Florida driver’s licenses to be available through tax collector offices

[jwplayer config=”News-video” file=”wuftnews/20130311DMVOffice.mp4″ html5_file=”http://fms01.jou.ufl.edu/wuftnews/20130311DMVOffice.mp4″ image=”http://www.wuft.org/videoupdates/files/2012/10/WUFT-Generic-Logo_final-854×480.png”] Brittany Bassler reported for WUFT-TV.

For those seeking Florida driver’s licenses, there is good news coming for waiting times but bad news on costs.

Good: beginning Monday morning, Alachua County will issue driver’s licenses from three local tax collector offices.

Bad: as part of the location change, the state legislature raised the renewal fee from  $48 to $54.25.

The county is moving all driver’s license services to local tax collectors as part of a mandate from the state legislature passed in 2011. John Power, chief deputy tax collector, said combining driver’s licenses with other services should be an advantage.

“One positive change is that the citizen will have a choice of three different locations to go to,” Power said. “The current state office was undersized and understaffed for many years, so often the wait time was over two hours.”

Power said his office is hopeful the new approach will mean less waiting for new licenses and renewals.

Alachua County residents can visit these tax collector locations. The Butler Plaza location will start driver’s license services in May.