Apparently, if you were a resident of the state of Fla, and had bought a license at some point in time, and were in the system...
Then move away and become a resident of another state, then come back to Florida on vacation, and try to buy a non-resident license....the system will not allow you to do this....
Happened to my friend. He grew up in Florida. Never had bought a hunting license, but had bought a fishing license every year. Moved away 8 years ago to Alaska. Came down here to visit family over holidays and I invite him to go hunting. He tried to log on to FWC and get a non resident license(since he is a resident of AK). The system still had him at his parents old house, where he has been gone from for years. He changed all his info to his current address in AK and it still would not let him purchase a non resident lic. He backed out of the system and decided to wait to get it on the way up to camp. Stop at Wal Mart and same thing....no option to buy a non resident lic.
Guy working the counter says.."just buy a resident license", so he did...
I asked the guy working the counter..."so my buddy is trying to do the right thing and be legal..If he gets in trouble for being a non-resident and having a resident license, who should he sue?''......
I got a blank stare, and I said..."that stare is the same answer I get every time I ask an important question to the FWC or any state agency"...
Fwiw...he could have called the 1-800 # and sorted it out with FWC over the phone. I work for a license agent and every now and the the system hiccups or some sort of issue comes up. One phone call always sorts things out.
You're probably right....but doubt they would have answered on Christmas eve when he tried online....and the Wal Mart associate should have taken the initiative to do that while we were standing at the counter on the 26th
I had Florida licenses and when I went in the military changed my drivers license over to Illinois, upon return to Florida I was granted a residency license upon military retirement. Finally one day I decided to get my Florida Drivers License and put in for Alligator tags, the system rejected me as a resident because I had a new drivers license, even though I'd carried a resident license and owned a home for three years here in Florida. Next day I called FWC who changed the system and at midnight everything was kicked out again due to the new drivers license and when I called again they told me that I had to wait 6 months to become a resident again. Flawed system at its best and in the end I waited the 6 months then just bought my license.
Honestly, if your friend really wanted to do it right HE should call the 800#. The guy at Walmart probably has about the same insight and knowledge of the FWC system as all of us here on the forum. Plus, it being the day after Christmas I'm sure they had plenty of crap on their plate already to deal with. Don't get me wrong - just saying that anytime you throw the word "sue" into a question or sentence directed at somebody doing their job it will more or less run you into a brick wall. Happy New Year.
