The short answer
| Item | Florida answer |
|---|---|
| Title fee | $75.25 for an electronic title, the standard private-party transfer of a car already titled in Florida. Add $2.50 if you want a paper title printed. |
| Sales tax | 6% state tax on the price, plus your county's surtax on the first $5,000 only. The surtax rate depends on your home county. |
| Plate | Transfer your own Florida plate: $4.50. No plate to transfer: a one-time $225 initial registration fee, plus $28 for a new plate. |
| Deadline | 30 days after the car is delivered to you. |
| Late title fee | $20, flat, on top of everything else. It doesn't grow month by month. |
| Typical total | $20,000 private-party car, own plate transferred: $1,279.75 plus your county surtax on the first $5,000. |
Worked example: $20,000 private-party car
The buyer already has a Florida plate and transfers it to the car.
- State sales tax: 6% × $20,000 = $1,200
- Title (electronic): $75.25
- Plate transfer: $4.50
Total: $1,200 + $75.25 + $4.50 = $1,279.75, plus the county surtax on the first $5,000 of the price. That last part depends on the county where you live, so it isn't included here.
Title fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Title transfer, electronic title (car already titled in Florida) | $75.25 |
| Paper title printed | +$2.50 |
| First Florida title on a used vehicle | $85.25 |
| Duplicate title | $75.25 |
| Fast Title (expedited) | +$10 |
| Lien recording | +$2 |
| Late title fee (after 30 days) | $20 |
The $75.25 comes from Florida Statutes §319.32: a $70 title fee, a $4.25 service charge and $1. Some websites print a "$75.75" title fee. The FLHSMV fee schedule says $75.25.
Sales tax: 6% plus the county surtax
You pay 6% state sales tax on the purchase price to the county tax collector when you title the car. No title is issued until the tax is paid.
The county discretionary surtax applies only to the first $5,000 of the price. It follows the home address on your title and registration, not the place where you bought the car. Surtax rates differ from county to county, so we don't print one rate as if it were the state's. Our Florida calculator has every county's current rate.
There's no "$750 sales tax cap" on Florida cars. That figure circulates on some websites, but it isn't in the Department of Revenue's rules.
Plates and registration
- Transfer your own Florida plate to the car: $4.50 (§320.0609). County tax collector offices may charge a little more: our calculator uses Seminole County's $4.60.
- New metal plate: $28.
- No plate to transfer: a one-time $225 initial registration fee (§320.072). Transferring a plate is what avoids it, so it doesn't apply to every transfer.
Yearly registration is a base license tax by weight: $14.50, $22.50 or $32.50. FLHSMV says other fees set by law are added at the counter, so the base tax isn't what you pay in total. The Florida calculator shows the full first-year amount.
How long you have
File the title application within 30 days after the car is delivered to you (§319.23(6)(a)). After that the late fee is $20, once, on top of all other fees. Claims of a "late fee up to $250" or "$5.50 a month" don't match the FLHSMV schedule.
Can you gift a car in Florida without paying sales tax?
Yes, and Florida is more generous than most states: the giver doesn't have to be a relative. A gift between any two people is exempt from sales tax as long as both of these are true:
- No payment or anything else of value changes hands.
- The person receiving the car doesn't take over a loan on it.
Claim it with the sales tax exemption certification in Section 9 of form HSMV 82040, plus a sworn statement naming the giver and confirming both conditions. You still pay the title and registration fees.
One caveat: if Florida tax was never paid on the car at all, the Department of Revenue's rules let it charge tax on the retail value. The exemption is for real gifts of cars that were already taxed.
Bought out of state or moving to Florida
A car bought in another state owes Florida's 6% use tax, with a dollar-for-dollar credit for sales tax paid in the other state. If you used the car in another state for 6 months or more before moving, it's presumed not to have been bought for use in Florida, so no use tax is due if you have the paperwork to show it (§212.06(8)(a)). Out-of-state vehicles also need a VIN verification on form HSMV 82042.
Forms
- HSMV 82040: Application for Certificate of Title With/Without Registration. Section 9 is the sales tax exemption certification for gifts.
- HSMV 82050: Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale. The seller files the notice of sale to protect themselves from liability.
- HSMV 82042: VIN verification, for out-of-state vehicles.
Both parties don't need to go to the office together. The buyer files with the signed title and the forms.
Other states
Title transfer guides for other states: Texas, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Arizona, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon and Washington. Registering for the first time? See Florida first-time registration cost. If your registration has run out, see expired registration in Florida.
What this guide doesn't cover
Dealer sales, county surtax rates (see the calculator), the other fees added to the yearly base license tax, mobile homes and vessels.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to transfer a car title in Florida?
$75.25 for an electronic title, plus 6% sales tax and your county surtax on the first $5,000. With a $4.50 plate transfer, a $20,000 private-party car comes to $1,279.75 plus the county surtax.
How long do I have to transfer a title in Florida?
30 days after the car is delivered to you. After that the late fee is a flat $20, not a monthly charge.
Can I transfer a car title as a gift in Florida?
Yes. A gift between any two people is exempt from sales tax if no payment changes hands and the person receiving it doesn't take over a loan. Claim it on form HSMV 82040 with a sworn statement. Title and registration fees still apply.
Do both parties need to be present to transfer a title in Florida?
No. The buyer files with the signed title and the forms.
Do I pay the $225 fee when I transfer a title in Florida?
Only if you have no plate to transfer. Transferring your own Florida plate costs $4.50 and avoids the $225 initial registration fee.
See title transfer fees for all 50 states
Calculate your Florida fees
Example for a $30,000 car. Enter your own price to update it.
- Initial registration feeOne time, new Florida plate$225.00
- License plate$28.00
- Annual registrationIncl. statutory fees$36.10
- Title feeElectronic title$75.25
- State sales tax6% of price$1,800.00
- County surtax1% of first $5,000$50.00
Total excludes items marked "not available".
What you'll pay later
Renewal: not available in this calculator.
Rates and sources for every fee are on the Florida car registration fee calculator page.
- FLHSMV – Fee schedule (title transfer $75.25 electronic, +$2.50 paper title, first Florida title on a used vehicle $85.25, duplicate $75.25, fast title +$10, lien +$2, late title fee $20)
- Florida Statutes §319.23 (title application within 30 days of delivery; $20 late fee) – flsenate.gov
- Florida Statutes §319.32 (title fee build-up: $70 + $4.25 service + $1) – flsenate.gov
- Florida Statutes §320.0609 (plate transfer to a replacement vehicle, $4.50) – flsenate.gov
- Florida Statutes §320.072 ($225 initial registration fee when no plate is transferred) – flsenate.gov
- Florida Statutes §212.05 (imposition of the 6% sales tax) – flsenate.gov
- Florida Statutes §212.06 (use tax on vehicles bought out of state; credit for tax paid; 6-month presumption) – flsenate.gov
- Florida Department of Revenue – TIP 18A01-01R2 (motor vehicle sales tax)
General information, not tax or legal advice. Fees and tax rules change; confirm with the agency listed before you pay.
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