Motor Vehicles
Tags and Registration
If you meet Florida's residency requirements, you are required by law to title and register your vehicle with the State of Florida. If you are not sure if you qualify, please refer to Section 320.01 F.S. Motor vehicle registrations and decals are renewable up to three months in advance. All motor vehicles and trailers weighing 2000 lbs or over must be titled and/or registered.
Registration Renewal
License plates can be renewed by mail. A mail fee is charged. Please include your renewal notice and your insurance information on the back of the notice, along with your check or money order. If you do not have your renewal notice, please be sure to include a copy of your insurance card, along with your license plate number and check or money order. The mailing address is W. Dale Summerford, Tax Collector, P O Box 817, Quincy FL, 32353-0817.
License plates may also be renewed online
License Plates may also be renewed in person.
Renewals processed by mail or online are usually received back by the customer within 5 business days.
Should you cancel your vehicle insurance and your tag is still valid, you should surrender your tag to your local tax collector's office, to comply with Florida's financial responsibility laws and avoid suspension of your driver's license.
Tags and Registration Information
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 except 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 passengers and over vehicles used for hire and mobile homes were 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, to comply with Florida's financial responsibility laws and avoid suspension of your driver's license.
Proof of Insurance
Proof of insurance (binder, policy, or card) from a certified Florida agent or broker is required to purchase and renew a license plate in Florida.
The vehicle owner must present documentation of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) for at least $10,000 combined bodily injury liability and property damage liability insurance for $10,000. Motorcycles, mobile homes, and trailers are exempt from the insurance requirement.
Should you cancel your insurance for any reason and your tag is still valid, you should surrender your license plate to your local tax collector's office, to comply with Florida's financial responsibility laws and avoid suspension of your driver's license.
Rates
Annual license taxes, for the operation of motor vehicles are defined by Florida Statutes and must be paid at the time of registration and renewal. All fees are subject to change by the Legislative Act. For private automobile and pickup truck fees, click on Vehicle Registration Prices. For lease vehicles and heavy truck registration fees, please call your local tax collector's office for more information as these fees are determined by the weight of the vehicle.
Initial Registration Fee
The first time a license plate is purchased for a motor vehicle, a $225.00 initial registration fee may be imposed if the customer is not transferring a license plate that is registered in his or her name. This fee applies to private automobiles, motor homes, and trucks weighing less than 5,000 pounds.
Military Rates
Members of the Armed Forces stationed in Florida, but who maintain their legal residence outside the State of Florida, are classified as non-resident military and are eligible for special registration rates. To qualify for the special rates, Florida law requires that the vehicle owner must submit a copy of their military orders or a current leave & earning statement for review. Proof of insurance is mandatory.
If the vehicle is not titled in Florida, a copy of the out-of-state title is required for application. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) must be verified by a Tax Collector employee, Florida notary, motor vehicle dealer, or a state or military law enforcement officer using DHSMV form 82042. State Statutes require the VIN to be verified yearly upon registration.
Regular rates will apply if the non-resident's status changes. Also, if military orders transfer the owner out of the state of Florida, they are no longer entitled to Florida registration. If the vehicle owner is a Florida resident, the vehicle can be registered in Florida, by signing a Military Insurance Exemption Affidavit, furnishing an out-of-state address, and a copy of the military orders, or an affidavit from their commanding officer, confirming their date of assignment.
Vehicle Registration Prices (Effective 09/01/14)
Classification
Automobile
Automobile
Automobile
Motorcycle
Pickup Truck
Pickup Truck
Antique Vehicles
License Plate Fee
Initial Registration Fee
Net Weight
through 2499
2500 - 3499
3500 - up
2000 - 3000
3001 - 5000
1 Year Tag
$28.10
$36.10
$46.10
$24.60
$36.10
$46.10
$21.10
$28.00
$225.00
Specialty and Personalized License Plates
Specialty Tags may purchased at any Tax Collector or Branch Tag Office.
These plates carry unique designs, that were created to honor specific organizations. In addition to the annual license tax, there is an annual use fee ranging from $20.00 to $25.00, along with a $5.00 processing fee. A $28.00 plate fee is also charged initially.
The use fee and the processing fee are charged each year, in addition to the regular registration fee, upon renewal.
Personalized license plates may be ordered at any Tax Collector or Branch Tag Office. Application for the initial personalized tag can be made at any time.
A $28.00 plate fee and $15.00 personalization fee is charged, upon initial application, in addition to the regular registration fee. The $15.00 personalization fee is charged each year upon renewal.
Sales Tax
The State of Florida has a state sales tax rate of 6%. which, as an agent for The Florida Department of Revenue, the Tax Collector's Office collects.
In addition, many counties levy a discretionary local option sales tax. Gadsden County has a local option sales tax of 1 1/2 % which is levied on the first $5000.00 (maximum of $75.00).
