would want to hold on to this burden some requirement.
Also registrants practically have to save up to meet the DMV requirements on a planned move. Can this be requirement me challenged as it puts more of a burden on someone who’s under employed or made unemployable by the registry. There is absolutely no need for a completely new drivers license or ID because you slept somewhere else for 5 days. I see it 4 ways 1 the state trying to gain revenue 2 from those who can least afford it (punishment) 3 with the threat of jail or prison (more punishment) 4 and wanting the registrant to do law enforcements job for them again. A money maker for every county and state you visit