Selling or junking a car in Florida, step by step
- Find your title (or replace it). If the title is lost or damaged, request a duplicate from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) using HSMV 82101, Application for Duplicate or Lost In Transit/Reassignment for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home or Vessel Title Certificate.
- Pay off any loan. If a lender is listed on the title, it must release the lien before the car can change hands. See our guide to junking a car with a lien.
- Sign the title over at pickup. Under FLHSMV's transfer procedure, the seller completes the Transfer of Title by Seller section with printed names, signatures, the selling price, the buyer's name and an odometer disclosure. The registered owner must also notify the department of the sale within 30 days.
- Deal with your plates. Ask the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) whether you keep, transfer or return your plates.
- File the Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Off-Highway Vehicle or Vessel. The seller reports the sale using this form or the notice-of-sale section on the back of the title, and turns it in to a local tax collector office. Ownership does not change until the buyer is issued a new title.
How to sign over a title in Florida
Under FLHSMV's transfer procedure, the seller completes the Transfer of Title by Seller section with printed names, signatures, the selling price, the buyer's name and an odometer disclosure. The registered owner must also notify the department of the sale within 30 days.
Official page: flhsmv.gov. For general tips on avoiding mistakes, see how to sign over a car title.
Lost title? Getting a duplicate in Florida
FLHSMV procedure TL-12 uses form HSMV 82101 for duplicate titles, including cases where the duplicate is issued and transferred at the same time. In that case both seller and buyer generally must appear with ID.
- Form: HSMV 82101, Application for Duplicate or Lost In Transit/Reassignment for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home or Vessel Title Certificate
- Official page: flhsmv.gov
More background: how to get a duplicate title before junking.
Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Off-Highway Vehicle or Vessel
The seller reports the sale using this form or the notice-of-sale section on the back of the title, and turns it in to a local tax collector office. Ownership does not change until the buyer is issued a new title.
- Form: HSMV 82050
- Official page: flhsmv.gov
Why it matters: release of liability when selling a car.
License plates after you sell
We couldn't confirm Florida's plate rule on an official page. Ask the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) before pickup, and see plates and insurance when junking a car.
Junk and salvage titles in Florida
FLHSMV procedure TL-35 covers junked and derelict vehicles; a derelict vehicle is one at least 10 model years old, worth under $1,000, and fit only for parts or scrap. Once a certificate of destruction is issued, the vehicle can only be sold for parts or scrap.
Official page: flhsmv.gov. Background: salvage vs. rebuilt vs. junk titles.
Selling a car without a title in Florida
A qualifying derelict vehicle can go to a licensed salvage dealer or secondary metals recycler without a title. The seller completes Section 1 of form HSMV 82137 and provides a copy of their ID, and the recycler must submit it within 24 hours.
Official page: flhsmv.gov
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Florida title questions
How do I replace a lost car title in Florida?
FLHSMV procedure TL-12 uses form HSMV 82101 for duplicate titles, including cases where the duplicate is issued and transferred at the same time. In that case both seller and buyer generally must appear with ID. The form is HSMV 82101, Application for Duplicate or Lost In Transit/Reassignment for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home or Vessel Title Certificate.
Do I need to notify Florida when I sell or junk my car?
Florida uses the Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Off-Highway Vehicle or Vessel. The seller reports the sale using this form or the notice-of-sale section on the back of the title, and turns it in to a local tax collector office. Ownership does not change until the buyer is issued a new title.
What happens to my license plates when I sell a car in Florida?
Check with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV); plate rules vary by state.
Can I junk a car without a title in Florida?
A qualifying derelict vehicle can go to a licensed salvage dealer or secondary metals recycler without a title. The seller completes Section 1 of form HSMV 82137 and provides a copy of their ID, and the recycler must submit it within 24 hours. Confirm the details with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
Official sources
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) — homeflhsmv.gov
- Selling or transferring a vehicle titleflhsmv.gov
- Duplicate or replacement title (HSMV 82101, Application for Duplicate or Lost In Transit/Reassignment for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home or Vessel Title Certificate)flhsmv.gov
- Notice of Sale and/or Bill of Sale for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Off-Highway Vehicle or Vesselflhsmv.gov
- Junk and salvage vehiclesflhsmv.gov
Summarized from official Florida government websites in October 2026. Fees and procedures change; always confirm with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) before you sell. This guide is general information, not legal advice.