Vehicle registrations for trailers are available at any of our locations. You must have a registration renewal notification or a previously granted registration to get a trailer registration. (If none of these are accessible, a tag number, title number, or vehicle identification number may suffice.)
In Florida, how can I get a tag for a utility trailer?
A person can register a homemade car or watercraft trailer with their county tax collector in Florida. They must provide a bill of sale or the previous owner’s registration if they purchased a homemade trailer weighing less than 2,000 pounds and registered in the state of Florida. The trailer identification number or license plate number must be listed on the bill of sale.
In Florida, do you need a tag for a utility trailer?
Any trailer weighing less than 2,000 pounds is simply needs to be registered, not titled. Trailers weighing more than 2,000 pounds must be titled and registered, and additional paperwork is necessary.
Is it possible to register a utility trailer in Florida online?
To renew a trailer’s registration, the owner must submit the prior registration or renewal notification, if one exists. Owners can renew their registration and plates online, by mail, or through a service center or tag agency run by the county tax collector. If law enforcement stops them while driving the trailer and they do not renew their registration by the appropriate date, they may be issued a traffic citation. The owner faces a second-degree criminal penalty if the trailer’s registration has been lapsed for more than six months.
Is trailer insurance required in Florida?
All RVs in Florida are required to be insured. Basically, if you can drive it, it requires coverage. Towed campers, trailers, and fifth wheels do not require their own insurance, although owners should consider adequate coverage in the event of an accident.
If I have the title in Florida, do I need a bill of sale?
A: Of course. Private sellers in Florida are required by law to file a Bill of Sale form HSMV 82050. The seller can be held legally accountable for activities with the vehicle even if they no longer own it if the buyer does not register for the title and registration and the seller does not file a Bill of Sale.
Liens
When a lienholder has a secured interest in a vehicle, mobile home, or vessel in the form of a debt owed to the lienholder, the lienholder’s information is added to the owner’s information on a paper or electronic certificate of title.
Certificate of Title
In the state of Florida, a certificate of title, whether electronic or paper, is proof of ownership of a car, mobile home, or vessel. Except for mopeds, powered bicycles, and trailers weighing less than 2,000 pounds, all vehicles, mobile homes, and watercraft must be titled.
When you buy a car, a mobile home, or a boat, you must apply for registration and title in your name; when you bring a car, a mobile home, or a boat into Florida from another state; or when the ownership of a car, a mobile home, or a boat changes, you must apply for registration and title in your name.
Acquiring a Title
To get a certificate of title in Florida, you must have at least the following:
- Identification proof
- Evidence of ownership
- Proof of the insurance coverage that is necessary. Please see the department’s What is Insurance? page for further information on insurance.
- Fill out a Certificate of Title Application with/without Registration (HSMV form 82040).
- Pay sales tax, as well as title and registration costs, if applicable. Please check our fees page for additional information about fees.
Please visit the department’s Military and Veteran Information Section if you are a military service member or veteran.
Titles with two owners
Vehicles, mobile homes, and watercraft owned by two or more people in Florida can have their ownership united by a “and” or a “or.”
Owners linked by “and” bear equal responsibility for the vehicle, mobile home, or vessel, and in order for the title to be transferred out of their names, each owner must be present or have the title certificate signed by each owner as seller.
Owners linked by “or” can accept individual responsibility for the vehicle, mobile home, or vessel, and either owner can be present or sign a bill of sale to transfer the title out of their names. Please note that when two owners of a title are united by “or,” neither owner can remove their name from the title, leaving it in the name of the other owner. The new owner must file a title application.
Power of Attorney
You can give a family member or a trusted friend a general or limited Power of Attorney to handle your title and registration if necessary. For your convenience, the department offers a limited Power of Attorney for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, or Vessel (HSMV Form 82053).
In Florida, can I transfer a trailer title online?
You can quickly execute your title transfer online with eTags in the case of a private sale or purchase of a vehicle, without ever having to wait in line or arrange an appointment. In the case of a move to Florida, a transfer of ownership is also required.
In Florida, how much does it cost to get a tag?
To drive on Florida roadways, a car must have a valid registration, and vehicles with out-of-state registrations must be registered within 10 days of the owner either starting work, enrolling children in public school, or establishing residency. The following items make up a complete registration:
- Section 320.38 of the Florida Statutes requires a metal plate (the number on the plate must match the number on the registration and decal) to be attached to the vehicle in the designated region.
- Section 320.0605 of the Florida Statutes requires the operator of a motor vehicle to keep his or her registration certificate in his or her possession or in the vehicle at all times.
- A registration decal is a sticker included with the registration certificate. The validation decal should be mounted to the upper right-hand corner of the Florida license plate in the square provided.
This whole set serves as proof that a vehicle’s registration taxes and fees have been paid.
