Hey, did you find a perfect car in the Sunshine State? Are you moving to Florida and want to get a vehicle there? In any case, let’s imagine that you can’t take your eyes off a nice ride with a Florida auto title. We’ve already covered a lot of different car title types in our blog, but we haven’t touched upon Florida titles. Hold up, there are some procedures you’re gonna need to follow to finalize the purchase you’ve made (or going to make). In this blog, we’re familiarizing you with what you should know when you’ve set your heart on buying a vehicle with one of the Florida auto titles. Cheer up: it’s easy.
What Is A Car Title?
Before we delve into the different types of titles and understand more about them, let’s first learn more about what a car title is in general. There are many novice buyers who look to purchase a car from salvage auctions and are confused by these terms.
So, what is a car title? Well, think of the title as proof of ownership. This is a legal document that proves that you are the rightful owner of a vehicle.
Every car has a title and on this title, the name of the rightful owner is listed. The owner does not have to be an individual. It can be a company, or a lien holder (bank).
This is the case because people often finance cars. So, banks do not give you immediately the ownership of the car. Instead, the title name will be held by the bank in this case.
In the title, there is also data about the car. This includes the make and model, color, VIN number, and other important data.
What is also worth noting, since this is the document that proves that someone is an owner of the car, the car cannot be sold without the title.
If you don’t have a title, good luck selling it to somebody. However, you can sell it with a bill of sale in some states. But these rules are often for cars that are extremely old and the documentation is lost.
Types of Florida Titles
Here we come to the important bit, which is the types of car titles in Florida. These titles are the following:
Let’s break all of them down to understand what they mean. For further reference within the article, we’ll be using the abbreviation of the state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle in Florida (FLHSMV).
Florida Certificate of Destruction
Certificate of Destruction is issued upon an insurance company’s request. After paying claims, they acquire ownership rights and then recoup their investments through online auto auctions like AutoBidMaster. A car can get such a title when:
- (a) it is newer than 7 years,
- (b) sustained damage outweighs at least 90% of its retail value,
- (c) and its actual cash value is more than $7,500.
Some flood-damaged cars come with Florida certificates of destruction. For instance, this Mercedes-Benz S 550.
Usually, cars that get the Florida certificate of destruction are cars that were involved in some serious fire or were completely flooded.
These cars cannot be registered and put back on the road. This means that they are only good for parts, or recycling.
Florida Clear Title
This Florida auto title is for cars that didn’t sustain any damage. Or for those with tiny and insignificant damage. On the condition that a vehicle hasn’t been deemed a total loss, it can keep its title even after an accident. We hope you find one with a clear title.
Clean title cars are the type of cars you need. But these cars are only a small percentage of the cars you can find in salvage yards. Most of the cars there are vehicles that have been in some sort of an accident.
However, if you are lucky, you can find a clean title that is in fairly good condition and put many miles on it.
Florida Rebuildable Title
Driving a vehicle with a salvage brand on its title is prohibited in the US. When the required repairs have been completed, a car should undergo an inspection that will prove its roadworthiness. Once everything is fixed up according to your local (or state) stipulations, you can apply for a rebuilt title. Nevertheless, never forget to document every step of repairs before submitting a statement to your local DMV to ease the process of a vehicle inspection.
Keep in mind that you’ll have to submit some paperwork before applying for a new title for your car. You’ll have to deal with the form named FLHSMV 82040 and a certificate of builder/repairer (the form FLHSMV 84990). Otherwise, you may face additional delays, charges, and complications.
Florida Rebuilt Title
The rebuilt title Florida is for vehicles that have already undergone all the required repairs and can be driven without any legal restrictions. No worries, cars carrying over their rebuilt titles are safe to operate. Remember that Florida state regulations consider any odometer violations a felony, so you are encouraged to get to know as much as possible about your vehicle. Our trusted partner ClearVIN can help you with that. They know for sure what caused the car you’re going to buy to end up at an auction yard.
Florida Auto Titles FAQ
Q: What does a Florida car title look like?
The car title is a single paper document that has vital information about the vehicle and the vehicle owner.
On the top of the document, you have the title, which says “Certificate of Title”. Then you have the information about the vehicle. This includes the make and model, year of production, color, etc.
Then, you have the type of title the car has. The title can be clean, rebuilt, salvage, etc.
Below that is your personal information, such as your name, signature, and address.
As with every document you also have a stamp that proves that this is an official document. This is one of the things that you should look for because there can be some fake titles out there.
Q: Can you register a rebuilt title in Florida?
