Florida Registration: Out of State Title in 3rd Party's Name (Jacksonville: 2014, car registration)

[shahaly]

Hi y'all,

I am hoping you can help me -- and if I figure it out myself, I promise to post an update for others who may be in the same situation.

I am moving to Jacksonville for work and grad-school. My mom and dad bought me a car upon graduation. The car is in their name and titled in Texas (where they reside). The car is financed, and thus, the title is technically still with the lien-holder bank. Since I am moving to Jacksonville, I will need Florida plates. The problem is that all the forms indicate the owner/co-owners must have a Florida license.

I called the DMV and explained the situation this afternoon. I told the nice lady that the forms online indicate that the owners/co-owners of the vehicle must have a Florida drivers' licenses, which my parents do not have and have no intention of getting (since they likely will never leave Texas). The lady told me at this point that since my parents own the car, and they aren't Florida residents, no registration is required in Florida. While I'd like to believe her, I don't think this is right -- the car will be driven on Florida roads and it just seems odd that Florida would say "sure, you don't have to register it since the owners live out of state and don't have a Florida license!"

I currently live in California -- and in California, the process was pretty straight forward. California allows for cars to be registered in CA even though they are titled somewhere else. So my parents just had to fill out the registration form and provide their Texas address, and easy enough - the license plates were mailed. There is no requirement for a CA license. The same doesn't seem to be the case for Florida.

In any event, I ran several dozen Google searches, and I see only one person recommend that you have the parents sign a power of attorney to register the vehicle on their behalf. Is this accurate?

I guess it's a pretty common scenario, isn't it? Like you go to school with your parent's car and they live out of state? How does Florida let these students register their parent's car so that it may be driven on Florida roads?

Worst case scenario, I pay off my parent's loan, get the title transferred in my name and then do this whole process. But hopefully there is an easier way out there.

Thanks for all your help. And I will absolutely update what I find out if I can figure this out myself.

[JacksonvilleNative]

I am not sure what the answer is but I know that in some areas officers will watch parking lots and if the same out of state plates keep showing up you could be ticketed.

With that being said, I would think that would not be a problem on your college campus as I am sure you are not the first to come to school with mom and dads car. The only problem you might have is where you work. If it is part of your grad program and somewhere on campus then you are probably good.

You may try someone at the school. They might have an answer for you.

Good luck.

[projectmaximus]

I too do not know the correct answer...all I can add is that it might be possible for you to add your name to the title and remove one of your parents (I have transferred title with my parents this way before although not on a financed vehicle) and also my wife has been driving around Jax for six months now with out-of-state tags. Hopefully we don't have a problem, although we plan to rectify the situation soon.

[mawipafl]

Interesting scenario; yet, I can't believe it is unique since Florida schools have many out-of-staters and we have here in Jax alone two military bases.

This is the situation if I have it correctly ... you'll arrive here with a CA drivers license, and a car that's registered and insured (?) in CA and owned by TX residents. The presumption is that you'll turn in your CA license for a FL license? If so, after that, if you were pulled over for any reason, the documents would be: a FL license with a FL address, a CA registration with a TX address and a lien holder, an insurance card with a CA (or TX?) address Certainly quite a few red flags to raise an officer's eyebrows.

One question: how long do you intended to stay in FL? Live and work here until you've finished grad school, such as for two years or so, and then return to CA or TX or elsewhere? Is the primary purpose for moving to FL to attend school and secondarily to work while you're in school? Or are you moving here for work and will attend school while here? I think whichever is your reason determines what to do about the car registration.

[SaintCabbage]

Can they just sign the car over to you and you make the payments directly? They could even re-imburse you somehow so it's not actually costing you anything. Most people wouldn't even bother to try and figure it out, so kudos to you for trying to do the right thing

[Florida2014]

Originally Posted by JacksonvilleNative

I am not sure what the answer is but I know that in some areas officers will watch parking lots and if the same out of state plates keep showing up you could be ticketed.

Ticketed for what? If the car is legally registered in another state there would be no reason to issue a ticket.

I think you're fine keeping the status quo, assuming you are not staying here for the long-term. If you are calling Jax home for more than a year, I would echo others here and see about transferring the registration under your name and getting the FL license/registration all under your name.

Also, what about insurance? If you are, in fact, staying here long-term and the car will be here in FL, I would think the insurance on the car would need to reflect a FL address.

But if you want a definite answer, go into the Duval Co DMV and speak to someone in person to see what can be done. When I first moved here (St Johns Co) I was really, really impressed with the lady who handled my license and registration, she really knew her stuff and got me straight answers on everything.

Calling into those places is a crapshoot at best and you never know who you're speaking with or what their qualifications are.

[JacksonvilleNative]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

Ticketed for what? If the car is legally registered in another state there would be no reason to issue a ticket.

I don't know what the charge would be but I know if you move to an new address or if you move in to the state you are required to change your address on your license and I am pretty sure register your car. I know people who have moved here to work and delayed changing their registration and were ticketed for something, exactly what I don't know. But it was because they were parking everyday at a place of business and obviously working there.

If he were just attending school I don't think this would be a question. But the fact that he will be working is where he could have a problem.

There is always the possibility that he will never get caught. Who knows? I think it is smart to check into it.

[mawipafl]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

Ticketed for what? If the car is legally registered in another state there would be no reason to issue a ticket.

For violation of FL Statute 320.38, and I believe it's a second-degree misdemeanor carrying a $500 fine.

[Florida2014]

How in the world would a police officer know if or when someone called Florida home permanently by looking at a license plate? You have, I believe, 30 or 60 days to register the vehicle in FL once you move here. Unless you're pulled over I don't think a cop could write you a ticket for that not knowing if you are still within the 30/60 day window by looking at your license plate.

[JacksonvilleNative]

Read the 1st line of my first response. Officers will drive into parking lots of office complexes and will make note of any out of state plates. If they find the same plate there over a period of time (I am not sure of the time period) they can ticket you.

I don't remember the exact situation or details but someone I know had this happen. And who knows what a cop would do? He writes the citation, it's up to you to sort it out.