Registering and titling a vehicle in Florida: new residents, purchases and renewals

How to title and register a vehicle in Florida after buying from a dealer or private seller or moving from another state, plus insurance rules, renewals and license plates, based on FLHSMV's own pages.

Guide · Florida · Vehicle registration · Titles · updated October 29, 2026

Vehicle titles and registrations in Florida fall under the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). You do the paperwork at a motor vehicle service center. Some of these centers are run by the county tax collector, and FLHSMV also mentions private license plate agents. This guide covers buying a vehicle, bringing one from another state, insurance, renewals and plates.

The basics

FLHSMV says a certificate of title, paper or electronic, is the proof of ownership of a vehicle in Florida. Most vehicles must be titled. The exceptions it lists are mopeds, motorized bicycles and trailers under 2,000 pounds. You must apply for a title in your name when you buy a vehicle, bring one into Florida, or the ownership changes.

The main form is the Application for Certificate of Title With/Without Registration (HSMV form 82040). At minimum, FLHSMV says, a title application needs:

• Proof of identity: a current, valid driver license or ID card from any state, or a passport
• Proof of ownership: a manufacturer's certificate of origin or an out-of-state title
• Form 82040, completed
• Sales tax and title fees
• If you get a license plate, valid Florida insurance and the registration fees

A complete registration is a metal plate, a registration certificate kept with the vehicle, and a decal placed in the upper right corner of the plate.

If you have no plate in your name from a vehicle you owned before in Florida, you pay a $225 initial registration fee, and the first registration must be done in person at the time of titling. For electronic titles, the fee schedule lists $77.25 for an original title on a new vehicle, $85.25 on a used vehicle and $75.25 for a transfer, plus $2.50 if a paper title is printed. Registration fees depend on the vehicle's weight and type, and FLHSMV notes that other statutory fees also apply.

Buying a vehicle

From a licensed Florida dealer

FLHSMV says a licensed dealer must apply for the tag and title within 30 days, and gives you a temporary paper tag in the meantime. Without proof of insurance, the dealer cannot complete the transfer. Dealers may charge only the actual tax, tag and title fees, and any processing fee must be disclosed separately. If you have trouble getting your tag or title, FLHSMV asks you to send form HSMV 84901 to a regional office.

From a private seller

FLHSMV urges buyer and seller to complete the sale at a motor vehicle service center, for the protection of both. Before you buy, it suggests:

• Checking the title and odometer with its online Motor Vehicle Information Check
• Checking that the seller's ID matches the name on the title
• Checking that the VIN on the vehicle matches the title

Then:

• Paper title: the seller completes the transfer section on the front of the title. You attach form 82040 and submit both at a service center. FLHSMV says this must be done within 30 calendar days to avoid a late transfer penalty.
• Electronic title: buyer and seller must both go to a service center with photo ID to complete a secure title reassignment.
• Odometer: both of you must acknowledge the odometer disclosure.
• Vehicles not titled in Florida before: a VIN and Odometer Verification (form 82042) is needed.
• Plates: they stay with the seller, not the vehicle.

Moving to Florida with a vehicle

FLHSMV's new resident and registration pages say a vehicle with an out-of-state registration must be titled and registered within 10 days of the owner starting a job, enrolling children in public school or establishing residency. FLHSMV's Renew or Replace Your Registration page gives 30 days instead, so confirm the deadline with your local office. You need Florida insurance from an insurer licensed in Florida before you can title and register.

If there is no lien, bring:

• Proof of identity for all owners
• Proof of Florida insurance
• The original out-of-state title
• Form 82040, signed by all owners
• A VIN verification, on form 82040 or form 82042

FLHSMV says the VIN check can be done by a law enforcement officer, a military police officer, a licensed Florida dealer, or a tax collector employee or compliance examiner at a service center.

If a lender holds the title, ask the lienholder to transfer it to Florida. Either way, the vehicle must be registered. If the lienholder refuses, ask for that in writing on letterhead and bring the letter to a service center to apply for registration.

For the license side of a move, see the Florida driver license and ID card guide.

Insurance

Before you register a vehicle with at least four wheels, FLHSMV says you must show proof of:

• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): at least $10,000
• Property Damage Liability (PDL): at least $10,000

The policy must come from an insurer licensed in Florida. Coverage must be continuous for the whole registration period, even if the vehicle is not driven.

FLHSMV warns that letting coverage lapse can lead to suspension of your license and plate for up to three years, plus a reinstatement fee of up to $500. Turn in your plate before you cancel your insurance.

Renewing your registration

You can renew for one or two years, up to three months before expiration. Registrations expire at midnight on the first owner's birthday, unless the owner is a business. Your options:

• Online on the MyDMV Portal: a $2.00 processing fee, and the registration arrives by mail in 7–10 business days. If FLHSMV cannot verify your insurance, no registration is issued.
• MyFlorida mobile app: up to five vehicles at once. FLHSMV lists a $4.00 processing fee by credit card or $3.75 by checking account.
• In person at any motor vehicle service center, which gives you the registration the same day. Self-service kiosks are also available.

A delinquent fee applies if you renew late. Since July 1, 2022, unpaid toll violations block renewal until they are settled.

License plates

Florida offers three standard plates: the county name plate (not in every county), "Sunshine State" and "In God We Trust". Personalized and specialty plates cost extra. FLHSMV says all plates must be replaced every 10 years. The fee schedule lists an original or replacement plate at $28.00.

When you sell a vehicle, keep the plate. You can move it to a new or replacement vehicle, or turn it in at a service center or by mail. Temporary plates are issued in some situations, such as a 30-day plate for a private sale.

To visit an office, see the Florida DMV visit guide and the Florida DMV office list.