Acceptable Forms of Identification for Vehicle Sales

As a vehicle seller, it's your responsibility to ensure that the identity of the buyer is legitimate. The first step towards this is verifying their identity, and as a dealer, you can only accept specific documents as valid forms of identification such as a driver's license, identification card, or passport.

While a majority of customers may have Florida-issued driver licenses, dealers can accept U.S. driver licenses from other states and territories such as American Samoa, Guam, Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The security level of identification documents has increased, so you should look for features like laser engraving, ghost images, and fine-line or guilloche patterns to prevent counterfeit documents.

If a buyer does not have a driver's license, they may use a government-issued identification card. However, it must be from the United States or its territories, and other licenses such as gun licenses or professional licenses are not acceptable as identification.

Passport books or cards are also acceptable, including foreign passports and Canadian driver's licenses or identification cards. However, Visa's are not acceptable forms of identification, and you should always check to ensure that the identification documents are not expired before accepting them.

Remember, under no circumstances should you accept an expired form of identification, and it's important to read more about the requirements for submitting a copy of the identification to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).