The department's mission is to develop, maintain, and support a safe driving environment through law enforcement, public education and service, reduction of traffic crashes, titling and registering motor vehicles and vessels, and licensing drivers.

The department serves the driving public, including problem drivers; motor vehicle and boat owners; commercial drivers and trucking companies; automobile, mobile home, and recreational vehicle dealers and buyers; and mobile home manufacturers. The department serves much of Florida's population, with approximately 17.6 million licensed drivers and over 22.1 million registered motor vehicles, motorcycles, mobile homes, travel trailers, and vessels.

The department is organized into two major operating divisions - the Florida Highway Patrol and the Division of Motorist Services. The Division of Motorist Services includes five bureaus

• Bureau of Credentialing Services
• Bureau of Motorist Compliance
• Bureau of Commercial Vehicle and Driver Services
• Bureau of Issuance Oversight
• In addition, the Bureau of Records is the official custodian of Florida driver license records and manages all records for the state's licensed drivers.

The department also includes the Division of Administrative Services and Information Systems Administration. The Division of Administrative Services is responsible for the oversight of all department administrative functions including accounting, budgeting, purchasing, and facilities. Information Systems Administration provides informational technology resources to assist the department's operational divisions and is responsible for computer systems that are used to issue and store information for driver licenses and vehicle and vessel titles and registrations.

In Fiscal Year 2018-19, the department reported 91.06% of drivers license office customers waited 30 minutes or less for service. The department's standard is 95%. Additionally, the average customer service call center wait time was 16:41 minutes. The department's standard wait time is 12 minutes or less. While the department did not meet these performance measures, the percent of customers that rated these services as satisfactory or better was 94.35%; well above the department's standard of 85%.

Licenses for persons with developmental disabilities. The 2020 Legislature enacted Chapter 2020-178, Laws of Florida, which, among other provisions, authorizes an optional “D” designation on the drivers license of a person who has been diagnosed with a developmental disability. The licensee, or his or her parent or legal guardian, must present the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) with sufficient proof that a licensed physician has diagnosed the licensee with a developmental disability. Additionally, a licensee, or his or her parent or legal guardian, may surrender his or her current driver license at any time to add or remove a “D” designation.

Specialty license plates. Florida has over 120 specialty license plates available to any owner or lessee of a motor vehicle willing to pay the additional annual use fee. These fees are distributed by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) to statutorily designated organizations in support of a particular cause or charity. The 2020 Legislature enacted Chapter 2020-181, Laws of Florida, which has several provisions regarding specialty license plates, including; establishing a cap of 150 specialty license plates, providing a process for the discontinuation of low performing specialty license plates as well as creating 32 new specialty license plates. The bill further authorizes DHSMV to issue specialty license plates for fleet and motor vehicle dealer vehicles.

 

Other Reports

Texting While Driving Report, February 2020, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Impaired Driving Campaign Report, January 2019, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Annual Performance Report Fiscal Year 2016-2017, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Red-Light Camera Summary Report Fiscal Year 2018-19, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Seat Belt Violations 2018 Annual Report, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' Office of Inspector General reports are available by emailing inspectorgeneral@flhsmv.gov.

A complete list of Auditor General reports on the department is available on its website.

Websites of Interest
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Driver Licenses and ID Cards General Information
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Fees
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Office Locations
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, General Reports & Statistics
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Useful Web Links
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Performance Information

 
Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

Chapters 316, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 324, 328, 488, and 627 Part XI, and s. 20.24, Florida Statutes.

DHSMV Customer Service Center, 850-617-2000

Website