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UF Health University of Florida
Accepted Medical Students College of Medicine
Student Life Overview

Becoming a Floridian: Residency Information

Website: https://admissions.ufl.edu/cost-and-aid/residency

For questions regarding residency and status please visit the website listed above or contact:

Graduate and Professional School Admissions at 352-392-1365

UF Residency Reclassification Form

If you are interested in becoming a true Florida state resident you’ve come to the right place. Whether you are considered an in-state or out of state student is based off of the residency status that you hold when you’re admitted to UFCOM. For those who were born in Florida or raised in Florida and then moved away for undergrad, your status as a Florida resident should not be affected, as long as your parents are still claiming you as a dependent on their taxes. For those who were born or raised in Florida but have since moved away (grad school, work, ect.), or those originally from another state, you will probably be considered an out of state student.

The following are documents that you should get as soon as possible once moving to Florida. Ideally they should be dated one year prior to registration for your second year therefore you can petition to be an in-state resident for your second year on.

1. Lease or Mortgage

Address: Your new place!
Price: Variable depending on rent or mortgage payment
Tips: Ask your lessor for an extra copy of your lease or make copies of your lease so you have an extra copy for yourself and one for official business.

2. Florida State Driver’s License

NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE TITLE AND REGISTRATION FOR YOUR CAR!!!
Where: Gainesville DMV/Tax Collector’s Office
Address: 5830 NW 34th Street 32653-2115
Phone: 352-374-5236
Hours of Operation: M-F 8 am – 5pm
Price: $54.25

Tips: It usually isn’t as busy in the morning so we recommend going as early as you can. We also suggest double checking that whatever site or location you go to can in fact issue a driver’s license because some sites can not. You do not need to re-take the driver’s test when transferring a license.

What to Bring:

  1. ID- Bring one of the following: Birth certificate, Valid U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization, Consular proof of birth abroad, or alien registration card (green card, form 1551)
  2. Social Security Number- Bring one of the following: Social Security card, W-2 form, Pay check showing number, any 1099 form
  3. Residential Address- Bring one of the following: Deed/mortgage/payment booklet/rental agreement, Florida vehicle registration or title, utility bill or hookup/work order, or statement from person you live along with two address documents in that person’s name

3. Title and Registration for Your Car / Changing Auto Insurance to a FL Policy

Where: Tax Collector’s Office
Price: How much does all of this cost?  It depends on how much you’re paying for auto insurance, how big your car is, etc.  Remember to bring cash or check for all the fees. These kinds of places sometimes accept credit cards, but not all cards.
Tips: It usually isn’t as busy in the morning so we recommend going around the time they open.

Steps Involved:

  1. Get your driver’s license changed at the DMV. SEE ABOVE
  2. Get your auto insurance changed to FL.  Call your old insurance agent and they can recommend someone in the Gainesville area.  Your new insurance agent will want to know your new driver’s license number.
  3. Get your vehicle registration and tags changed at the Alachua County Tax Collector’s office.  YOU MUST DO THIS WITHIN 10 DAYS OF BECOMING A FL RESIDENT (you de-facto become a FL resident when you get your new driver’s license and register to vote).  You’ll need:
    • Proof of your new FL auto insurance (you must have this before getting your new tags).
    • The title of your car from your old state – make sure it has YOUR NAME on it
    • The registration of your car from your old state – make sure it has YOUR NAME on it.
    • Leave your old plates on and make sure your VIN is easy to find on the vehicle for the clerk to come out and check.
  4. After you’ve done all of this, you should have:
    • A new Florida driver’s license
    • A new Florida plate on your car (rear only)
    • A new Florida auto insurance card
    • A new Florida vehicle registration
    • A new Florida vehicle title (it comes in the mail later)

4. Florida Voter’s Registration

Where: Supervisor of the Courts
Address: 111 Southeast 1st Avenue Gainesville, FL 32601
Phone: 352-374-5252
Price: FREE. Don’t forget to vote!
What to Bring: Florida driver’s license.
Tips: You can expedite getting your voter’s registration card. Just tell them when you go in and fill out the paperwork that you’d like it rushed. They should then tell you that they can either mail it to you or you can come pick it up a couple days later.

5. Declaration of Domicile

Where: Clerk of the Court
Address: 201 E. University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601
Price: $15
Tips: Download the “Declaration of Florida Domicile” form under “Official Records” on the website listed above. Print it out, fill it out, and bring it with you.
What to Bring: Gator 1 (student ID) or Florida driver’s license

6. Taxes

Make sure your parents do NOT claim you as a dependent on their taxes after you have started medical school.

Once you’ve collected the above things (in reference to the driver’s license, domicile, etc.) and are ready to apply fill out the “Request for Residency Reclassification.” Make sure you fill it out in its entirety and that you have everything that is needed for a complete application. Once finished, submit the form AND photocopies of the necessary things (i.e. everything obtained above as well as other additional things requested in the application i.e. copy of parents tax return etc.) to the Office of the University Registrar located in 222 Criser Hall, which is up on main campus near the intersection of University and NW 13th, on the 2nd floor of Criser Hall.  The application processing takes about 4-6 weeks and you can check your status on ISIS under “My Records”, then “Petition Status.”

Should your loans for the fall semester be disbursed before your application has been processed, the amount for out-of-state tuition will be taken out, and should you subsequently be reclassified as an in-state student you will be refunded the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition within 4-6 weeks. Should you NOT be reclassified as an in-state student you will be expected to pay out-of-state tuition for that semester and subsequent semesters. TAKE HOME MESSAGE:  Ensure that you have enough loans to cover out-of-state tuition and don’t assume you will be granted in-state residency, though from word of mouth most students are re-classified provided you have the necessary documentation.