Florida Vehicle Registration

Registering a Vehicle in Florida

NOTE: To renew your registration online, please visit GoRenew.com and follow the prompts.

All vehicles in Florida must be registered through the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). The process will differ depending on whether you purchased the vehicle from a dealer or from a private party.

You may register your vehicle in person with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) at your nearest DMV office location.

What to bring to the DMV:

• Valid driver’s license.
• Vehicle title, a reassigned vehicle title, or an out-of-state title certificate.
• Proof of completed VIN inspection and odometer reading if you’re a new resident.
• Proof of insurance.
• Form of payment for the required fees and taxes.

Continue reading below to learn more about how to register a vehicle in Florida.

Vehicles Purchased from a Dealer

If you purchase a vehicle from a licensed dealership they will take care of the registration process for you. The dealer will submit your application for new vehicle registration and a certificate of title. You will receive a temporary tag for 30 days. You will also fill out a Bill of Sale with the dealer. Once you have a Bill of Sale, you must take the following steps:

• Complete the title process with the dealer.
  • Make sure to verify the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
• Complete the mileage disclosure by completing a Vehicle Identification Number and Odometer Verification (HSMV Form 82042).

Once completed, you find your closest county DHSMV tax collector’s office and submit:

• Proof of car insurance.
• A completed Application for Certification for Title With/Without Registration (HSMV Form 82040), if your vehicle is currently titled in another state.
• Payment for all required fees including title fees, Vehicle registration fees, and New Registration Fee, if it is your first time registering a car.
• Florida sales tax of 6%.
• Local county fees.
• License plate fee, if you do not have a plate to transfer.

NOTE: It is very important that you fill out a Bill of Sale and keep a copy of it for your records. The Bill of Sale is your proof of purchase, and you’ll need this record of the transaction.

Vehicle Registration for New Residents

Moving to Florida? You are required by law to register vehicles with out-of-state registration within 10 days of establishing Florida residency (i.e., employment, home purchase, or enrolling children in school.).

There are particular requirements for out-of-state registrations. Before you can register your vehicle in Florida, you will need to gather the following:

• VIN inspection and odometer reading.
• Secure a Florida driver license.
• Obtain Florida car insurance.

Once you obtain all of the above, you may visit your local Florida county tax collector’s office and take the following steps to complete your FL registration application:

• Present your out-of-state vehicle title. If the title is not already in your name, you’ll need to complete an Application for Certificate of Title With/Without Registration (HSMV form 82040) signed by all owners of the vehicle.
• Present your Florida driver license.
• Show proof of Florida car insurance.
• Have your VIN and odometer reading verified with this form: Vehicle Identification Number and Odometer Verification (Form HSMV 82042.).
• You can obtain it from any Florida DHSMV office or on our forms directory.
• Inspections may be conducted by any police officer, car dealer, or notary public, and sometimes at the county tax collector’s office.
• Submit payment for your registration fees (see Vehicles Registration Fees in FL below).

NOTE: New FL residents may be required to pay Florida sales and use tax, depending on how long you’ve owned the vehicle:

• If under 6 months, you must pay a 6% sales or use tax. However, if you paid any state and local taxes where you purchased the vehicle outside of Florida, you will receive a credit for any use tax and discretionary sales surtax amounts you paid.
• If more than 6 months, there are no required sales or use taxes.

License Plates in Florida

The FL DMV requires you to replace your license plates every 10 years.

In Florida, plates do not belong to you – they belong to the state. When your registration expires, the DMV requires you to surrender them. You must also return your plates if you do not carry insurance on the vehicle, even if its decal has not expired yet.

Please note, the DMV can suspend your driver’s license if you do not surrender your license plates correctly. You can return a Florida license plate in any of the following ways:

• In person at a motor vehicle Service Center.
• By mail to a motor vehicle Service Center along with a written request to cancel and recycle the license plate; or
• If your license plate is lost, destroyed, or stolen, you must complete a Surrender of a License Plate by Owner (Form RS-43) and mail it to a DHSMV Service Center.

If you do not return a plate correctly, the state may impose “Financial Responsibility Sanctions” on you. If you fail to carry insurance, your driver’s license can also be suspended.

FL Registration for Military Drivers

Military personnel may be eligible for a reduction in fees for certain light vehicle registration if:

• On active duty in Florida.
• In another US state.
• Stationed out of the country.

Florida Residents Stationed in Another US State

Service members stationed outside Florida in another U.S. state are allowed to register their vehicle(s) in Florida and carry insurance in another state.

Active military members must register their vehicles in the same manner as any other Florida resident, however they are exempt from the initial $225 registration fee.

To apply for this fee exemption and potentially waive other fees, you’ll need to submit a Military Initial Registration Fee Exemption Affidavit (Form HSMV 82002).

