(1) The department shall, upon application, authorize by interagency agreement any or all of the tax collectors who are constitutional officers under s. 1(d), Art. VIII of the State Constitution in the several counties of the state, subject to the requirements of law, in accordance with rules of the department, to serve as its agent for the provision of specified driver license services.

(a) These services shall be limited to the issuance of driver licenses and identification cards as authorized by this chapter.

(b) Each tax collector who is authorized by the department to provide driver license services shall bear all costs associated with providing those services.

(c) A service fee of $6.25 must be charged, in addition to the fees set forth in this chapter, for providing all services pursuant to this chapter. The service fee may not be charged:

1. More than once per customer during a single visit to a tax collector’s office.

2. For a reexamination requested by the Medical Advisory Board or required pursuant to s. 322.221.

3. For a voter registration transaction.

4. In violation of any federal or state law.

5. To a veteran receiving any service pursuant to this chapter, upon presentation of a copy of the veteran’s:

a. DD Form 214, issued by the United States Department of Defense;

b. Veteran health identification card, issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs;

c. Veteran identification card, issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to the Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015, Pub. L. No. 114-31; or

d. Other acceptable form specified by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

(2) Each tax collector is required to give a good and sufficient surety bond, payable to the department, conditioned upon his or her faithfully and truly performing the duties imposed upon him or her according to the requirements of law and the rules of the department and upon his or her accounting for all materials, records, and other property and money that come into his or her possession or control by reason of performing these duties.

(a) The amount of the bond must be determined by the department as an amount not less than 10 percent above the average of the daily deposits of each tax collector.

(b) If a tax collector is also an agent of the department for purposes of s. 320.03, the amount of the bond must be at least 10 percent above the average of the total daily deposits of all funds received by the tax collector on behalf of the department.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 320.03, only one bond is required in order for a tax collector to serve as an agent of the department under chapters 320 and 322.

(3) Each tax collector shall keep a full and complete record of all materials, records, and other properties received by him or her from the department, or from any other source, and shall make prompt remittance of moneys collected by him or her at such times and in such manner as prescribed by law, in accordance with departmental rules.

(4) A tax collector may not issue or renew a driver license if he or she has any reason to believe that the licensee or prospective licensee is physically or mentally unqualified to operate a motor vehicle.

(5) All driver license issuance services shall be assumed by the tax collectors who are constitutional officers under s. 1(d), Art. VIII of the State Constitution by June 30, 2015. The implementation shall follow the schedule outlined in the transition report of February 1, 2011, which was required pursuant to chapter 2010-163, Laws of Florida.

(6) Notwithstanding chapter 116, each county officer within this state who is authorized to collect funds provided for in this chapter shall pay all sums officially received by the officer into the State Treasury no later than 5 working days after the close of the business day in which the officer received the funds. Payment by county officers to the state shall be made by means of electronic funds transfers.

(7) The department may create exceptions by rule for tax collectors who cannot provide full driver license services due to the small population in the tax collector’s county.

History.—s. 48, ch. 96-413; s. 2, ch. 2001-156; s. 34, ch. 2005-2; s. 75, ch. 2005-164; s. 33, ch. 2009-71; s. 4, ch. 2010-163; s. 23, ch. 2011-66; s. 50, ch. 2013-160; s. 6, ch. 2018-80.