You may designate $105 per car to an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization participating in the Program beginning on or after October 1, 2018, when you acquire or register a motor vehicle qualifying for the Hope Scholarship Program in Florida. If the amount of state sales tax payable is less than $105, you may indicate the amount. Your contribution will be remitted to the organization, and the remaining state sales tax and surtax will be remitted to the Florida Department of Revenue by your motor vehicle dealer, county tax collector, or private tag agent. To contribute to the Hope Scholarship Program, fill out the Hope Scholarship Contribution Election Form and mail it in with your Application for Certificate of Title With/Without Registration and sales tax payment.
Initial Registrations
When the owner does not have a license plate or a record of a license plate registered in his or her name for a vehicle he or she previously owned (in Florida), the $225 Initial Registration Fee must be paid. At the time of titling, an initial registration must be completed in person at a local service center by submitting the following:
- Identification proof (required for all owners)
- Proof of Insurance in Florida
- A completed Certificate of Title With/Without Registration Application (HSMV form 82040)
Renewing a Registration
Customers can renew their vehicle for one or two years, and they can do it up to three months before the registration expires. Unless the owner is a corporation, vehicle registrations expire at midnight on the first owner’s birthday. Information on heavy truck registration can be found further down the page here.
To renew a registration with a mobile app, the customer needs supply the car’s license plate or vehicle identification number (VIN). No registration will be provided on the mobile app if the department is unable to electronically check the vehicle’s valid insurance.
Online Registration Renewals
To renew a vehicle or vessel registration quickly and easily online, go to MyDMV Portal, which also offers the following motor vehicle services:
- Renewals of motor vehicle registration for one or two years.
- If the customer’s registration certificate is lost, obtain a duplicate registration certificate.
To log in and complete an online registration renewal, the customer must enter personal identifying information of the vehicle’s owner. No registration will be provided online or in person if the department is unable to verify valid insurance on the vehicle or watercraft.
In addition to the total transaction, all online electronic payments are subject to a $2.00 processing fee.
Customers who are unable to renew online must visit a local service center or call Customer Service at (850) 617-2000 for assistance.
Customers who use the MyDMV Portal should get their registration in the mail 7-10 business days after completing the purchase. Customers can receive an emailed confirmation receipt as evidence of payment until their registration arrives in the mail. Customers must select ‘yes’ on the payment confirmation page, enter an email address, and click ‘Send Email Confirmation’ to have the information emailed to them. If you have not received your registration in the mail after 20 calendar days, you may inquire about a lost in transit replacement by visiting a local service center or calling Customer Service at (850) 617-2000 for more information.
Renew via Mobile App
Customers can renew up to five automobiles and/or watercraft at once with only one processing cost using the MyFlorida mobile app for one year or two years. The app includes the following features:
- Stops for a motor vehicle information check and information on car registration.
- Credit card or checking account are the two alternatives for payment.
Customers can safely renew a registration on an eligible vehicle or vessel via the MyFlorida App, which is available on all mobile devices. Customers will be provided with a digital document to use until their registration arrives in the mail. Customers who pay with a credit card will be charged a $4.00 processing fee, while those who pay with a checking account will be charged $3.75.
MyFlorida is a free app that can be downloaded from iTunes and Google Play.
Additional Fees
Any customer who fails to renew registrations for motor vehicles or mobile homes by the eleventh calendar day of the month following the month in which the renewal registrations were due is charged an overdue registration fee. The overdue charge is assessed on any applicant who fails to renew a registration before the end of the month in which the renewal registration is due, according to Florida Statutes section 320.07(4)(a).
Please keep in mind that registrations are only valid until the registrant’s birthday at midnight.
In Florida, how much does a new license plate cost?
Car registration fees in Florida are determined by the weight of your vehicle, whether it is from out of state or not, and the length of time you register your vehicle. The registration fee is $225 for the first time.
At the time of titling, you must pay this fee in person at your local Florida DHSMV. This registration charge is waived if you transfer a car title to a newly purchased vehicle.
The annual tax and other levies are determined by the vehicle’s weight class. The following are the annual fees for personal vehicles:
- $27.60 per year and $55.20 for two years for 0-2499 pounds
- $35.60 per year and $71.50 for two years for 2500-3499 pounds
- 3500 pounds or more – $45.60 per year, or $91.20 for two years
Note that regardless of when you register your automobile during the registration term, you will be charged the full price.
You have ten days to register an out-of-state vehicle if you have established residency, obtained employment, or enrolled your children in a public school in the state of Florida. Once you’ve relocated into the state, you have 30 days to transfer your driver’s license.
You must also purchase a new license plate. A regular license plate will set you back $28. A custom license plate might cost as much as $70. The cost of transferring a license plate is $7.
During the first-time registration, you may be required to pay sales, use, and municipal discretionary taxes on your vehicle. If you have owned your vehicle for less than six months, you must pay a 6% use or sales tax, as well as any local discretionary taxes.
In Florida, sales taxes are prorated. This means that if you paid a 3 percent sales tax in your prior state, you will pay a 3 percent sales tax in Florida (6 percent -3 percent).
Overall, once you understand the steps, registering your car in Florida is a relatively simple process. A metal license plate, a registration certificate (which you must keep in your car at all times), and a registration decal supplied on your registration certificate make up the complete set of evidence of vehicle registration.