Florida Residency Requirements

Florida Statutes 1009.21(3)(b)(c) state that residency for tuition purposes must be verified by submitting two or more documents to determine residency in this state for a minimum of 12 consecutive months prior to a student’s initial enrollment. Acceptable documents include a Florida driver’s license, vehicle registration, or voter’s registration. Here is a comprehensive guide to the Florida Residency Guidelines and a list of acceptable documentation. If you are a registered voter, but do not have your voter’s registration card, please go to the Supervisor of Elections website for your county to get your number and original issue date. For additional information regarding residency requirements, please contact our admissions office at 850- 484-2544.

Florida law defines a dependent child as any person, whether living with his or her parent, who is eligible to be claimed by his or her parent as a dependent under the federal income tax code. When a student is under the age of 24, they are often still eligible to be claimed by their parents on taxes. They must either base residency on a parent or prove that they are independent. Students will be considered independent if they are:

• Married (Marriage License)
• Active or prior military (DD214)
• Ward of the state (Paperwork from Department of Children & Families)
• Parents are deceased (Death Certificates)
• Have children or other dependents who receive more than half of their support from the student (Tax Transcript)
• Have an income that exceeds 51% of the cost of attendance. This amount is defined by the institution each year. (Tax Transcript)

Yes. Florida law defines a “parent” as either or both parents of a student, any guardian of a student, or any person in a parental relationship to the student. The dependent student must be eligible to be claimed by the “parent” under the federal income tax code. In addition to submitting two (2) documents evidencing legal ties in Florida for 12 consecutive months, your relative or step parent would need to submit documentation such as income tax returns to prove you are listed as their dependent.

We offer a reduced tuition rate for Alabama residents who can provide documentation showing their residence in Alabama for 12 consecutive months prior to the start of initial enrollment. Click here for more information about required documentation. Copies of all documentation may be submitted to the Admissions Office via email, askus@pensacolastate.edu, or fax, 850-484-1913

If you are an active duty member of the Armed Services currently stationed in Florida, you may be granted Florida tuition. Provide a copy of your orders to Florida and your Military ID. Spouses and dependent children are also eligible for in-state tuition based on the sponsor’s orders and student’s military ID.

If you are an active duty member of the Armed Services stationed in a location other than Florida, but have maintained Florida as your Home of Record, you may also qualify for in-state tuition. You must provide a copy of your Leave and Earnings Statement and orders to your current station as documentation.

Qualified veterans may be eligible for in-state tuition regardless of their residence status for tuition purposes. Veterans classified as out-of-state for tuition purposes should contact the Veterans Services Office on campus for a list of required documentation and how to apply for the out-of-state waiver.

Florida law requires clear and convincing documentation that residency in this state was for a minimum of 12 consecutive months prior to a student’s initial enrollment. To be clear and convincing there must be no conflicting evidence for the student’s claim of residency. Maintaining an out of state license, or other ties such as a voter or vehicle registration is conflicting evidence and must be relinquished prior to your consideration as a Florida resident for tuition purposes.

Yes. Click here for list of acceptable documentation to prove residency for tuition purposes. For initial classification, you must have at least two documents proving residency for 12 consecutive months prior to the start of classes. One of those documents must be a Tier One document.

Lease and bills are acceptable Tier Two documents. You must have at least one Tier One document and then your lease agreement or utilities (electric, water, gas) and proof of 12 months of payments may be used as a second tie.

No. Tax returns, hunting and fishing licenses, gun licenses, birth certificates, passports, social security cards, expired documents, library cards, bank statements, proof of insurance and cell phone bills are not acceptable forms of documentation for residency purposes.

An individual may become eligible for reclassification as a resident for tuition purposes only if that individual presents clear and convincing documentation that supports permanent legal residency in this state for 12 consecutive months rather than temporary residence for the purposes of pursuing an education. The individual may become eligible by presenting a minimum of three (3) documents found in the Residency Guidelines. One of the three documents must come from Tier 1. Contact the Admissions Office at 850-484-2544 or through AskUs@pensacolastate.edu for information on how to apply for reclassification.

Yes. As long as your spouse is a legal resident of Florida and has documentation proving residence for 12 consecutive months prior to the start of classes. Florida law states that an individual who is classified as a non-resident for tuition purposes and who marries a legal resident of the state may become eligible for reclassification by submitting proof of his/her legal residency, evidence of his/her marriage to a legal resident, and evidence of his/her spouse’s legal residence in Florida for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the beginning of classes. The individual does not have to satisfy the requisite 12-month qualifying period.

Applicants may submit an appeal and supporting documentation to Pensacola State College’s Residency Appeal Committee. Please contact the Admissions Office at 850-484-2544 for more information on how to submit an appeal.