Acceptable Residency Documentation
A resident for tuition purposes is someone who has maintained legal residence in Florida and has established legal ties to the State of Florida for 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes for which residency is sought (s. 1009.21, FS).
-
First time students and returning students who have not attended PHSC within the previous 12 months, will be required to submit at least two documents to establish Florida residency as outlined below.
-
Students who have previously been classified as a non-Florida resident and wish to reclassify as an in state resident must provide an updated residency classification form and three (3) documents of residency as outlined below.
All residency documents must have issue dates that are at least 12 months older than the start of the term for which residency is being established.
Tier 1: At least one document must be provided from this section.
| Document Type | Requirements to Use |
|---|---|
| Florida voter's registration card | Must be an active voter status on Supervisor of Election’s website. Registration date must meet 12-month requirement. |
| Florida driver's license or State of Florida ID card | Must be valid and not expired before classes begin and the issue date must meet 12-month requirement. |
| Florida vehicle registration | Must be valid and not expired before classes begin and the plate issue date must meet the 12-month requirement. |
| Florida homestead exemption | Name of claimant (person claiming Florida residency) must be shown as the owner on the County Property Appraiser’s website. |
| Official Florida high school transcripts or GED with official transcripts | Must have attended at least last two years in a Florida high school (public, private, or home school) and graduated to receive a standard high school diploma or GED within 12 months prior to the start of the term for which residency is being established. If a parent is using the official transcripts to establish residency for a student, then the parent’s name must be shown on the official transcript as “parent.” |
| Letter of employment | Must be provided on the company letterhead, include start date of full-time employment and average number of hours worked per week (must be at least 30 hours per week). Must include the supervisor’s name and contact information for verification. Letters from multiple employers can be provided to establish a consecutive 12-month employment history for the 12 months prior to the start of the term for which residency is being established. |
Tier 2: The second document (or more, if needed) can be provided from this section.
| Document Type | Requirements to Use |
|---|---|
| Florida voter's registration card | Must be an active voter status on Supervisor of Election’s website. Registration date must meet 12-month requirement. |
| Florida driver's license or State of Florida ID card | Must be valid and not expired before classes begin and the issue date must meet 12-month requirement. |
| Florida vehicle registration | Must be valid and not expired before classes being and the plate issue date must meet the 12-month requirement. |
| Florida homestead registration | Name of claimant (person claiming Florida residency) must be shown as the owner on the County Property Appraiser’s website. |
| Official Florida high school transcripts or GED with official transcripts | Must have attended at least last two years in a Florida high school (public, private, or home school) and graduated to receive a standard high school diploma or GED within 12 months prior to the start of the term for which residency is being established. If a parent is using the official transcripts to establish residency for a student, then the parent’s name must be shown on the official transcript as “parent.” |
| Letter of employment | Must be provided on the company letterhead, include start date of full-time employment and average number of hours worked per week (must be at least 30 hours per week). Must include the supervisor’s name and contact information for verification. Letters from multiple employers can be provided to establish a consecutive 12-month employment history for the 12 months prior to the start of the term for which residency is being established. |
| Declaration of Domicile in Florida | Must be issued at least 12 months prior to the start of the term for which residency is being established. |
| Florida professional or occupational license | Must be valid and not expired before classes begin and the issue date must meet 12-month requirement. |
| Florida incorporation | Must be valid and not expired before classes begin and the issue date must meet 12-month requirement and claimant (person claiming Florida residency) must be shown as business owner or agent. |
| Utility bills | Must provide consecutive 12 months of bills and payment history to meet the 12-month requirement of either electric, water, or gas bills in claimant’s name (person claiming Florida residency). |
| Lease agreement(s) with rental payment history | Must provide consecutive 12 month lease agreement(s) and rental payment history provided by apartment leasing office(s) or landlord(s) to meet the 12 month requirement prior to the start of the term for which residency is being established. |
| Florida ACCESS benefits (SNAP, TANF, food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, or SSI disability) | Must show name of claimant (person claiming Florida residency) and address on documentation provided. Must show 12 consecutive monthly payments and/or benefits received prior to the start of the term for which residency is being established. |
Independent vs. Dependent Students
Students over the age of 24 are considered independent and would establish Florida residency using their own documents, or a spouse’s documents if married and they cannot provide the two (or three) documents required to establish Florida residency. If using a spouse’s documents to establish Florida residency, the student themselves would still be required to provide one document from the Tier 1 section.
Students under the age of 24 are considered dependent and would establish Florida residency using a parent or legal guardian’s documents or they have the option of proving that they are independent, should they want to establish Florida residency using their own documents.
If a student wishes to provide documentation to prove that they are an independent student, they are still required to establish Florida residency by providing the required documentation to do so based on Tier 1 and Tier 2 documents provided above.
Documents that can be provided to prove a student under the age of 24 as independent:
| Independent by Virtue of | Requirements to Use |
|---|---|
| Most recent 1040 federal tax return | Must show that student earned at least $9,300 in taxable income, or claimed a dependent, or shows that the student is married. Page 1 and page 2 of the return are required, and page 2 must include student’s signature and date where “Sign Here” box is located on page. |
| Marriage | Can provide the marriage license filed by the County Clerk’s Office or provide the most recent 1040 federal tax return as proof of married status (see above). |
| Military status | Student can provide active-duty military orders, their most recent LES (leave and earnings) statement, a DD-214 if separated from the military, or discharge paperwork that proves their military status. |
| Financial proof | If a student is unable to provide their most recent 1040 federal tax return (see above), they can instead provide proof that their income meets the guidelines required to provide more than fifty (50) percent of his or her support for the year which is currently $9,300 based on cost of attendance in the PHSC College Catalog. The student can provide W2’s, most recent pay stub(s), or an employer earnings verification. |
| Wards of Courts/Adoption | A student can provide legal documentation that proves they were (or are) a ward/dependent of the courts or provide a CF-FSP 5220 tuition and fee exemption waiver provided by the Florida Department of Children and Families. |
Some students, whether dependent or independent, can qualify for certain exemptions based on military service, State of Florida employment or sponsorship, Florida Pre-Paid College, or Family Ties. If you feel you may qualify for an exemption listed in Florida Statute 1009.21, please reach out to the Admissions Office at 727-816-3371 or by email at admissions@phsc.edu for further information and requirements.