All Florida residents must register their vehicles with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) and obtain valid license plates. You can choose to get the state’s standard license plate or select a specialized style.

Sample Florida License Plate

Types of Florida License Plates

When you register your car or motorcycle in Florida, you must also obtain validation stickers. After registering your vehicle, you’ll obtain one or more license plates to place on your vehicle.

The standard license plate in Florida comes with the choice of the following words at the bottom:

In God We Trust (state motto)
Sunshine State
County Name (in some participating counties)

Standard Florida license plates have oranges and blossoms with an outline of the state of Florida in the center.

Instead of the standard license plate, you can also choose to personalize your plate (vanity plates), get specialized plates, or apply for disability plates.

Remember, you must put your validation stickers on the upper right corner of your license plate. The month and year of expiration must be clearly visible.

Personalizing Florida License Plates

Before deciding to personalize your Florida license plate, you can check availability online. When you are deciding on your custom plate number, keep the following in mind:

Use up to 7 characters (including spaces or hyphens)
Use up to 5 characters for collegiate plates with logos on the left

The cost of registering and renewing personalized plates is $15 in addition to the standard fees.

Note that the DHSMV may reject a personalized license plate; see our Florida banned license plates page for more information.

Specialized License Plates in Florida

Florida has a range of colorful choices for specialty license plates. Take a look at some of the options available:

Protect Our Oceans License Plate
University of Florida License Plate
Florida State University License Plate
Miami Dolphins License Plate
Support Autism License Plate
Fraternal Order of Police License Plate
Military Groups License Plate
Recipients of Silver Star License Plate
Historic & Custom License Plate
Horseless Carriage License Plate

Fees for these plates start at $20. You’ll also have to pay for the standard registration fees. Some plates require a donation as well.

If you want to support a particular organization or show off your passion for what you love, these are the plates to get.

Applying for License Plate in Florida

When you purchase a new vehicle in the state of Florida, the dealership should provide you with a temporary plate.

If you are purchasing a vehicle in a private sale, you must obtain a temporary plate in advance. To do so, you must visit your local tax collector to complete a vehicle transfer.

Temporary plates are valid for 30 days and permit you to drive your car while your title and license plates are being processed.

You have 30 days to register your vehicle if you become a Florida resident or purchase a new vehicle.

Documents for Florida License Plate Application

To register your vehicle, you must go to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) in Florida.

You must bring the following documents to the DHSMV:

Proof of ID
Valid insurance for your vehicle
VIN inspection certification
Odometer reading (for new residents)
Payment of $225 for registration fee

If you’re new to Florida, you’ll have to apply for a Florida driver’s license and get new insurance for your vehicle.

Once you have all the necessary documents, you can submit your registration. When you do, you may also have to pay sales tax on your vehicle. Contact your local DHSMV for more information.

Receiving Florida License Plates

Once your application has been received and your payment processed, you should receive your license plate and sticker right away. In this case, you can put your license plate on your vehicle and put the validation sticker on the upper right corner.

If you decided to get a specialized or personalized license plate, it will take a few days to process and arrive. In the meantime, you must maintain your temporary permit to legally use your car on the roads in Florida.

Lost or Stolen License Plates in Florida

Sometimes you can lose your license plates or they can be stolen. In either of these situations, you must apply for replacement license plates. To do so, you must personally go to your local DHSMV in Florida and provide:

Current registration certificate for your vehicle
Form HSMV 83146: Application for Replacement License Plate, Validation Decal, or Parking Permit

Replacement Fees

Damaged or defaced license plate: $28 (With Police Report: Free)
Lost validation stickers: $28 (If lost in the mail: Free)
Stolen license plate: Free (requires police report)

If you have one of your plates or damaged plates, you must surrender them to the DHSMV.

Surrendering License Plates in Florida

If you are no longer using your license plate, such as if you sell your car or if your car breaks down beyond repair, you must surrender your plates to the DHSMV. Other situations where you might surrender your license plates include:

Moving to a new country or state
Not transferring your license plates to a new vehicle
Canceling your vehicle’s insurance

When you surrender your license plates, you can drop them off in person or mail them to your county tax collector.

Costs for License Plates in Florida

There are many variables that influence the total cost of your vehicle’s registration fees. Here are a few of them:

Initial Registration Fee: $225
License Plate Fee (Original/Replacement): $28
Transferring Fee: $7.35 (if applicable)
Vehicle Tax: Varies by weight
Service Fees: Vary by location

The cost of registering a vehicle in Florida is significantly higher than the cost of renewing. You should contact your local DHSMV office to get an accurate quote for your vehicle.

Looking Up License Plates in Florida for Free

If you want to obtain some background information before purchasing a used vehicle, you can look up a Florida license plate.

This search tool provides you with information, including:

Suspicious activity
Driver history
Owners
Images of the vehicle
Plate number availability
And much more

Try FindByPlate to get the most updated data on license plates in Florida.

How to look up Florida license plates

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to look up Florida License Plates and report bad drivers:

Open a web browser
Go to FindByPlate.com
Enter the plate number, and select state
View the report
View images submitted by the community
View videos submitted by the community
Add comments
Add pictures of the vehicle
Add videos related to the vehicle

Car Ownership in Florida

94.00% of households in Florida have at least one vehicle.
Florida ranks 21 in the United States in car ownership rates. Idaho and Wyoming have the most car owners while the District of Columbia has the fewest car owners in the US.
Florida ranks 13 in the US for electric vehicle ownership. About 0.54% of all registered vehicles in Florida are electric vehicles.
Florida is the fourth most expensive state in the US for own a car after California, Nevada, and Colorado. Florida is ranked 2, after New York, for the most expensive full coverage car insurance (Floridians pay an average of $4,326 per year). The average cost of a check engine light-related car repair in Florida is $396.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Florida cars have 2 license plates?

You are not required to have two license plates in Florida. The state requires a single license plate that must be placed at the back of the vehicle. However, front vanity plates are legal in Florida (the front license plate area is not recognized as a legally required display area for license plates).

What are the motor vehicle title fees in Florida?

The Florida DHSMV charges the following motor vehicle title fees:

Original (New): $77.25
Original (Used): $85.25
Transfer or Duplicate: $75.25
Lien Only (No Ownership Transfer): $74.25
For-Hire Vehicle Title: $56.25
Fast Title: $10
Late Title Fee: $20
Re-Inspection Fee: $20

Note: The above-listed fees are for electronic titles. If you want a paper title, it will cost $2.50 extra. Plus, there is a $2 lien recording fee, if applicable.

How long can you drive without plates in Florida?

You can drive a newly bough vehicle (new or used) for up to 30 days without the metal license plate. (You must have temporary plates on your vehicle during this time). After 30 days, if you drive your vehicle without proper valid license plates, you could face criminal charges.

Can anyone turn in a license plate in Florida?

If you are the owner of a vehicle and are surrendering Florida license plates and decals by mail, you should include a signed written statement specifying the reason for the surrender (moving out of state, cancelled insurance, etc.).

If someone other than the registered owner surrenders license plates to the FLHSMV, they must provide a photo identification, affidavit, and other appropriate documents.

Do Florida license plates expire?

All license plates in the state of Florida must be replaced every 10 years.

Can I transfer my Florida license plate to another person?

No, Florida does not permit transfer of license plates to other people.

How much is a custom license plate in Florida?

You can apply for a custom (personalized) license plate in Florida by paying the standard fee of $28 plus a $15 personalization fee. The $15 fee will need to be paid every year when you renew your registration.

Lookup by license plate and report bad drivers