Selling car in FL
 

Quick question before I Google.
Selling my old car to a buddy. What do I have to do and what does he, in terms of registration, title, insurance etc?
Thanks

Re: Selling car in FL
 

If you have a clear title in hand, complete the transfer of ownership section on the title and provide a bill of sale.

He will need to take both plus proof of insurance to the DMV and get it re-titled and registered in his name.

The license tag on the car belongs to you. You must retain it and surrender it to the DMV .

If your buddy is in another state and/or the title shows an existing lien-holder, things get more complicated.

Re: Selling car in FL
 

Thanks. What does clear title look like? Idk if I have it. It was my ex MIL car, then my ex wife's now mine. No lien. Buyer is same state.

Re: Selling car in FL
 

A clear title will only show your name. If there was a loan on the car (not a lien) the loan company's name would also appear.

Re: Selling car in FL
 

I will have to rummage to find this. I remember going to DMV during divorce to claim the car, but it is all fuzzy.

Re: Selling car in FL
 

You can order another one from the DMV. The thing is it takes a couple weeks until you get it.

Re: Selling car in FL
 

FL has electronic titles. You'd have to pay to get a paper version IIRC, but if yours is electronic t
You can just turn up at the tax office.

At least that's how it is where I am.

Re: Selling car in FL
 

I found the title certificate, filed under car/title/DL. Should be straight forward now. Thanks all.

Re: Selling car in FL
 

Glad this is no problem for you, Rich. (I'm assuming it all went/will go through fine.)

Two relatives just endured a bit of a nightmare trying to transfer title of an (ancient) vehicle, but the complicating factors were that the car owner had died & the new owner lived in another state. WHAT a palaver! :ohmy:

Each of these United State is its very own kingdom with its very own bizarre & arcane rules; it's a wonder anything gets done across state lines!!

Re: Selling car in FL
 

We've just gone through the 'inter-state two-step'

We moved to Florida from Alabama 3 years ago. We registered both cars in Florida but have never laid eyes on the titles as they are financed (so held by the loan company). My belief was that Florida DMV would request the title from the loan company and send them back a Florida title.

Forward 3 years. We sold one of the cars to our daughter's fiancé. As it was still financed, he would get a loan to pay off the existing loan. After the loan was satisfied, my loan company sent his loan company the title which they sent to him to register it. But it was STILL an Alabama title. What's more, the Alabama DMV made him pay the last 2 years' tax on it.

So, it would appear it was never re-titled in Florida.

Re: Selling car in FL
 

In the event of the owner being deceased I have found the Abandoned Vehicle Process quite often works. Most states have a version of this.
I agree the DMV varies state by state sometimes with requirements of one state not being allowed by another state.

Re: Selling car in FL
 

Interesting! Thanks for that suggestion. :thumbup:

The Husband & I have a couple of elderly relatives left in the neighbouring state, so we may need to check this out for ourselves....

Re: Selling car in FL
 

If the vehicle has not been on the road for some time check it actually exists in the national database.
I bought a motorcycle in Richmond from the widow of the owner who spent a lot of time completing the documentation as the executor of the estate.
I went to the DMV with the original title and documents from the widow to find that as the motorcycle had last been on the road in 1971 it had been deleted from the database and had to use the Abandoned Vehicle Process.

Re: Selling car in FL
 

Bit of a wrinkle. Buddy never registered the car. I just found out it is still in my name. Can't get hold of him. Thinking about reposessing it. I know where he lives & works.
I gave him the title signed over in good faith but it looks like he scammed me😣
I found out as a law office called me about a case involving his relative, as the car was seen at their address😱

Re: Selling car in FL
 

Did you take a copy of the signed title or bill of sale?