Selling Your Car in Florida: Six Things to Consider

When one wants to sell their vehicle in Florida, they need to take six things into consideration. Without this, there’s a great chance of something going wrong and the whole deal-making process going to waste. As the cost of any mistakes can be too high, it is essential to follow all the recommendations mentioned in this article. 

The main thing sellers need to focus their attention on is the right way of completing the legal papers, including the bill of sale, odometer verification, etc. They can create a bill of sale online using specialized websites that can provide guidelines and other helpful information. It is also important to remember to follow state-specific requirements for selling a vehicle.

As for the State of Florida, Form HSMV 82050 is the most essential requirement. At the same time, this document is not the only one you need to complete if you are trading a vehicle. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), Forms HSMV 82101, HSMV 82092, and HSMV 82994 should also be completed. So keep this in mind before starting a vehicle trading process.

Florida Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale (Form HSMV 82050)

As was already mentioned, the completion of a Florida Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale (Form HSMV 82050) is the first thing both the vendor and the purchaser need to consider. So what is this form about, and why is it an essential part of the vehicle trading process?

A Florida Motor Vehicle Bill of Sale (Form HSMV 82050) is a legal paper verifying the trade of a vehicle between two participants. It confirms that the deal took place in real life. It is worth mentioning that state laws do not require this document as a necessity, meaning you can ignore completing it. However, almost all deals cannot be completed without this paper, and there is a solid reason.

Why is Form HSMV 82050 So Important?

This paper protects both participants of a vehicle trading process from possible future legal issues and gives them guarantees that their rights will not be violated. In addition, by filling out and signing Form HSMV 82050, parties protect themselves from costly errors, theft, and fraud. Therefore, it is essential that the vendor signs the paper before the purchaser does.

When the vendor signs the form, they confirm they will not pay for any traffic tickets of the purchaser (if they get them on the road somewhere in the future). The same goes with road accidents: the vendor will not take any responsibility for them once the form is signed. The only thing they need to do is visit the nearest tax office to submit the notice of sale.

When it comes to the purchaser, by signing the form, they agree they are not responsible for any issues with the vehicle the previous owner of this vehicle had. The only thing they need to remember is to go to the nearest local office 30 days after purchasing the vehicle.

What to include in the Form HSMV 82050

There are essential things parties need to include in Form HSMV 82050. Some of them are:

• Signatures of both parties (both the vendor and the purchaser have to sign the form)
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Body style, color, model, the vehicle’s manufacturer year 
• An odometer disclosure statement
• A title number’s certificate
• The cost of a vehicle (agreed by both parties of the process)

Note that this form does not replace title transfer, and parties to the process need to note this.

How to Complete Form HSMV 82050

Completing legal papers is always stressful as most people do not have any specific knowledge relating to this. However, with the assistance of our step-by-step guidelines, any person (even with zero understanding of the legal papers completion process) can complete the form on their own (without paying any outside organizations). 

Follow our detailed guidelines and complete Form HSMV 82050.

1. Give the Basic Data

Write down the date of completing the form. Also, include the following information: full address (including city, state, and street), email, phone number, zip code, and name of both the vendor and the purchaser.

2. Register Details on a Vehicle

Write data relating to the vehicle. For example, mention its model, color, manufacturer, model year, VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), and body style.

3. Establish the Payment Method

Parties to the purchasing/selling process (both the vendor and the purchaser) have to register the cost of the vehicle, write down the transfer date, as well as the selling price.

4. Provide the Signatures

Once the vendor and the purchaser agree on all the terms and conditions mentioned in the form, they need to sign the form. After signing it, they have to write down their printed names and the signing date. 

5. Notarize the Signed Form

A notary public needs to verify the form, though this is not required by the state of Florida. Finally, the purchaser gets the original paper, and the vendor gets the certified copy of the form.

Transfer the Title

The second thing that parties need to consider while conducting the vehicle is the transfer of title. Again, this is the direct responsibility of the vendor. They need to do this before completing and signing Form HSMV 82050.

If there was a situation when the vendor lost a paper title, they need to duplicate it by completing Form HSMV 82101 and transferring it to the nearest motor vehicle service center. They need to pay the necessary fees there, as well.

If the title is electronic, both the vendor and the purchaser need to go to the nearest motor vehicle service center and complete a secure title reassignment there (Forms HSMV 82092 or 82994). In addition, both parties need to avail themselves at the center and provide photo identification of their identities. 

They also need to disclose the odometer reading there, if necessary. 

Notice of Sale and Other Requirements

The third thing to consider as one of the parties of the selling/purchasing process is completing a Notice of Sale. This became mandatory in July 2009, and since that time, Florida law requires vendors and purchasers to have this notice.

Number four in the list of things to consider refers to the prohibition of any kind of vehicle’s advertising. In addition, no one can park vehicles on private property without asking the consent of a property owner. Moreover, if some individual or a company sells and purchases three and more vehicles within 12 months, Florida law considers this person or this company a motor vehicle dealer. It means they need to have licenses to trade in any vehicles.

The fifth thing to take into consideration is an existing lien. If there is an existing lien, it must be satisfied. Otherwise, the purchasing/selling process will not be completed. However, if the lien cannot be satisfied for any reason, the process of selling/purchasing a vehicle can be conducted at a dealership. In this case, a dealer satisfies the lien for customers.

The last thing to consider (number six in our list) is removing the vehicle’s plates. According to Florida law, the vendor keeps plates to themselves, and they can use them on their replacement or new vehicle. However, if the vendor moves to another state or cancels insurance on this exact vehicle, they need to deliver the plate to the nearest motor vehicle service.

Summary

Summarizing all of the above, we can highlight six essential things customers need to consider if they want to purchase or sell a motor vehicle in Florida.

These things are:

• Completing Form HSMV 82050
• Removing vehicle’s license plates
• Transferring the title, disclosing the odometer reading, and conducting a VIN inspection (if necessary)
• Checking the existing lien and satisfying it (if necessary)
• Checking the lack of a vehicle’s advertising

 Following these recommendations, you can be sure that the process of purchasing/selling a vehicle will be conducted within Florida law and will not lead you to any legal issues in the future.