Question about getting driver's license and plates for a car after we move to florida from NYC (insurance, home) - Port St. Lucie - Sebastian - Vero Beach - (FL) -St. Lucie, Martin, and Indian River counties (Treasure Coast) - City-Data Forum

HillaryH · 03-29-2009, 03:33 PM

Hi
We're moving to Martin County in 8 weeks from NYC. We have NYC drivers licenses, but will be purchasing a car only upon arriving in Florida (my mom lives there so she's going to drive us around to find one). We have never owned a car before.

Question: Does one need a Florida driver's license to purchase and register a car in Florida and get the plates/insurance and so on, and if so, how long does it take to get a driver's license? We are arriving there with our two kids at the beginning of June, and hoped to get a car within a week. But if we need to get a Florida driver's license first, how hard would that be?

And are we just required to take a vision test? The online sites seem to have conflicting information.

Thanks for info.

2goldens · 03-29-2009, 07:32 PM

MyFlorida.com - Home

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Lilybeans · 03-29-2009, 07:56 PM

By the way-we don't call them plates (you won't sound like a New Yorker). We call them tags. And you only get one-for the rear of the car.

stevep111 · 03-30-2009, 08:42 AM

In order to insure a car in Florida you will be forced to get a Florida Drivers license. I believe the State law is 60 days from the time you move here you need to get a license. It's a catch 22. I would get the license before I bought the car so you can get it insured otherwise you would pay through the roof or find it almost impossible to find someone to insure your car. Don't take my word though go to myflorida.com and check it out. Call some local insurance companies and ask them.

TXRyan23 · 03-30-2009, 01:19 PM

Don't let your insurance lapse and if you have a lein holder, alert both both your lein holder and insurance companies when you switch, change, or whatever. Florida is no joke when it comes to this stuff. They'll suspend your license FAST.

beentheredidthat · 03-31-2009, 09:40 AM

FL is the most lax state ever when it comes to this stuff.....getting a license could only be easier if they came out of a vending machine. when you go for a license, you will just show you have a NY one, take a vison and written and 10 mins later you will have the card. FL isnt stupid like CA (where they mail you your DL)

I have transferred Tags from one car to another many many times...i never even had to show proof of Insurance..they just asked if i had the same insurance i was currently insured with. didn't have to show actual insurance card with the new cars details on it.

I can't say i agree with the last poster. I have cancelled insurance many times and they never suspended my DL...this is a fact because most recently i cancelled my insurance after a vehicle theft claim with them on another vehicle...like almost a year later even, nothing...FL couldn't care less...
the only thing FLORIDA cares about is you paying their traffic tickets...that they will suspend you for...i know from experience.

half the illegals driving around have no license and insurance (even though a license is less than $20 and we let them do the written tests in Spanish)..IF they get pulled over and arrested, they just put up $100 bond and their out. In lake worth a fews years back on the news, this guy was making fake insurance cards on his home computer and selling them for $10 to people...they said he sold several thousand cards..

stevep111 · 03-31-2009, 12:39 PM

What the original question was about was buying a car in Florida. In Florida in order to buy a car you do not have to have a Florida drivers license. In order to insure it you will have to have a Florida Drivers license because no legitimate company will write a policy or if they do it will be double at least for what everyone else pays. You can't register a car in Florida without proof of insurance. Yes you might be able to get away with a fake but if you get caught be prepaired to face fraud charges. If you get stopped by the Police and you have Florida Tags and an out of state license even if you have proper insurance they will give you a ticket for not having your correct address on the license. They will tell you that you have 30 days to correct the issue and at such time as you correct the issue the ticket will be voided otherwise you will have to pay a fine and still get the issue corrected. That even goes if you move within the state of Florida even if it is next door. The best option is to come down and get the license and then go buy a car. The best thing to do is once you have the license, find an insurance broker, tell them you are going to buy a car get a quote and call them from the Dealership and give them the information so they can write you a retainer. In some cases the Dealership will not even give you the keys without having that coverage since you have to have proof of insurance in order to get the temporary tag. Depending on the insurance company you will have a set amount of time to bring the car down so they can inspect it and finish writing your policy. You can do all of the under the table things you want but if you get caught it is more than a $100 fine. You will end up in court and it will cost you a lot of time and money that is not worth it.

I am not sure if you have to take the written test. I know I didn't when I moved here from Texas 16 years ago.

beentheredidthat · 03-31-2009, 04:40 PM

you are spreading some misinformation there...and yet you don't even know if he has to take a written test???come on dude..
i lived in FL for 20 years until a few months ago..

I didnt say on a first time registration they wont ask to see and ins card...im saying you can cancel insurance and the state will not care..and if you go transfer the tag you can do so without showing insurance...I KNOW FOR A FACT, I've done it several times.

you will have to take a written test obviously since NY and FL have different driving laws. and a vison test, and the driving portion can be waived if you already have a DL from another state. Im not sure whether they keep your old license or just hole punch the expiration date like other states do.

and no, a cop won't give a ticket if you have an outta state DL, and FL registered car...January 2008 I was stopped in a car registered to me, and i gave the cop a California License, he asked me about it, i said i live in both CA and FL.
Which if you know ANYTHING about FL, is there are alot of snowbirds...so this is a scenario police deal with daily.

stevep111 · 04-01-2009, 09:57 AM

Well sorry If I made you hot under the collar and I was not spreading mis information. All I know is what my experience was when I moved here and was stopped by a cop. I had to change my drivers license to Florida (since I was not a temporary resident) and I did not have to take a written test. The situation as it was explained was that the person was moving to Florida on a perminant basis and that is a whole different ball game. Again a temporary resident is different than a perminant resident. I would advise that the person contact either a Tag Agency, Local County Government or an Insurance agency to confirm anything before taking anyone's advice.

beentheredidthat · 04-02-2009, 12:59 PM

nope you didnt...im just trying to give this guy an accurate view of how this stuff is in FL.
like i said, the only way getting a License in FL would be easier is if it came out of a damn vending machine...not even california is as backwards as FL in this department.

Not a US Citizen? No GreenCard? No Speak English?......No Problem, Here's your new FL License!