Collection fees will not be charged March 13-24

Drivers with a suspended license or overdue traffic tickets may be eligible to get back on the road through the Lee County Clerk’s annual Operation Green Light event March 13-24. Anyone with cases in collections will be allowed to pay their court fees and fines without getting charged the 25% collection surcharge.

The event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at both Clerk locations in downtown Fort Myers and Cape Coral. Special extended hours will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, March 17 and 24 at the downtown Fort Myers office.

“Since 2020, this event has saved customers nearly $2.5 million in collection fees, and more than 2,500 people became eligible to get their licenses back,” said Kevin Karnes, Lee County Clerk of the Court & Comptroller. “Operation Green Light is the perfect opportunity for citizens to save money and get back behind the wheel.”

To take advantage of the offer, visit the Lee Clerk’s office at the downtown Fort Myers Justice Center or call 239-533-5000. Customers can also save time by scheduling an appointment online at leeclerk.com/appointment.

“Once drivers are in compliance with the courts, they can conveniently apply to have their licenses reinstated right at the Justice Center or Cape Coral branch,” said Noelle Branning, Lee County Tax Collector. “We are proud to partner with the Clerk’s office to offer our citizens the ability to get back on the road.”

Traffic tickets must be paid in full, but customers may enter into an affordable monthly payment plan for criminal court fees.

Customers can pay their court fees and fines to the Clerk in cash, cashier’s check, money order or credit card. Additional fees to the Tax Collector are required to reinstate a driver license. Payments by credit card are subject to a transaction fee. The Justice Center is located at 2075 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Fort Myers. The Cape Coral branch is located at 1039 SE 9th Place, 2^nd Floor.

First Lee Tag Agency, an agent operating under the authority of the Lee County Tax Collector, is open to customers on Saturdays. Hours are from 9am to noon and no appointment is necessary.

First Lee Tag Agency is located at Grand Bay Plaza, 18990 South Tamiami Trail Suite 5, Fort Myers and offers limited services, including:

• Fast Title Services
  – Initial Florida Title
  – Out of State Title Transfers
• Vehicle Registration
  – Application
  – Renewal
• Disabled Parking Permits
• Specialty Plates
• Dealer Services

FLTA does NOT offer Driver License services.

In addition to the Saturday hours, First Lee Tag Agency offers extended hours to Lee County residents during the week. First Lee Tag Agency is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5:30pm. No appointments are needed.

For more information, please visit FLTA’s website by clicking here.

About Noelle Branning, Lee County Tax Collector

Noelle Branning is dedicated to serving the citizens of Lee County by providing exceptional service, financial transparency, and innovation. Under her leadership, the Lee County Tax Collector’s Office manages a variety of online services like renewing vehicle and vessel registrations and paying property taxes, tangible property taxes, tax certificates, and business taxes. For more information, visit www.leetc.com or follow Noelle Branning, Lee County Tax Collector on social media.

Tax warrants will be issued against the delinquent taxpayers on unpaid tangible personal property tax accounts providing for the levy upon, seizure and sale of tangible personal property to satisfy the delinquent taxes, plus costs, interest, attorney’s fees, and other charges.

Starting June 1, 2022, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) will require applicants for a Commercial Learners Permit (CLP) or Commercial Driver License (CDL) to provide two acceptable proofs of residential address listing their own name.

A CDL allows a driver to:

Operate a vehicle that has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 26,001 Ibs. or more for commercial use
Transport Hazardous Materials
Operate a vehicle designed to carry more than 15 passengers

Applicants will be required to provide one document from List A and one document from List B, shown below. Current CLP or CDL holders who are requesting a renewal or replacement license must also abide by this requirement, regardless of any prior proof of address provided.

LIST A

• A recent lease or rental agreement for the residence with a term of 6 months or greater
• Current Florida voter registration card
• Florida vehicle registration or title
• Florida vessel registration or title
• Current homeowner’s insurance policy or bill
• Current electricity or water bill
• Recent cellular or landline telephone bill
• Recent internet service provider bill
• Latest property tax bill

LIST B

• Latest W-2 or 1099 form
• Recent bank statement
• Recent credit card statement
• Latest military orders
• Recent pay stub
• Recent official government documents

All documents MUST BE IN THE APPLICANTS NAME. If unable to provide an acceptable document from List A, applicant must provide a Declaration of Domicile filed with the Lee Clerk of Court AND one document from List B.

The Lee County Tax Collector is an independent Constitutional Officer who serves as an agent to the FLHSMV and as such, must abide by its rules and policies.

About Noelle Branning, Lee County Tax Collector

Noelle Branning is dedicated to serving the citizens of Lee County by providing exceptional service, financial transparency, and innovation. Under her leadership, the Lee County Tax Collector’s Office manages a variety of online services like renewing vehicle and vessel registrations and paying property taxes, tangible property taxes, tax certificates, and business taxes. For more information, visit www.leetc.com or follow Noelle Branning, Lee County Tax Collector on social media.

Contact:
Communications
[email protected]
239-533-6046

The Lee County Tax Collector and the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools honored eighty-three 5th graders with Awards of Distinction for their designs in the Kids Tag Art program. The top two student designers from each participating school were recognized at an awards ceremony at the Dunbar Community School. The Honorable Noelle Branning, Lee County Tax Collector, and Marshall Bower, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools hosted the event.

Kids Tag Art is a fundraising program that inspires fifth grade students to design their own specialty tag license plates fashioned after Florida’s 100 specialty plates. Students learn how these plates support deserving causes, and their designs are turned into tags that can be placed on the front of a vehicle.

“We are proud to promote the arts in our schools while at the same time educating students,” said Noelle Branning. “The creativity of these fifth graders is wonderful to see, and we are thrilled to donate dollars directly back into the arts programs at their schools.”

This year the program raised $15,000 and each school’s art teacher will receive $400 dollars.

“The arts are so important and an integral part of a good education for so many of our students,” said Marshall Bower. “This awesome Kids Tag Art program allows these 5th graders to explore and express their own creativity. The fact that we are able to return funds to the art classrooms is an added bonus!”

The major sponsor for Kids Tag Art is Suncoast Credit Union. Other sponsors include Grant Street Group, LCEC, JP Morgan, Southern Trail Tire and Automotive Repair, The Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Synovus and Constance White-Davis.

Lee County’s Kids Tag Art program has been in existence since 2015, and to date, has granted approximately $170,000 to the art teachers at participating District elementary schools.

2022 Kids Tag Art Awards of Distinction