Yes, you can register a Florida rebuilt title car. What you cannot do is register a salvage and certificate of destruction cars. The salvage car has to be fixed and once fixed it will get a rebuilt title. While certificates of destruction can never be put back on the road.
Knowing this, a rebuilt title Florida should not scare you at all. These are cars that have been crashed or had some sort of damage, then they were properly fixed and inspected. Every salvage car has to go through an inspection in order to receive a rebuilt title.
What you should also know is that these cars usually have lower value compared to clean title cars. So, knowing this is very useful since you can get yourself a really nice deal.
Q: How much is tax and title on a car in Florida?
In Florida, the cost of tax and title for a car includes several components. The state sales tax rate is 6%. Some of the counties may charge an additional discretionary sales surtax, which can vary but generally adds up to an additional 1.5%.
Let’s take an example, if you decide to purchase a car for $20,000, the base state sales tax would be $1,200 (6% of $20,000). If there’s an additional county surtax of 1.5%, that would add $300 to the price, bringing the total sales tax to $1,500.
The title fee in Florida is about $77.25 for an original title. If the vehicle is being financed, an additional lien recording fee of $2 is required. In addition, there is a $225 initial registration fee for new vehicles or vehicles new to the state.
Together, the tax and title fees for a $20,000 car in Florida could total around $1,800 to $2,000, depending on the county surtax and whether the vehicle is new to the state.
Q: Can I register a FL certificate of destruction car?
Unfortunately, certificates of destruction are given to cars that cannot be registered. This is because not every car deserves to be put back on the roads.
These cars include: heavily crashed vehicles with major structural damage, fire damaged vehicles, and flooded cars.
These cars are too far gone and can only be used to harvest parts or for recycling. This is why when you look for cars at salvage auctions, you should find cars that have clean, rebuilt, or salvage titles. Use the certificate of destruction cars for parts only.
Q: Are cars with Florida auto titles exportable?
A: Yes, they are. Unless otherwise stated on the lot page. Sometimes a car may have a title that prevents exporting outside the USA. Some machines may require additional documents for export. It’s always best to check out with our Customer Support Team if you aren’t 100% sure of what you’re getting into. We are ready to navigate the waters for you. Contact us online if you have questions.
Q: How do I transfer a car title in Florida?
A: Don’t worry about transferring any of Florida auto titles. We’ll do it for you. However, you should factor in that document processing in Florida can be longer than in other states because of enabled stipulations here. You can sign everything in a few clicks from your personal account. Be sure to double-check the information you provide in order to avoid any mishaps.
Q: Are there any specific taxes to be paid after purchasing a car in Florida?
A: Yes, there are. That’s arguably the most complicated point of the whole process. If you are a resident of Florida, you’ll have to pay the following fees:
- state sales tax (varies between 6-7% and depends on the county),
- a surtax based on the amount of the final (winning) bid along with a county’s discretionary taxes,
- auction’s fees,
- standard transaction fee ($299 + $25 for wire transfers),
- and a documentation fee ($350).
In contrast, you are exempt from any applicable taxes if you’re an international customer or if you reside outside of the Sunshine State.
Q: How To Register A Car with A Florida Auto Title?
A: AutoBidMaster doesn’t deal with car registration. We only sell used cars and deliver them to our customers. We recommend contacting your local titling agency or a DMV to obtain more information on the matter.
But overall, you can register a car that you purchased with a rebuilt or a clean title. Salvage title cars cannot be registered until they are properly fixed. Only then, these cars can go through an inspection and be put back on the road.
That’s why if you look for a salvage car, make sure that you are aware that these cars cannot be registered until properly fixed and inspected.
Last Word
Buying cars with Florida titles is much easier than you might have thought. Keep calm: we’ll be helping you in every step, no matter where you are and which car you’d want to get. There are many cars in The Sunshine State with Florida titles waiting for you at auction yards. In addition, they are bargains. You determine how much you’re ready to pay. The competition can be fierce, but there is a way to skip it at all by hitting the buy-it-now button. The real deal: you can get access to plenty of good cars just with a few clicks on AutoBidMaster. Create an account with us, upload a copy of your government-issued ID or passport, place a refundable security deposit, grab the right membership, and win a car. It’s that easy. Give us a call a:t +1 (503) 298-4300 any time between 4:00 AM and 4:00 PM on weekdays and feel free to ask us everything you wish to clarify regarding the auction and bidding. Our team will be glad to help. Also ClearVin offers fast and easy access to the original Ford Window Sticker by VIN.
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