Florida Statutes 322.212 – Unauthorized possession of, and other unlawful acts in relation to, driver license or identification card
Current as of: 2024 | Check for updates
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(1) It is unlawful for any person to:
For details, see Fla. Stat. § 775.082(3)(e) and Fla. Stat. § 775.082(4)(b)
(a) Knowingly have in his or her possession or to display any blank, forged, stolen, fictitious, counterfeit, or unlawfully issued driver license or identification card or any instrument in the similitude of a driver license or identification card unless possession by such person has been duly authorized by the department;
Attorney's Note
Under the Florida Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Felony of the third degree | up to 5 years | up to $5,000 |
| misdemeanor of the second degree | up to 60 days | up to $500 |
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 322.212
- Commercial driver license: means a Class A, Class B, or Class C driver license issued in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Commercial motor vehicle: means any motor vehicle or motor vehicle combination used on the streets or highways, which:(a) Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more;(b) Is designed to transport more than 15 persons, including the driver; or(c) Is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be placarded in accordance with Florida Statutes 322.01
- Department: means the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles acting directly or through its duly authorized representatives. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Driver license: means a certificate that, subject to all other requirements of law, authorizes an individual to drive a motor vehicle and denotes an operator's license as defined in Florida Statutes 322.01
- Felony: means any offense under state or federal law that is punishable by death or by a term of imprisonment exceeding 1 year. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- Identification card: means a personal identification card issued by the department which conforms to the definition in Florida Statutes 322.01
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Motor vehicle: means any self-propelled vehicle, including a motor vehicle combination, not operated upon rails or guideway, excluding vehicles moved solely by human power, motorized wheelchairs, and electric bicycles as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Permit: means a document authorizing the temporary operation of a motor vehicle within this state subject to conditions established in this chapter. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- State: means a state or possession of the United States, and, for the purposes of this chapter, includes the District of Columbia. See Florida Statutes 322.01
- Vehicle: means every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway or operated upon rails or guideway, except a bicycle, motorized wheelchair, or electric bicycle. See Florida Statutes 322.01
(b) Knowingly have in his or her possession any instrument in the similitude of a driver license issued by the department or its duly authorized agents or those of any state or jurisdiction issuing licenses recognized in this state for the operation of a motor vehicle;(c) Knowingly have in his or her possession any instrument in the similitude of an identification card issued by the department or its duly authorized agents or those of any state or jurisdiction issuing identification cards recognized in this state for the purpose of indicating a person’s true name and age; or(d) Knowingly sell, manufacture, or deliver, or knowingly offer to sell, manufacture, or deliver, a blank, forged, stolen, fictitious, counterfeit, or unlawfully issued driver license or identification card, or an instrument in the similitude of a driver license or identification card, unless that person is authorized to do so by the department. A violation of this section may be investigated by any law enforcement agency, including the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.The term “driver license” includes a driver license issued by the department or its agents or a driver license issued by any state or jurisdiction that issues licenses recognized in this state for the operation of a motor vehicle. The term “identification card” includes any identification card issued by the department or its agents or any identification card issued by any state or jurisdiction that issues identification cards recognized in this state for the purpose of indicating a person’s true name and age. This subsection does not prohibit a person from possessing or displaying another person’s driver license or identification card for a lawful purpose.
(2) It is unlawful for any person to barter, trade, sell, or give away any driver license or identification card or to perpetrate a conspiracy to barter, trade, sell, or give away any such license or identification card unless such person has been duly authorized to issue the license or identification card by the department as provided in this chapter or in the adopted rules of the department.
(3) It is unlawful for any employee of the department to allow or permit the issuance of a driver license or identification card when he or she knows that the applicant has not lawfully fulfilled the requirements of this chapter for the issuance of such license or identification card.
(4) It is unlawful for any person to agree to supply or to aid in supplying any person with a driver license or identification card by any means whatsoever not in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(5)(a) It is unlawful for any person to use a false or fictitious name in any application for a driver license or identification card or knowingly to make a false statement, knowingly conceal a material fact, or otherwise commit a fraud in any such application.
(b) It is unlawful for any person to have in his or her possession a driver license or identification card upon which the date of birth has been altered.
(c) It is unlawful for any person designated as a sexual predator or sexual offender to have in his or her possession a driver license or identification card upon which the sexual predator or sexual offender markings required by s. 322.141 are not displayed or have been altered.
(6) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, any person who violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. Any person who violates paragraph (5)(a) by giving a false age in any application for a driver license or identification card or who violates paragraph (5)(b) by possessing a driver license, identification card, or any instrument in the similitude thereof, on which the date of birth has been altered is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. Any person who violates paragraph (1)(d) commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(7) In addition to any other penalties provided by this section, any person who provides false information when applying for a commercial driver license or commercial learner’s permit or is convicted of fraud in connection with testing for a commercial driver license or commercial learner’s permit shall be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for a period of 1 year.
(8) The provisions of this section are in addition and supplemental to all other provisions of this chapter and of the laws of this state relating to driver licenses and identification cards.