New Drivers licensing rules

[krysdean]

I had a rather disquieting experience at the hands of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.  Beginning in January of 2010, everyone in Florida is required to renew their license in person, and document their identity.  Although I felt it was invasive, I had no choice, but to comply.  I showed up with the requisite documents:

Original birth certificate
Name Change
Dr. Bibers affidavit of gender reassignment (dated Jan 1990)
Voter Registration
Title to my car (for identification of my current address)
Passport
Pilot License
Concealed Weapon Permit (which means I was fingerprinted and vetted by the FBI)

I was told that because Dr. Biber had not included (among other things) his medical license number, the state issuing his medical license number, his DEA registration number, the document did not meet the requirements set by Homeland Security, a new document would be required.  I pointed out that Dr. Biber had passed away and was told that there was nothing that could be done without an original document that met all the requirements set out by Homeland Security.  Obviously that would not be possible, but the attitude was "oh well, not our problem".

I have been a licensed driver in Florida for nearly twenty years, and now because a document issued 21 years ago did not meet 2011 standards I was basically out of luck.  Fortunately, with the help of the great people at Mt San Rafael Hospital, I was given a sworn statement that my surgery had taken place, but even that was not sufficient for the bureaucrats in the licensing division, it took a call to the governors office and a conversation with an understanding staff member who, fortunately, had some pull.  I was finally issued my drivers license yesterday after several months of effort.

Be prepared, this "identification verification" program is slated to go nationwide, if you are not certain you have ALL of the documentation required, start gathering it NOW.  If anyone wants a full list of requirements set forth by Homeland Security, drop me an e-mail, I will be happy to share what I have.

Krys

[toxicblue]

Wow, that sounds like way too much trouble for what it's worth.

[KarenMiami]

I was rejected from even applying for a name change let alone a change of Gender Marker in Florida 3 weeks ago.  I am a permanent USA legal resident who has lived, worked and paid taxes in the United States for over a 11 years.  Since I am not a citizen, even with all relevant documents including my "new" Birth Certificate issued by the Australian Government I was told no change can be made until my "Permanent Resident Card" has been changed by Homeland Security.  This is going to take months.  Just to get the first interview is longer than 2 months.  In the meantime I am breaking Florida Law by using what is now no longer my name and being forced to falsely lie about my identity.   It gets better.  Chase Bank will not change my name either until my "Drivers License" or "Permanent Resident Card" is changed.  So now I am illegaly signing checks in a name that is no longer my name.  I wonder how many laws I am breaking?

If anyone else would be interested, I think it is time to make this an issue to even confront in the courts this insane and in humane policy.   I am now suffering constant humiliation when doing just daily transactions and being put at even physical risk by having documents that do not reflect my "true" name and gender.

This is now a human rights issue, an equal oppurtunity issue and a civil rights issue.   It is also a legal issue of being treated  fairly and equl before the law as guarenteed by the United States Constitution.


Jst some thoughts on this issue

[Arch]

Krys, could you post a link to the DHS page with this information?

[justmeinoz]

This is just wrong on so many levels it would be funny if it was not so serious.

Firstly they don't seem to realise that criminals are going to break the law anyway! They will just get a fake licence.

The term Homeland Security appears to be a complete misnomer, as Krys appears to not be accepted in his homeland as an upstanding citizen despite being allowed to carry a concealed firearm. The FBI say he is ok! He has a Pilot's Licence too, do they think Sept 11 was done in a Chevrolet for crying out loud.

Sorry America, but I think the terrorists have won hands down, as they have made you change your entire way of life, for what amounts to very little actual effort on their part.

Karen.

[Arch]

I did a bit of poking around at the Florida DMV site. I see a list of requirements--proof of identification (BC or passport), proof of SSN, two proofs of residence address.

According to the Florida DMV, a person who has a current passport with his or her post-transition name and sex marker does not need a birth certificate, a name-change document, OR verification of surgery. So I'm tentatively concluding that the original poster's birth certificate AND passport are both inconsistent with his or her current name and presentation. If that's the case, the original post is a bit misleading.

I didn't find any specific criteria for sex changes, unsurprisingly. Is it possible for any licensed physician to verify the usual "irreversible sex change surgery" or whatever the current requirement is? That's pretty much the standard for passports these days, anyway.

The requirements are obnoxious, to be sure, and they're a real problem for a lot of trans people. But I don't think the OP has enough information for us to judge whether this case is typical or even unreasonable according to the "normal" Real ID standard.