[LifeIsGood01]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Don't lose it and it will cost you nothing. I have owned well over 60 cars and trucks and never lost a title.

Must be nice being perfect and never losing anything. I had to move a few times before buying a home last year so things got crazy and I thought it was with my other important papers but it wasn't. Are you a 500 year old vampire by any chance, 60 cars is a lot, some of them you must mean horse drawn carriages.

[jean_ji]

You can keep your title on e-file in FL, this was offered as an option when I registered my car.

By maintaining the title electronically, the owner eliminates the risk of losing the title and protects it from theft. This will avoid having to obtain a duplicate title that will cost an owner approximately $75. When an owner does need the paper title, they can simply visit their local Tax Collector's office or order the title via the Department's website at www.flhsmv.gov and obtain the paper title. The service fee is $2.50 (or $10 for expedited service available at some Tax Collector offices). Paper titles are usually only needed when the owner is selling the vehicle or otherwise transferring title to the vehicle.

Excerpt from:
E-Title Frequently Asked Questions

[LifeIsGood01]

Originally Posted by jean_ji

You can keep your title on e-file in FL, this was offered as an option when I registered my car.

By maintaining the title electronically, the owner eliminates the risk of losing the title and protects it from theft. This will avoid having to obtain a duplicate title that will cost an owner approximately $75. When an owner does need the paper title, they can simply visit their local Tax Collector's office or order the title via the Department's website at www.flhsmv.gov and obtain the paper title. The service fee is $2.50 (or $10 for expedited service available at some Tax Collector offices). Paper titles are usually only needed when the owner is selling the vehicle or otherwise transferring title to the vehicle.

Excerpt from:
E-Title Frequently Asked Questions

I asked about that today. They said it costs the same to get the original title, you just don't get one until you need it. The only benefit is that you can't lose it because you don't have it. But once you have it printed out then you lose the e title benefit, and once you get a paper title you can't convert it back to an e title.

So I had to go today to get a copy of my old title $86. Got there at 8:15 am. there were 30 people in front on me, and by the time they opened 30 people behind me. At 8:30 they opened and called the people with appointments who were taking a drivers test first.

Then you talk to the info line that gives you a ticket with a letter and number. People were not called in the order the paper tickets were given out. The lady in front of me online was called then 3 other people, then the lady behind me online was called then a few other people and then I was. Got out at 9:15, Out of the 14 desks only 7 were being used by employees to help customers.

[beachmouse]

Sometimes the satellite office have far less wait time than the main office. The Ft. Walton Beach office here is a half hour minimum before you talk to anyone, but it's always less than 10 minutes wait at Niceville, and when I was renewing my license plates last year in the 'ville, (best to go in person when they tell you that you need to replace an older plate, IMO) there was literally one other non-employee in the whole office at the time.

[kiggy]

Originally Posted by LifeIsGood01

And the rates are really high. You lost a title and want a replacement and it costs about the same as getting a title transferred. Initial registration costs about $225 plus the registration costs. It's just a tax stream for them, at least they are honest and call their DMV office Tax Collectors.

and it's crazy how understaffed they are, the wait times are crazy.

At least in my county it's not too bad, when I lived in Broward County they had 2 separate parts, one for licenses and one for title and registration. and they have those private agencies where the employees are rude and they don't have an info desk so if you just want to find out if you are in the right place you have to wait 2 hours.

Is this DMV any different than any other one? Let me know, because they all frankly suck.

[Phyxius]

Originally Posted by LifeIsGood01

Must be nice being perfect and never losing anything. I had to move a few times before buying a home last year so things got crazy and I thought it was with my other important papers but it wasn't. Are you a 500 year old vampire by any chance, 60 cars is a lot, some of them you must mean horse drawn carriages.

If you aren't aiming for perfection, then what's the point of living?

[LifeIsGood01]

Originally Posted by Phyxius

If you aren't aiming for perfection, then what's the point of living?

Living beats the alternative.

[Kim in FL]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Don't lose it and it will cost you nothing. I have owned well over 60 cars and trucks and never lost a title.

this.

who loses a title?? I mean I can see in a natural disaster if you didn't have a safe or safety deposit box, but important stuff goes in the safe.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by LifeIsGood01

Must be nice being perfect and never losing anything. I had to move a few times before buying a home last year so things got crazy and I thought it was with my other important papers but it wasn't. Are you a 500 year old vampire by any chance, 60 cars is a lot, some of them you must mean horse drawn carriages.

I have moved every 3 years on average and never lost a Title. The actual count I have owned is approaching 70 vehicles not counting Motorcycles. Not rich, just like cars and have owned a number of business where trucks and vans are necessary.

Yeah things can get lost and that is a pain.

Oh, not 500, though at times I feel older than that.

[Restrain]

Title says it all. Yes DMV is a tax collector. It is for every state and territory. Tat is its purpose. Otherwise, you wouldn't have state car titles, etc. I will say that FL has one of the better run systems. Much of the tax is a one-time thing. You are not paying annually for property taxes on the car, etc.