State of Florida tells gay married couple to change their names or lose the right to drive

A Florida gay couple who took each others’ surnames after they married in New York have been ordered by their state’s DMV to change their names back to what they were before they were married or their drivers licenses will be cancelled,

A Florida gay couple who married out of state are in shock this week after they were sent a letter by the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) telling them they would have their drivers licenses cancelled if they did not change their legal names.

Daniel and Scott Wall-Desousa became one of the first gay married couples in Florida to legally take each others’ surnames and appeared on WFTV 9News to speak about that on 30 October.

However after they told viewers about how they had used their New York state marriage license to have their social security documents changed to reflect their new hyphenated surname at two different Florida DMV offices they were warned they would lose their right to drive on 22 November if they did not change their names back by that date.

This puts the Wall-Desousas in a very difficult position as all of their federal documents already bear their new names, including their social security cards, voter ID cards and work badges.

‘Everything has been changed to my benefits, to my Florida pension. How does one undo all that?’ Daniel Wall-Desousa asked WFTV 9News.

Scott Wall-Desousa said that they had been told in the DMV offices that clerks had been told not to question it if gay couples with an out of state same-sex marriage certificate and a request for a name change.

‘[They said] it is a “don't ask, don't tell” policy, and I guess we have been told, here is the repercussion,’ he said.

The couple hope the DMV won’t carry out its threat to cancel their licenses and plan to launch a lawsuit in the meantime as they feel they are being unfairly targeted.

The letter was sent to them only a week after their TV appearance so the couple don’t think the timing is a coincidence.

Ironically the letter from the DMV was addressed to both men using their hyphenated surname.

A US federal court ruled Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional on 21 August this year.

However that decision has been stayed pending appeals by the state of Florida.