Selling a Used Car in Florida

PrivateAuto offers a safe and efficient way to sell your used car In Florida. Our platform is transforming the way Florida vehicle owners are selling their vehicles.

• Why is a private vehicle sale in Florida better?
• What are the steps to sell my used car in Florida?
• What paperwork do I need to sell my car in Florida?
• What shall I do with my license plates when I sell a car in Florida?
• How can PrivateAuto help me sell my used car in Florida?

Do you want to sell your used vehicle online but are unsure where to start? Each state has different documentation requirements for used car transactions. But don’t worry: we have all the info you need to successfully sell your car in Florida.

Whether you’re in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, the Florida Panhandle, or anywhere else in the state, PrivateAuto is the place to sell your used vehicle.

There are around 15 million registered vehicles in the Golden State. If you are looking to sell one of them, read on for how to do it.

The main benefit of selling your own vehicle to an individual buyer is that you have full control at every moment. You decide the pricing and how the negotiations will go. Private sellers often get a better price for their used cars, since Florida dealerships need to buy low and sell high.

In almost all cases, you’re likely to get more money for your vehicle if you sell it yourself versus trading it in to a car dealership.

Worried about the amount of time and effort it might take? That's what PrivateAuto's self-service app is for! We have everything you need in one place to close the deal safely and securely—and get paid instantly.

Private sellers in Florida love how PrivateAuto makes selling your used vehicle hassle-free.

The selling process consists of the following steps:

1. Gather necessary paperwork

You’ll need your vehicle title and other documentation (see the documentation section below). Keep everything in one place and avoid the last-minute scramble.

2. Register on PrivateAuto

To make PrivateAuto a safe place for everyone, we require email, phone, and driver’s license verification, including facial recognition. Get started here.

3. Add your vehicle listing

Create your car listing in no time using our detailed step-by-step guide. We also offer an option to add a window brochure with a scannable QR code that directs folks right to your listing.

4. Set the terms of sale

Your car, your rules. You are in control of your sales price, as well as who you meet, where, and when. You can decide if you want to accept buyers with verified funds only, or ID-verified buyers only.

5. Manage all offers in one place

Manage offers in one place with the ability to accept, reject, or counter offers within the app. Listing on multiple sites? Filter all communications through PrivateAuto by sharing your listing link on all platforms. Your personal info is protected: no more giving out your phone number or email address. It all happens in our app.

6. Choose a buyer

When you find an offer you like, accept it and proceed to the next step with that buyer.

7. Schedule a test drive

The buyer will want to test drive your car. No more back and forth texts. You never have to give out your phone number. Rather, use our handy scheduling feature to coordinate a time and place for a test drive. (Oh, and you’ll be able to finalize the transaction instantly at the test drive location, FYI.)

8. E-sign documents

After the buyer is satisfied with your car and the two of you have agreed on a purchase price, you can easily e-sign the Bill of Sale within our app, from your phone. With our shared documents feature you can easily locate the paperwork needed after the sale.

9. Get paid, instantaneously

Before PrivateAuto, receiving funds was the most stressful part of the entire selling process, especially for any used car sale over $5,000. There just aren’t a lot of good ways to move large amounts of money conveniently and quickly. Those days are over! Verify and receive funds instantly with PrivateAuto Pay, our innovative banking integration. Guaranteed funds for transactions large and small.

10. Transfer title

When you sell your vehicle in Florida, both you and the buyer will fill out the back of the paper title document with all required information and sign it.

11. Cancel Insurance

You don’t want to pay for insurance on a car you no longer own, so be sure to remove the sold vehicle from your insurance plan.

If you are selling your used vehicle in Florida to a private party, here is your seller’s checklist for documentation you will need:

• Title, normally in paper document form
• If your Florida title is held electronically, you and the buyer will need to complete a transfer of title or title reassignment form (file form HSMV 82994 or HSMV 82092)
• If the original title is lost, you will need to complete a title replacement form (file form HSMV 82101)
• Your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Odometer Verification (file form HSMV 82042)
• Application for Certificate of Title With/Without Registration (form HSMV 82040)
• A Bill of Sale, form HSMV 82050—done electronically via the PrivateAuto mobile app
• Odometer Disclosure

Vehicle Title

You will need your vehicle title to sell your used car in Florida. If you don’t have the original title, you’ll need to obtain a replacement title by completing an Application for Duplicate Title form (Form 82101). This document needs to be signed by both buyer and seller.

