Why Sumter County
We generally recommend going to one of the three tax collector offices in Sumter county for the following reasons:
The staff is very familiar with our company, documentation, and our park. Between the three different tax collector office locations, we send multiple users every single day to get their driver's licenses.
We provide you with a "Letter to the Tax Collector" (also called "Proof of Address") document, which is only guaranteed to be valid in Sumter county. Instead of a lease, deed, or mortgage, you will use this document as one of your two proofs of residential address when getting your driver's license or state ID. When determining what to bring as your second proof of address, refer to this guide.
Many offices, such as those in Miami-Dade, have a policy to only serve residents of their respective county. As a Sumter county resident, you should go to one of the offices in Sumter county. That said, while many offices to have a policy in place to service only residents of their own county, if you have an appointment the staff is often willing to make an exception to this rule. It is not guaranteed and if you do plan on going to a tax collector office outside of Sumter county, in addition to having an appointment, it's generally a good idea to call ahead and confirm they will serve you.
Finally, if (1) you plan to register a vehicle in Florida, (2) there is a lien on your vehicle, and (3) when you created your vehicle in the customer portal you selected the option for us to contact your lien holder to have the title sent to the tax collector's office, we always have the title sent to the Bushnell tax collector office in Sumter county. In this case, you would need to specifically go to the Bushnell location to complete your vehicle registration. Alternatively, if you are registering a vehicle and have the title physically with you, you do not need to go to the Bushnell location specifically.
What to do if you are going to a tax collector office outside of Sumter county
Select a location. You can find a complete list of tax collector office locations across Florida here, along links to book an appointment.
Book an appointment. You may also want to call ahead to confirm they will still see you as a Sumter county resident.
Rather than use our "Letter to the Tax Collector" as your first proof of residential address, we recommend you bring two different proofs from two different financial institutions and/or a cell phone provider. For example, you can bring one item from Amex and one from Wells Fargo, but not two from Wells Fargo. Each item must show your full name and complete Florida residential address (not mailing address). Moreover, these items can be printed -- they do not need to be actual pieces of mail. When determining what to bring as your two proofs of residential address, refer to this guide.
Final Remarks
Regardless of which tax collector's office you decide to visit, making an appointment can help reduce wait times and ensure you get the assistance you need.
Finally, in addition to your two proofs of address, make sure to bring the other required documents, including a primary form of identification (e.g., US passport, birth certificate, or green card), as well as proof of social security number.