[olderandwiser456]

I read on this forum (I think) that Florida requires drivers who are in the state for 3 months or longer to register their cars and get Florida plates? Is this correct? If so, how does that work with snow-birds who are residents of other states and go to Florida for 3-4 months in the winter and who want to keep their plates from their home state, which is not Florida.

[FLHfan]

I've never heard of that one. Here's the Florida DMV website if you want to look around.

Florida DMV | Department of Motor Vehicles Guide

And another source of info.

https://www.flhsmv.gov/

[Happiness-is-close]

The law says that but in all my years in Florida I have never seen this enforced. If cops started ticketing for not changing license plates it would destroy floridas tourism/snowbird industry. I drove around for half a year with Colorado plates (not even a common state here) and never got even a second glance.

[OptimusPrime69]

Oh please... I think secretly, a lot of part-time residents want a FL plate as to not appear like a snowbird/tourist on the roads.

[d4g4m]

You can be a part time visitor but not a part time resident. Your domicile is Florida or it is not. Snowbirds can not be a resident, therefor can not get a FL registration. To get a registration you need a FL vehicle title. If you move to FL, you must have a FL driver license and FL registration and title within 30 days.

[olderandwiser456]

Originally Posted by d4g4m

You can be a part time visitor but not a part time resident. Your domicile is Florida or it is not. Snowbirds can not be a resident, therefor can not get a FL registration. To get a registration you need a FL vehicle title. If you move to FL, you must have a FL driver license and FL registration and title within 30 days.

Thanks! Wouldn't someone be a part-year resident of FL if they lived in FL 6 months a year, registered their car in FL, got FL car insurance, and got a FL dr license? They could live the other 6 months "up north" or whatever. Other states allow this, so I would think FL does too.

[olderandwiser456]

Originally Posted by Happiness-is-close

The law says that but in all my years in Florida I have never seen this enforced. If cops started ticketing for not changing license plates it would destroy floridas tourism/snowbird industry. I drove around for half a year with Colorado plates (not even a common state here) and never got even a second glance.

Yeah, I would think the FL cops have other issues to deal with. If they enforced a 3 month law for getting FL plates, it would definitely destroy the tourism. No one would want that hassle for a 3-4 month visit.

[jwolfer]

Originally Posted by d4g4m

You can be a part time visitor but not a part time resident. Your domicile is Florida or it is not. Snowbirds can not be a resident, therefor can not get a FL registration. To get a registration you need a FL vehicle title. If you move to FL, you must have a FL driver license and FL registration and title within 30 days.

Its within 10 days of establishing residenncy

For many retirees from other high tax states like NJ, NY, IL etc being Florida residents saves on taxes, so many will change to FL residency

[chopchop0]

To maintain FL residency, you need to be here at least 183 days a year. This is what rich folks are doing to avoid taxes in NJ, NY etc. I imagine a plate is needed if you are in FL the majority of the time, otherwise, No.

There are a lot of out-of-state plates in FL, esp from the NE and Canada. Doubt this is really an issue.

[d4g4m]

^^^^^
The 183 days or any other amount of days is a fallacy. There's no such thing. If you declare your domicile as being Florida, you are a Florida resident any amount of days a year. If you have a Florida address, get a FL driver lic., a FL title for your vehicle, have vehicle insurance policy from a FL insurance company, register to vote, you are a FL resident. Get in your RV and travel the U.S. for any amount of days you want, you are a FL resident. Go up north to any state any amount of days/months