Tags & Registration

Florida uses a metal license plate with an alpha numeric system, meaning there are combinations of letters and numbers used for identification. The license plate is displayed on the rear of the vehicle with the exception of certain commercial vehicles. The plate is issued to the owner for ten years. The owner will receive a new plate (with new numbers and letters) during the tenth year.

Vehicles are registered on a staggered basis according to the registered owner's birth month. The registration expires at midnight on the owner's birthday.

The exceptions to this are company owned and short term lease vehicles, which expire in June. Long term lease vehicles are staggered throughout the calendar year, and truck-tractors, semi-trailers, and trucks and pickup trucks weighing over 5,000 pounds are renewed in December. Nine passenger and over vehicles used for hire and mobile homes are also renewed in December.

All vehicles are registered according to weight. Travel trailers and mobile homes are registered according to length.

Should you cancel your vehicle insurance for any reason and your tag is still valid, you should surrender your license plate to your local tax collector's office, in order to comply with Florida's financial responsibility laws and avoid suspension of your driver license.