What do I need to provide to prove my claim for Florida residency?

Every student who wishes to be evaluated for Florida residency for tuition purposes must submit a residency affidavit and appropriate documentation through the Residency portal  http://owlres.bjtvalve.com. This is done after your admissions application has been accepted and must be done every time a student is accepted under a new application.

If a student does not submit the affidavit and supporting documentation for Florida residency for tuition purposes within his or her initial semester of attendance, the student will need to apply for residency reclassification. This will require the student to show clear and convincing documentation that supports permanent legal residency in Florida for at least 12 consecutive months, rather than temporary residency for the purpose of pursuing an education. Reclassification requires more documentation than initial classification and cannot be retroactively applied.

The basic requirements for initial classification will require the claimant to provide documentation proving both legal ties and physical presence in the state of Florida.  Documents must be dated or have been issued at least 12 months before the first day of the semester for which Florida residency is sought. The claimant must demonstrate the establishment of a bona fide domicile in Florida  and absence of legal ties to another state. No single document is conclusive.

Documents showing legal ties to Florida: (at least 2 documents from this list)

  • Florida driver's license or State identification card
  • Florida voter's registration card
  • Florida vehicle registration
  • Florida vehicle title
  • Florida professional or occupational license
  • Proof active Florida corporation
  • Benefit histories from Florida agencies or Public assistance programs

Documents showing physical presence in Florida:

  • Lease agreement
  • Twelve consecutive months of utility bills and proof of payments
  • Declaration of Domicile
  • Proof of purchase of a permanent home in Florida for which there is a Homestead exemption
  • Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least 12 months