Car Registration In Florida: Requirements And Process (2026)

Requirements for Car Registration in Florida

You are required to register your vehicle within 10 days of moving to Florida. Specifically, any non-resident who does any of the following has to obtain a car registration within those 10 days:

• Moved to Florida with the intent to stay
• Obtained a Florida ID
• Started working full-time
• Enrolled children in public school
• Registered to vote
• Filed for a homestead exemption

You must present proof of your identity, proof of Florida auto insurance and a complete registration application. Keep in mind that you then have 30 days to obtain a driver’s license after the same event that triggers the registration.

Meeting Florida’s auto insurance requirements is also essential. You’ll need to obtain at least $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL). This coverage must be present before your registration appointment.

How to Register a Car in Florida

The initial registration after moving to the state or acquiring a vehicle in a private sale must occur in person at a Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) service center. The dealer usually handles this if you purchase from a dealership.

How to Register an Out-of-State Vehicle in Florida

To register an out-of-state vehicle, you’ll need to obtain a Florida title. Contact the FLHSMV for state-specific steps on how to transfer the title for a car. If the lender still has the title, you must ask them to transfer the title or request permission to transfer it. If no Florida title has ever been issued for the vehicle, you may be able to get a title with a bill of sale or a sworn statement of ownership as your proof.

Florida charges a 6% sales or use tax on motor vehicles brought in from other states. If you paid taxes in another state, though, that can count toward what you pay in Florida. For example, if you bought the car in another state and paid 4% sales tax, you only have to pay the difference (2%) in Florida.

There is an exception to the sales tax requirement to note. Any vehicle bought and used in another state for six months or more before being taken to Florida will not have to pay the 6% tax.

VIN and Odometer Verification

A vehicle without a Florida title will need to have a completed vehicle identification number (VIN) and odometer verification form filed together with its title application. A law enforcement officer, a Florida DMV compliance examiner, a notary or a tax collector deputy will need to file this paperwork.

How to Renew Your Florida Car Registration

You can renew a registration online or using the FLHSMV’s mobile app for one or two years. The department will verify your insurance electronically once you submit your license plate number or VIN. Your Florida registration expires on the first registered owner’s birthday.

Florida Car Registration Fees

The initial registration fee is $225. However, that fee doesn’t apply to these situations:

• Renewals
• Plate transfers
• Plate exchanges from a vehicle the owner has disposed of
• Military members or their immediate family
• Transfers between co-owners or family members

Additionally, if you sell the car within three months of paying the registration fee, you can get a refund.

For a renewal, the Florida registration costs depend on the vehicle’s weight. The state also charges processing fees for electronic or credit card payments.

Florida License Plates and Registration Decals

A validly registered vehicle in Florida must have all of the following:

• A registration certificate inside the vehicle while in operation
• A metal plate attached to the vehicle
• A registration decal affixed to the license plate

Dealers can provide temporary plates when they apply for a car registration in Florida on your behalf.

Penalties for Late or Expired Registration in Florida

The state assesses a delinquent fee on any registration renewal received after the deadline. This fee applies after the 11th day of the month following the renewal deadline. It’s scaled with the license tax. You can be charged $5 at the low end and up to $250 when the license tax goes over $600.

Driving with an expired registration in Florida is a noncriminal traffic infraction that can be punished as a non-moving violation, similar to violating Florida’s window tint laws.

If the registration has expired by six months or more, the consequences escalate. Someone who is a repeat offender with an expired car registration for more than six months can be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor.

Struggling With Car Registration in Florida?

If you’re having trouble registering your car or have other legal concerns, ConsumerShield can help. Explore our tools and resources today.