There's been a huge backup when it comes to renewing and getting a new Florida driver's license.
NBC 6 found appointments in Miami-Dade and Broward counties are booked until November. So if drivers don't plan way ahead of time, they could be waiting for up to two months for a new driver's license.
"That’s ridiculous how they work, something has to happen. Someone has to help get this problem resolved," said Veronica Moran, a Homestead resident. “If the police stop me, they are going to give me a ticket. So how can I fix?”
Some people have been going without a license for months, and others like Miami resident Luis LaRosa have been waiting longer.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
In an attempt to get a license sooner, LaRosa and Moran drove down to the Keys. They were hoping they could walk in and get a new license. But there, they were greeted by a sign that said the office is only serving Monroe County residents with limited exceptions — none that they met.
The Monroe County Tax Collector’s Office told NBC 6 that too many people were coming down, adding that it didn’t want to deal with Miami-Dade and Broward’s problem. Palm Beach County is also only serving its county residents.
NBC 6 also reached out to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles about the problem. After multiple requests for an interview, the department instead sent a statement, saying, “As Florida's population continues to grow, and we see higher demands for in-office services, the department is constantly working to serve Floridians as efficiently and effectively as possible.”
Local
“They (the state) needs to open more offices, they open more appointments, they put more people like they have to do it because we pay taxes for that,” Moran said.
The state said that during the past legislative session, "historic investments" were made to the department, including pay increases for staff.
"This has allowed the department to hire more driver license examiners and reduce vacancies, which we are hopeful will aid tremendously in meeting the higher service demands," they said.
In the meantime, drivers can request a temporary driving permit that extends the effective period of their license while they wait for their new one. Click here to apply. Some renewals can be done online.
