New to Florida? Your 30-Day Vehicle, License and Insurance Checklist

Welcome to Florida. The state gives new residents 30 days to get their vehicle titled and registered — and the steps have to happen in a specific order or you''ll be sent home to start over.

The order that actually works

1. Get Florida insurance first

Florida requires $10,000 PIP and $10,000 property damage liability minimum, from a carrier licensed in Florida. An out-of-state policy will not satisfy the electronic verification, even from the same company. Do this before anything else.

2. Get your VIN verified

Any vehicle with an out-of-state title needs a physical VIN verification (HSMV 82042) signed by a licensed dealer, notary, tag agent or law enforcement officer. We do it on site in five minutes — details in our VIN verification guide.

3. Title and register the vehicle

Bring the out-of-state title, the verification, proof of insurance and ID. Expect:

• Title transfer for a foreign title: $85.25
• Initial registration fee: $225 (one time, per owner)
• Annual tag fee by weight: ~$46–$74
• Sales tax: only if you owe Florida the difference on a recent purchase

Full math in what it really costs to register a car in Florida.

4. Convert your driver license

Within 30 days as well. Bring proof of identity, Social Security number and two proofs of Florida residency (lease, utility bill, bank statement). Requirements are on the official FLHSMV new resident page.

5. Register to vote and update your address

Optional, but it establishes residency cleanly for insurance and tax purposes.

Documents to gather before you start

• Out-of-state title (or the lienholder''s information if a lender holds it)
• Out-of-state registration
• Florida insurance card or binder
• Photo ID and Social Security number
• Proof of Florida address — two documents
• Lease or mortgage paperwork

If a lender holds your title

You don''t have the physical title, so Florida requests it directly from your lienholder. Bring your loan account number and the lender''s name and address. This adds a couple of weeks, so start early in your 30-day window.

What Florida does not require

• No safety inspection
• No emissions test anywhere in the state
• No smog or annual mechanical certification

The only physical check is the VIN verification.

Two things new residents get wrong

1. Registering before insuring. Every time. Get Florida coverage first.
2. Assuming a spouse can sign. If both names are on the out-of-state title, both must sign or provide a notarized power of attorney (HSMV 82053).

Setting up a business here too?

Plenty of new residents are moving a company as well. We handle LLC formation, EIN applications, registered agent service and fictitious name (DBA) filings. State filings go through Sunbiz, and we file them for you the same day.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to be a citizen? No. Non-citizens can title and register with valid identification and proof of Florida address.

What if I''m active-duty military? You can keep your home-state registration, or register in Florida with additional exemptions available.

Can I do it all in one visit? Yes — that''s the point of using a private tag agency. Insurance in place, documents in hand, and we finish titling, registration and plate in one appointment.

What if my 30 days already passed? Come in anyway. Late penalties are small compared to a citation for an unregistered vehicle.

Get it done in one stop

Book an appointment or send your documents online and we''ll review everything before you drive over. We''re minutes from the Florida Mall — see our locations.