For more information, please read the DHSMV Military Forms Packet or contact your local Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to find out where to send your form.

Florida Military Residents

Florida military residents would register their cars in the same way any Florida resident would except they are exempt from the initial $225 registration fee.

To apply for this exemption and other fees that may be waived, you will be required to submit a Military Initial Registration Fee Exemption Affidavit (Form HSMV 82002).

Non-Residents Stationed in Florida

Service members from other U.S. states who are stationed in Florida do not have to register their vehicles in Florida. However, these military drivers must have current registration and car insurance from their home state.

If you choose to register your vehicle in Florida, you can follow the same registration process in our section above titled Vehicle Registration for New Residents. However, you will also need to submit the Military Initial Registration Fee Exemption Affidavit (Form HSMV 82002) for the exemption from the initial registration fee in Florida.

Renewing Your Registration in Florida

In Florida, most vehicle registration renewals can be done online. You may also register your vehicle in person, by mail, or via the MyFlorida mobile app.

You will receive a renewal notice in the mail, and can renew up to 3 months in advance of the expiration of your FL vehicle registration. The expiration date of the registration is midnight on your birthday ( unless registered to a business). If owned by 2 people, the expiration date will correspond to the birthdate of the person who is listed first on the registration.

NOTE: A delinquent registration fee will apply if you fail to renew the registration of your motor vehicle or mobile home by the 11th calendar day of the month following your original registration renewal date.

Online Registration Renewals

To renew your FL vehicle registration online, please go to FLHSMV’s GoRenew. If you own a passenger car or truck, you must renew every year by your birthday, or 90 days prior.

Registration renewals can be issued for either 1 year or 2 years in Florida.

For this transaction, be ready to submit the following personal identifying information:

• Your date of birth.
• Your Full Social Security Number (SSN).
  OR
• Last 5 digits of SSN # AND one of the following:
• Driver’s license or ID #.
• Vehicle Title # or License Plate #.
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
• Proof of insurance.

You’ll then pay all applicable fees, along with the $2 processing fee for online transactions.

Mobile App Registration Renewals

The MyFlorida App is available for download on all mobile devices via iTunes and Google Play.

You may renew up to 5 vehicles and/or vessels at once via the mobile app, MyFlorida for a period of 1 year or 2 years.

A single processing fee applies, if paid by a checking account. If you pay your registration fees with a credit card, then you must pay a $4 processing fee for each registration.

On the mobile app, you may also obtain a duplicate registration card or license plate if needed.

Registration Renewals In Person

If you cannot renew your FL registration online, you must visit a local FL Service Center. Otherwise, please call Customer Service at (850) 617-2000 for further information.

To renew your FL registration in person, please visit your local Florida HSMV service center, be sure to bring the following:

• A copy of your FL registration renewal notice.
• Your Florida driver license.
• Proof of car insurance.
• Payment for applicable fees.

Registration Renewal By Mail

Not all FL registration renewals are eligible for processing by mail.

Your renewal notice will indicate if you are eligible to renew by mail and provide instructions on how to process your registration renewal.

Did you lose your renewal reminder? Please contact FLHSMV Customer Service at (850) 617-2000.

Replace a Lost or Damaged Registration

If your Florida registration card or license plate tags are lost or stolen, you must first report this loss to local police first before applying for a replacement from the Florida DMV, in accordance with state law.

Once you complete a police report, you may apply for your duplicate registration online or in person at a local FL DHSMV office.

Replace FL Vehicle Registration Online:

You may replace your vehicle registration or FL license plate online by visiting GoRenew.com.

To prove ownership and complete the transaction online, you’ll need to provide your:

• Your date of birth.
• Your Full Social Security Number (SSN).
  OR
• Last 5 digits of SSN # AND one of the following:
• Driver’s license or ID #.
• Vehicle Title # or License Plate #.
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
• Proof of insurance.

Be ready to submit payment for the $2.50 replacement fee and $2 service fee.

Replace FL Vehicle Registration In Person

If you are unable to replace your registration online, you’ll need to visit a local Service Center

You will need to have the following when requesting a duplicate registration card:

• Your date of birth.
• Your Full Social Security Number (SSN).
  OR
• Last 5 digits of SSN # AND one of the following:
  • Driver’s license or ID #.
  • Vehicle Title # or License Plate #.
  • $2.50 applicable fee for registration replacement.

  If you need a replacement registration decal or replacement license plates, you’ll need to visit your local FL DHSMV office and:

  • Complete an .Application for Replacement License Plate, Validation Decal or Parking Permit (Form HSMV 83146)
  • Provide your current vehicle registration.
  • Pay the $28 fee for lost or damaged plates.

  NOTE: Stolen plate replacements are free. Please contact your local Florida DMV office if you have any questions about your specific license plate situation.