We all know that when you get pulled over, the police officer runs a check on your license plate to make sure your tag isn’t expired or that the car is not stolen.  Those little stickers that we get every year can cause a lot of trouble if not updated.  In the State of Florida you can register either online when the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues a renewal through the mail or you can register in person.  If you decide to go online to register, once you confirm that you have liability coverage, you can then pay the registration fee which varies dependent upon the type of vehicle you drive and how much it weighs.

If you drive a standard vehicle such as a car or truck, you are required to register your car every year by the month of your birthdate.  You can elect to elect to register the vehicle up to 30 days prior to your birthday.  If the vehicle is registered to more than one person, it needs to be registered in the name of the first person listed on the registration.  It is the birthdate of this person that will be used for registration purposes.  If a vehicle is owned by a company or corporation, the registration must be completed by the last day of the month in which the initial registration occurred.  When you register your vehicle in Florida, make sure to bring your proof of liability insurance with you or you will not be allowed to register it.

If you are a new resident to Florida, welcome.  Here is what you need to know about registering your vehicle.  Once you start working in Florida, register your child for school here, or establish residency by renting, leasing, or purchasing a home or apartment, you only have 10 days to register and title your vehicle.  Although you can title your vehicle in the state without registering, you cannot legally drive it until it is registered in Florida.  In order to register your vehicle, you must obtain a Florida driver’s license, get insurance in this state, and verify your vehicle identification number and odometer reading on a Vehicle Identification Number and Odometer Verification form (Form HSMV82042) or have the vehicle verified at the county tax collector’s office.

Of course, once you have completed all of these steps, you then have to pay the applicable registration and tax fees.  If you have owned the vehicle for less than six months, you are responsible for paying 6% Florida sales or use tax and possibly local city or county taxes.  This amount will be prorated if you paid taxes on the vehicle in another state.  If, however, you have owner the vehicle for more than six months, you will not be required to pay sales, use, or discretionary taxes if your out-of state title and registration showed that your vehicle was owned in another state.

If you are already a Florida resident, you must register a vehicle when you first buy or are given a vehicle.  If you buy it from a car dealership, the dealer can issue a temporary license plate and then file the title and registration for you.  The dealer is required to transfer the title and registration to you within a 30-day time frame.  If you have questions or concerns about the dealer doing so, a call to the Department of Motor Services can let you know the status of the title/registration process.  Generally, registration and title fees are not part of your sales contract with the dealer.  If they do include these fees, they are only permitted to charge the actual amount of the fees, however, the may charge a fee for filing the paperwork.

There are many factors that affect how to register a vehicle in the state of Florida such as whether you are buying from a private party, whether or not you are a military member, or if you are a non-resident who wants to register a vehicle in Florida.  Just as there are different factors the effect how you register a vehicle, there are different fees based upon the type and weight of the vehicle being registered.  If you have never had a Florida registration, you can expect an initial fee of $225 and then the fees vary from there.

Although getting a traffic ticket is a non-moving violation and the fines vary by county, but in Miami-Dade the fine is $129.  Let your registration expire for six months or more, and you are facing a criminal misdemeanor charge and serious penalties.  If you have received a traffic ticket for an expired tag/registration, let’s us help.  Call the Traffic Ticket Team at 954-967-9888.