Sales tax is collected when a customer transfers title to a motor vehicle, vessel, or mobile home. Note: If a vehicle is traded in, sales tax is collected on the difference between the price of the vehicle and the trade-in.
Title Services
Florida Vehicle Titles
To transfer a Florida Title, the seller must complete the transfer information on the front of the current title, including the purchaser's name, the selling price, and the odometer reading at the time of sale. (A bill of sale may be submitted for proof of purchase price).
The purchaser is required to apply for title and registration using DHSMV for 82040. Sales tax will be collected if applicable. Title application and transfer fees range from $75.75 to $85.75 in price.
All transfers of ownership must be completed within 30 days of the date the vehicle is assigned by the seller or a $20.00 fee is levied at the time of transfer. Our office offers a fast title service for an additional $10.00 in which you can have the title printed at the time of transfer.
Florida is an electronic title and lien state in which the title is maintained electronically in the DHSMV system during the term of the loan. Once the lien is satisfied the title can remain electronic or the title can be printed for $10.
Out of State Titles
An out-of-state title must be submitted as proof of ownership and if a transfer of ownership is involved, it must be properly assigned indicating the new owner's name and address.
An application for Florida title DHSMV form 82040 must be completed and accompanied by verification of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and odometer reading on DHSMV form 82042 .
The owner(s) or purchaser(s) must sign this form or give power of attorney. Sales tax will be collected if applicable.
New Vehicle Titles
All new vehicles are required to have a Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO) which must be signed and notarized by a licensed dealer for transfer to the buyer.
To obtain a Florida title, the MCO must be filled out completely and attached to the title application form (DHSMV form 82040). The information must include the owner's complete name and Florida address, date of birth, sex, driver's license number, a complete description of the vehicle, and any lien to be recorded. Sales tax will be collected if applicable.
Mobile Homes
All mobile homes in Florida must be registered. A numbered decal is issued for identification. State statutes require mobile home registrations be renewed annually by December 31, if the owner does not own the land the mobile home is located. A delinquent fee is charged if the registration is not renewed by the 10th of the following month.
If the mobile home owner owns the land in which the mobile home is located, permanent real property decals are issued and the mobile home is assessed on the real estate tax roll.
Annual registration fees are set by the State of Florida and are based on the length of the mobile home. Double-wide and triple-wide mobile homes are considered two and three separate units respectively, and the owner must purchase that many decals. Mobile homeowners are required to display the decal in a window clearly visible from the road in front of the home.
To register a mobile home, the owner must present to the Tax Collector's Office the following documents:
1.) The current or last issued Florida Vehicle Registration Certificate for the mobile home (if lost, furnish the most current decal number)
2.) The title to the mobile home (if financed, the owner must obtain a copy from the lien holder) if the Registration Certificate is not available
3.) The title (from Florida or any other state) signed off by the previous owner if it has not been transferred into the current owner's name and the bill of sale (the Tax Office will process the transfer).
Real Property Decals
All mobile homes or recreational vehicles permanently affixed to the owner's land and declared as real property, are issued a permanent "RP" decal and assessed on the real estate tax roll.
Owners must obtain form DR402 from the Property Appraiser's Office indicating the land and mobile home titles are in the same name, before applying for the "RP" decal from the Tax Collector's Office.
Real Property decals are permanent and transferable to a new owner when the land and mobile home are sold as a unit.
Other
Change of Address Request
To maintain accurate records, and help ensure that each registered owner receives a tag renewal notice, all changes of address must be reported to the Tax Collectors' Office or changed online at flhsmv.gov
The vehicle owner is required to provide their driver's license number, to facilitate the address change. Renewal notices are mailed as a courtesy service, to help facilitate the renewal process.
Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN)
All motor vehicles from out of state, being registered in Florida for the first time must have the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) verified. The Tax Collectors' Office will perform this service at the time of registration. The VIN can also be verified by, any law enforcement officer, a Florida notary public, or a motor vehicle dealer.
Parking Permits for Disabled Persons
Permanent Disability: A placard can be issued to a person at no charge with permanent disabilities that limit or impair their ability to walk or are certified legally blind.
The parking permit entitles the disabled person to utilize handicapped parking spaces. The placard can be used in any vehicle transporting the disabled person and is valid for approximately 4 years. The placard is to be hung on the rearview mirror when using the designated handicapped parking spaces. The disabled person and their doctor are required to sign for the permit using the form DHSMV 83039.
IMPORTANT: All disabled persons are now required to be recertified by their doctor, using the above form, before renewing their parking permit or replacing their lost/stolen parking permit.
Temporary Disability: A temporary disabled parking permit is available for up to 180 days for $15. The disabled person and their doctor are required to sign for the permit using the same form stated above.
