ninjajwl

Hello,

I'm currently in the process of purchasing a car from an owner in Florida, but we can not seem to figure out what the process is going to be. I will be purchasing the car and then having the car picked up and shipped from his home back to CA.

The issue is the Florida use tax. Will I need to get this car registered in Florida first or apply for temporary tags at a DMV / FL tag agency? Can all of this be done at a bank instead of having to make another stop somewhere else? After the title is signed and handed over to me, it will just sit in the garage until the shipping company picks it up. I do not see why temporary tags will be needed here.

Please advise. Thank you in advance.

slowd16

I work at a dealership and have sent cars out of state. What we do is just collect the selling price of the car and fees that we charge. When doing it the car may not touch FL roads and must be put on a truck to go where ever it's going.

Once the car gets there you take the title to the DMV to get it registered and you will have to pay your state tax at that point. I would take every document you can to save multiple trips. Don't know what else the DMV would need though. Maybe the shipping invoice.

Worste case why not call and ask the DMV or find one that isn't jamed packed and stop in and ask how they go about it.

ninjajwl

I have not made the trip to FL yet. We're still in the beginning phase of ironing out the process.

The seller has called his FL DMV many times, but I think they keep insisting that I pay the sales tax in FL before taking the car. Different clerks at different DMV offices (his calls are always being transferred somewhere else) tell him different things and some of them even tell us that a trip to the DMV is not needed as long as we go to a tagging agency.

Just seems kind of odd and overly complicated compared to CA or AZ where I've purchased cars from.

Thanks for the response!

dc2-2-ap1

Watch out about paying sales tax in the state of purchase. I have heard horror stories in threads like this, of people paying the sales tax in the state of purchase to get a temp tag, and then when they go to register it in their home state, they charge sales tax as well. Then it turns into a long, drawn out process to get the original tax payment refunded.

ninjajwl

I just spoke to the seller this morning and it is not an issue of temporary tags anymore or registering the car in FL.

It has now become an issue of releasing liability from the seller. He requested that we visit the County Tag Agency where a copy of the title / Bill of Sale / and my insurance policy will be sent to the Florida DMV to ensure that the car belongs to be at that point. Then I would be taking the title back to CA to register the car here.

Is this normal procedure? Anything I should look out for?

Mister Jew

I've sold many cars out of the state both clean/salvage titles. If you drive the car back home your suppose to pay sales tax. If car is being shipped you pay when car reaches you and you register it. That's basically it nothing more than that. You purchase the car make sure you get the title ASAP either with the car or by mail beforehand.

gettin it

When i sold mine 2 years ago to a guy in New York, he came down with Temp tags and Insurance, handed me a bank check and drove the car back. The Dmv here told me that all i needed to do was have him put the car in his name with Ins., and then i come in deregister it. You have a certain amount of days to complete the process. Do he have the title in hand?

ninjajwl

Correct, he has the title in hand. I think the process is actually very simple so I will be flying down in January to pick up the car. I am very excited to do so.

South FL owners: Is corrosion an issue with your cars if you live by the ocean? I would imagine not if the car is garaged and often washed, just curious.

dlndjh

FL DMV shouldn't even be involved. The issue is sales tax when you register it in CA if CA charges sales tax on private party vehicle transactions (i'm sure that tax-happy state does). I'm in GA and they did away with sales tax on private party vehicle sales yrs ago - only have to pay when buying from a dealer or biz entity transactions.

You'll have a signed-over title so off you go! CA will want documentation of the sales price. There may be a box or line on the FL title for that. If not, then download a blank Bill of Sale from the State of CA DMV website, fill it out with the seller and take everything to your DMV to transfer title and register it, that's it! Oh, and don't forget to get your emissions or inspection first if your locale requires it and bring that too. Have fun with your S2000!

dlndjh

Oh yeah - don't forget insurance coverage starting when you take possession, i e signed-over title lest a disaster happens like his garage burns down with your car in it or the transporter dives off a mountain cliff!

As far as cars near the ocean - yes, I would think a constant barrage of salt water mist would not be good at all. I'd think twice about buying one from an owner living right on the FL coast.