Florida is known around the country as being one of our more lawless states, or at least that’s how the reputation goes. If you happen to live in the state you may be well aware that this isn’t really the case.
There are a lot of rules, laws, and practices to be aware of doing just about anything in Florida. Selling a car in Florida is no different: there are many steps and regulations you need to be aware of before passing ownership over to a new driver.
What do you need to know about how to sell a car in Florida? Read on and we’ll walk you through all of the basics.
Applying For a Temporary License
Are you thinking: “What do I need to do to sell my car fast in Florida?”
You might find there’s actually a lot of business to take care of if you’re preparing to sell your vehicle.
People sell their vehicles at different points in time — some prior to getting a new vehicle, some after. If you’ve already purchased the new vehicle that you’ll be taking around town, you’ll want to have your new license plate transferred to that vehicle.
However, you’ll still need a tag on the old vehicle if you want to use it for test driving and transportation. This tag is a demonstration-only tag. It’s a kind of temporary tag that is for car sellers.
In order to obtain this tag from the state, you’ll need to show proof of insurance coverage on the vehicle. Once you have that, it shouldn’t be too much trouble to have the temporary tag issued.
With the tag in hand, your potential buyers can test drive the vehicle all they wish.
Pay Off Existing Lien
Do you still owe money on your vehicle? There might be some obstacles ahead of you then. The state of Florida does not allow an owner to sell their vehicle if there is an existing lien on the vehicle.
Once the car is fully paid off, the lienholder will make an official report to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle Department. It is this department that will oversee the transfer of your title to a new owner.
They will be aware of the title is transferred prior to this lien being paid off and can stop the legal aspect of the sale. It is possible to have your new owner go to the bank with you and pay off the lien, though this may be a harder situation to get a proper sale during.
This situation does not apply if you’re attempting to trade in a car that you own with a licensed automobile dealer. Car dealerships are allowed to take in cars with existing liens on them. The automobile dealer would just need to pay off the lien prior to selling the vehicle to another buyer.
If You Don’t Have a Title…
What should you do if your title has been misplaced? If you no longer have it in your possession? You’ll need to do a little extra work before you’ll be able to sell the vehicle.
In order to receive a duplicate title from your local motor vehicle service center, you’ll need to submit a good amount of paperwork. There will also be fees for this submission and the production of your duplicate title.
In the state of Florida, the form you’ll need to fill out is the HSMV 82101 form.
If you’re in a hurry, many counties within Florida offer expedited services at a higher cost. This way if you have a seller waiting to purchase the car, you can get your duplicate title fast.
There are more forms that will need to be completed to transfer the ownership of the title from yourself to your buyer. The buyer and seller typically must head to a local motor vehicle service center with photo identification for the trade to occur.
The paperwork isn’t all too complicated. It simply requires the name and address of the buyer, the current odometer reading on the vehicle, and the price and date of the sale.
Creating a Bill of Sale
The last major step you’ll need to complete the sale of your vehicle is to create a Bill of Sale. There is another form you can use to do this — HSMV 82050, which you can also get from your local motor vehicle department.
This form remove’s the seller’s registration from the vehicle and transfers it to a new owner. This is important because it will remove your liability from the vehicle once it is no longer in your possession.
You don’t want to get in trouble for any accident the vehicle is involved in once it drives away from you with a new person behind the wheel. This form will help ensure that is the case.
Once this form is filled out, all elements of vehicle ownership fall on the new buyer’s shoulders. They will be responsible in providing insurance and registering the vehicle.
The Bill of Sale serves as the official legal receipt of the transaction. If you haven’t already, this would also be the time to remove the license plate and transfer it to your new vehicle.
It is not required in Florida to return your license to the state. The only instance where a license would need to be returned is if you were planning on moving with your new vehicle out of state.
What to Know About Selling a Car in Florida
If you have a vehicle you’re looking to get off your hands, there’s a good bit o business you’ll need to make yourself aware of. Selling a car in Florida is more complicated than many people anticipate, but the above information can help you figure out how to get through the process.
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