Selling a car can be a daunting task when you don’t know the procedures. There are set of rules and regulations that one has to follow when it comes to buying and selling of a car. According to 2022 census, there are 7,841,553 registered cars in Florida.
Here are some of the important things to be kept in mind which will easily help you in the selling process with less complications involved. But, just a quick question before you start reading these points! How many cars have you sold in Florida till now? According to the law in Florida, you can not sell more than three cars in a year without a dealer license. So. Make sure you keep that in mind. Here are 6 steps to sell the car in Florida -
1. The license plate is yours, keep it!
As per the Florida’s rule, the license plate of the vehicle remains with the seller and can not be given to the buyer. After the sale, the plate should be removed and to be kept by the seller only. The seller can use it on another vehicle that he owns. If there is a situation where the seller is moving out , he can return the plate to the nearest FHSMV office.
License plate are returned to motor vehicle service center only when:
The seller is moving with the vehicle outside the Florida
The seller cancels the insurance on the car with the licensed plate
2. Don’t Run Away from Liens
If a seller’s car has any existing liens, he can not sell the asset. Until those liens are paid off, selling procedure can not be completed. When the lien is paid off, the lienholder will inform FHSMV(Florida highway safety and motor vehicle department) and guess what’s back? Your ability to transfer the title.
Sellers have upto 10 days to settle the lien before selling the car to the customer.
One important thing to note here is that, a private seller can trade in a vehicle with an existing lien to an authorized car dealership. He doesn’t need to request a paper title with a licensed Florida car dealer
In case of loss of original paper vehicle, duplicate paper title should be obtained by the seller before he sells the vehicle.
To obtain duplicate title, form HSMV 82101 should be submitted along with the fees.
This form needs to be submitted to the local motor vehicle service centre.
3. Transfer the Title
This procedure is not compulsory but it is highly recommended. In order to transfer the title and complete the sale, the seller and buyer can meet at the FHSMV office where the buyer will have to fill out the legal form 82040 within the span of 30 days of purchasing the vehicle.
The odometer reading at the date of purchase will be required on the title application.
If the buyer fails to do so, he will be responsible for a late transfer fee. This doesn’t mean that the deal can’t be signed at home or any other business place, but going to the office is the easiest and smooth way.
If the seller can’t find the title, he has to apply for the new one by submitting the HSMV 82101 form to the local FHSMV office with the required fees.
Form 82994 or form 82092 needs to be filled if the vehicle title is in electronic format. Presence of both buyer and seller is necessary.
The national highway traffic safety administration’s odometer disclosure requirements states that any vehicle of model year 2011 or newer (2012, 2013, etc.) will require odometer disclosure.
4. Don’t Forget the Temporary Tag
As we know that the vehicle plate remains with the seller, if a situation arrives where the seller has tranferred the plate to a new car, he needs to get a temporary tag for the vehicle that he is planning to sell. One important thing to be kept in mind is that, insurance is needed to get the tag. So, the seller needs to make sure that he keeps the insurance on the rig.
5. Wait! VIN Inspection is Not Done Yet
If the car that the seller is planning to sell has never been titled in the state, he needs to fill and submit VIN and odometer verification form (HSMV 82042). Officials must check if the information collected in the form is correct or not.
The form requires the verification by the owner and any one official representatives. Official representative may include :
A licensed Florida notary public
A law enforcement officer
A Florida FLHSMV officer or examiner’
A licensed and authorized motor vehicle dealer
6. Bill of Sale
It is important to fill the bill of sale form (82050). This will help in removing seller’s current registration from the car including liability attached to the vehicle. After the filing of the form, responsibility to attain the new title and registration comes in buyer’s hands.
Important thing to keep in mind is that if the buyer does not file for the title and registration and seller does not file form 82050, the seller can be held liable for actions with the vehicle, even if they no longer own the car.
FAQs
Q1 Is it worth detailing a car before selling it?
Absolutely. You can call your local car detailer for this. These guys know what it really means to clean the car on the next level, something you won’t achieve on your own.
Price of the car detailer will vary according to your own needs.
Q2 How long does it take to sell a car privately?
When it comes to selling a car, it can easily take approximately two weeks.
Q3. What can be the cost of car detailing?
Someone that washes and cleans your car really well will be around $60-$80 (Not really a detail)
A standard detail from a qualified detailer will be between $100-$140 (Best choice for most sellers)
