Driver's license and Registration (Orlando, Key West: sales, how much, home)

[NJVICK123]

Hey all! Here I am once again asking more questions....

So I my wife and I are moving to Orlando in August. We have a few questions -

1. Where do we go to get FL Driver's license and Registrations.
2. Any Websites to look for info?
3. Fees? I hear its a buck and half.
4. How soon do we have to do it?
5. Any tips that you guys recommend to save some money or time?

As always your input is always appreciated.

Thanks!

VICTOR

[yohynot]

Official Website Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

You should find the answers to your questions, except #5, on that website.

[Alyzza]

> 5. Any tips that you guys recommend to save some money or time?

Call them first and make an appointment or you'll be there all day.

[annerk]

Registration is done at your county tax collectors office.

[FL2MT]

I think the website will give you just about all you need to know, but as a tip, I'd try to find an office out in the boondocks if you can rather than one in/around/near Orlando to save some time. I imagine you probably need to find something in the county you're living in but beyond that I would think any orange county tax collector's office is as good as the next.

When I lived in Key West I showed up a half hour before the office opened, and I was the only one there. When I did the same thing here at an office in Winter Garden on SR50, I was about 20th in line. If you have an appointment ahead of time I imagine that changes the whole thing but if you don't make one consider going somewhere way out.

[bodieFL]

Originally Posted by NJVICK123

5. Any tips that you guys recommend to save some money or time?
VICTOR

As already mentioned, make an appointment for your driver's license (you can call or just do it right online) – I was in and out of the DMV in 15-20 minutes.

Unfortunately, you can't make appointments for registration. I went on a Thursday afternoon right after lunch and the tax collector's office was almost empty. However, I was missing a signature on something and had to go back the next day. Let's just say Friday afternoon at the same time (shortly after lunch) was a whole different story – it was packed.

[hgebel]

Make an appointment for your DL. I went to a busy office and was in and out in a few minutes, while there were tons of people waiting in line who didn't have appointments. It's super easy to make an appointment, you just go to their website (Official Website Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles) and pick one of the two offices at the bottom and click on the "Make Appointment Online" link. The cost of a driver's license is $48. Note that driver's licenses are received at a state office and cars are registered at a county office. The county office can also give you a driver's license, but they don't have appointments and there is a $6.25 additional fee for getting it at the county office. But if you are doing both on the same day, the convenience may be worth the $6.25.

If you thought you would be able to register your car for $150 you are in for a big disappointment. Total first year registration fees for an out-of-state car under 2500 pounds is $299.15, for a car between 2500 and 3500 pounds is $310.15, and for a car over 3500 pounds is $323.65 . Hopefully you bought the vehicle before February. If you bought it after February you will also have to pay 6% Florida sales tax on it, minus any sales tax you already paid in your home state.

The registration cost breaks down to $28 for the license plate, $225 for getting a Florida registration for the first time, and $46.15 - $70.65 for one year of registration fees. You can also get a two year registration when you get here, with initial costs and two year registration fees it will cost $345.30, $367.30, or $394.30 depending on the vehicle's weight. You only have to pay the $28 once every 10 years when you replace your metal plate, and you only have to pay the $225 once. When you replace your car you transfer the metal plate and registration to the new car ($7.35 transfer fee rather than $253.00 for new metal plates and registration). However, if you ever go from having one car to having two you will have to pay for the plate and registration again.

-Harry

[muggums]

What if I still pay on my car, so I can't produce a title?

[NJVICK123]

Originally Posted by hgebel

Make an appointment for your DL. I went to a busy office and was in and out in a few minutes, while there were tons of people waiting in line who didn't have appointments. It's super easy to make an appointment, you just go to their website (Official Website Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles) and pick one of the two offices at the bottom and click on the "Make Appointment Online" link. The cost of a driver's license is $48. Note that driver's licenses are received at a state office and cars are registered at a county office. The county office can also give you a driver's license, but they don't have appointments and there is a $6.25 additional fee for getting it at the county office. But if you are doing both on the same day, the convenience may be worth the $6.25.

If you thought you would be able to register your car for $150 you are in for a big disappointment. Total first year registration fees for an out-of-state car under 2500 pounds is $299.15, for a car between 2500 and 3500 pounds is $310.15, and for a car over 3500 pounds is $323.65 . Hopefully you bought the vehicle before February. If you bought it after February you will also have to pay 6% Florida sales tax on it, minus any sales tax you already paid in your home state.

The registration cost breaks down to $28 for the license plate, $225 for getting a Florida registration for the first time, and $46.15 - $70.65 for one year of registration fees. You can also get a two year registration when you get here, with initial costs and two year registration fees it will cost $345.30, $367.30, or $394.30 depending on the vehicle's weight. You only have to pay the $28 once every 10 years when you replace your metal plate, and you only have to pay the $225 once. When you replace your car you transfer the metal plate and registration to the new car ($7.35 transfer fee rather than $253.00 for new metal plates and registration). However, if you ever go from having one car to having two you will have to pay for the plate and registration again.

-Harry

Ouch! Well I guess they have to make their money somehow. Thanks!

[hgebel]

Originally Posted by muggums

What if I still pay on my car, so I can't produce a title?

They did not ask me to produce a title when I registered my car in Florida, I had to fill out a Application for Title, the application had my lien holder's contact information on it and the county tax collector handled the actual title transfer with the lien holder.

And speaking of title transfers, I forgot to add that into my last message. That's an additional $85.25 without a lien or $87.25 with a lien (there is an extra $2 fee if the title has a lien, to cover them having to send the title to the lien holder I guess). That brings the total up to $384.40 - $410.90 depending on how much the car weighs and whether it has a lien.

-Harry