The vehicle title needs to have the following information:

• The buyer’s legal name and address
• The signatures of both buyer and seller
• The date of the sale
• The car’s odometer reading
• The purchase price

When Two Owners are On the Vehicle Title

If you have two owners on your used vehicle title in Florida, it is possible that you will both be required to sign. Pay attention to whether the names of the two owners are joined by “and,” “or,” or “and/or.”

• And: both owners need to sign the vehicle title.
• Or: only one owner is required to sign.
• And/or: only one owner is required to sign.

How to Replace a Lost Vehicle Title in Florida

The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) is the governing body for car titles. If your car title is lost, you need to fill out the Application for Duplicate Title form (Form 82101). Also, you need to pay a duplicate title fee when filing this form. You can either visit an FLHSMV office in person or mail in your application.

Valid Smog Certificate

Most cars in Florida require a smog certification that can be obtained from a licensed Florida smog testing station. The buyer is responsible for covering a smog transfer fee.

When the ownership of a gas-powered vehicle is transferred and the vehicle is four years old or less, you don’t have to get a smog certificate.

The seller needs to obtain smog certification if the vehicle is older than four years or if it is a diesel-powered vehicle from 1998 or newer.

Vehicles that do not have to get smog tested include:

• Electric cars
• Natural-gas powered cars
• Motorcycles
• 1975 and older gas-powered vehicles
• 1998 and older diesel-powered vehicles

Signed Odometer Disclosure Statement in Florida

Florida law requires an odometer disclosure statement when selling your car in the state. The odometer disclosure statement should contain the following information: Vehicle description, including make, body, type, VIN, year, and model. The date of sale. Both buyer’s and seller's printed names, current addresses, and signatures. The odometer mileage reading.

Federal and state law requires sellers to state the correct and accurate vehicle mileage. Providing false information can result in high fines or even imprisonment.

Florida odometer disclosure statements are unique since they contain a perjury statement that is not required on another state or government surplus auction (GSA) form.

Tampering with an odometer is illegal in Florida.

Bill of Sale

A Bill of Sale is required in the state of Florida.

It is important to remember that if the seller does not fill out form HSMV 82050 and the buyer does not file for registration and title, the seller can be held liable for actions with the vehicle. It can happen even if you sold your car. Both parties need to have their own copy of the Bill of Sale.

Basic info on Bill of Sale includes:

• Seller’s full name and notarized signature
• Buyer’s full name and notarized signature
• The negotiated price of the car sale
• Vehicle information including make, type, and year
• Detailed vehicle description
• A warranty disclaimer stating the vehicle is being sold as-is
• Date of the sale

PrivateAuto makes the Bill of Sale easy with our in-app e-sign process.

As the vehicle seller, you are required to remove your license plates from the vehicle at the time of sale. Make sure to remove the license plate from the back of the vehicle AND the one from the front.

The state of Florida gives you two choices with your license plates:

1. Remove the plates and put them on a different vehicle that you own
2. Remove the plates and turn them in to the FLHSMV By removing the license plates, you protect yourself from liability for the buyer’s actions with the vehicle after they drive it away.

PrivateAuto offers a guided, end-to-end self-serve experience for selling your vehicle.

From listing your vehicle for sale to communicating with potential buyers, negotiating prices, and money transfers, we got you covered. PrivateAuto guides you through every aspect of the transaction, all within our incredibly easy-to-use app.

Here are the steps in the PrivateAuto process:

1. Register on PrivateAuto and get verified
2. Add your car listing
3. Manage incoming offers
4. Choose your ideal buyer
5. Schedule a test drive
6. E-sign all important documents
7. Get paid, instantaneously

Interested in purchasing a vehicle on PrivateAuto? Feel free to check our listings of used vehicles for sale.