In Florida, as in any other state, a driver’s license is a vital document that grants you the authority to drive a vehicle. But there’s a little confusion when it comes to driver’s licenses and vehicle ownership.
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Do you need a driver’s license to a buy a car in Florida? Such question may appear to be a paradox similar to:
What comes first, the chicken or the egg?
Luckily, things aren’t as daunting as they seem to be. You certainly don’t need a driver’s license to buy a car. Yet you won’t be able to drive it out of the parking lot unless you are licensed.
When you visit a dealership, sales agents usually ask potential clients whether they are licensed. You’ll need to be frank and tell them about your intentions to carry on with the negotiation.
As opposed to dealers, private sellers don’t mind your driver’s license status. They would rather focus on your ability to pay the asking price.
The ordeal may start when attempting to register your vehicle at your local Tax Collector’s agency.
Below you’ll find other questions that better explain the relationship between holding a driver’s license and vehicle ownership.
Can you finance a car without a license in FL?
The answer is no. Dealerships require buyers to have a valid driver’s license to finance a new vehicle.
A driver’s license has a twofold purpose:
It serves as a proof of identity
- Dealers need to ensure you are not requesting a car loan on behalf of a third party.
- Dealers also use your details to pull out credit reports when it’s time to evaluate your risk and qualifications.
It indicates you can register your car with the DMV
- Like in any state, vehicle registrations are mandatory in FL.
- To process your registration, you’ll need a driver’s license among other requirements.
Can you get license plates without a valid driver’s license in FL?
When it comes to license plates, you’ll first need to register your vehicle with your local DMV agency.
The name on the title also needs to match the name that appears on the registration. By matching both names, they prevent people from registering a car in someone else’s name.
If you pay cash for a vehicle, you could put someone else’s name on the title. This could allow the new owner to register the car with the DMV.
This practice is quite risky. The third party ends up being the legal owner of the vehicle and could have enough power to act upon their own discretion.
A safer solution is to have a shared ownership of the vehicle with someone you firmly trust. That person could be a spouse, sibling, or any other relative who may work in your best interest.
Can you test-drive a vehicle without a driver’s license?
If you don’t have a driver’s license, you cannot operate, nor test-drive any motor vehicle.
It’s illegal to drive a car if you are not licensed. Hence, bring a licensed friend or relative with you to be allowed to test-drive your dream car.
3 reasons why you can buy a car without a driver’s license
There are always situations in which you could buy a car without holding a driver’s license. And these reasons are fairly acceptable.
- You hired a caregiver: If you have a caregiver, you’ll need support from them to get you around. Some of them do not own a vehicle and may need to use yours.
- You buy a car for a third party: You clearly don’t need to be licensed to buy a car for someone you love, such as a relative or any significant other.
- You buy a car for an employee: You may own a business and need to buy a car for your staff. You will be required to finance the vehicle in your name.
All in all…
You can buy a car without holding a driver’s license. But you won’t be able to do much about it afterwards. Florida residents are required to register their vehicles at the nearest Tax Collector’s agency.
Before purchasing a new car, make sure you are fully-aware of your obligations.
If you already have a FL driver’s license, but haven’t registered your vehicle yet, visit our portal to process your registration online.
No longer will you need to arrange in-person visits when you can take care of things from the comfort of your home.
42 comments
CAN YOU REGISTER A VEHICLE IN FLORIDA WITH AN OUT OF STATE DRIVER’S LICENSE?
Yes, you can register a vehicle in Florida with a valid (not expired) out-of-state driver license. You will need to provide a physical Florida address but you can also list a separate mailing address to receive mail out of state.
Can you purchase a car in FL with a learner’s license? If so, can it be titled and registered to the learner’s license holder as well?
You can certainly purchase a vehicle through a private sale with a learner’s license however you’ll have some trouble at the DMV when it comes time to register the vehicle. If you only have a learner’s license, I recommend having a licensed driver sign the title as an owner with you.
Grandson has learner permit taking test Jan 22. Son giving older car to nephew. Son tried renewing registration on line, it bounced back that he needs to go in person to renew. Ins has been on vehicle whole time. Since we are so close to nephew being licensed driver, if we find Ins. Can we just put nephew on title and register it in his name so everything will be a go when he passes his road test.
If the existing registration is not yet expired or if the the vehicle is not being driven, your nephew can get insurance under his name and then get the title and registration in his name. Go to etags online to place an order for the title and registration and your nephew can send in pictures of the title, the insurance, and his ID to get started.
I just moved to FL from NY. I want to register my car here since insurance is cheaper and the car will stay in FL most of the time but I prefer to keep my license from NY. I still have the NY address and will be going back and forth every month or so.
Is this possible? I have the rent contract, electric and internet bill from FL.
yes, you can register with your NY driver’s license with eTags online registration services. Go to eTags online select FL as your state and Renew Registration
My boyfriend and i purchased a used truck at a dealership. We are both on the loan, but he doesnt drive, he has no valid fla license. The tag and registration came in the mail and both our names are on the registration. I called the dealer to have this corrected to take his name off the registration and i already have a tag that was on my other vehicle. What can i do to get his name off of the registration?
Hi Susan, your boyfriend will need to be on the registration if he is on the loan. The dealership may be able to change the registration to make your the primary registrant but he would remain as the secondary registrant. Florida, unlike other states, requires that all individuals who are on the title be on the registration. All the best.
I would like to transfer the title of my car, that is currently titled and registered in Georgia, to my son who is working in Florida. He has a Georgia drivers license. Can the car be titled in his name in Florida, if he has a Georgia drivers license, but is working in Florida?
What are the steps to get a title transfer and registration done? Thank you
Your son can register the car in Florida with his Georgia driver license. He will need Florida insurance the Georgia title signed by you as the seller and he signs as the buyer. He will also need to complete a VIN verification which can be done by a Police Officer in any state or by a Florida Notary. Your son can place an order to complete the transfer of title and register the vehicle in Florida by visiting eTags.com
My friend just arrived on a student visa from Sweden. She has a Sweden driver’s license and will be obtaining a Florida driver’s license within the next few weeks. Can she purchase a vehicle and register it before obtaining the Florida driver’s license?
hi there, yes she can buy a vehicle and register it, but we would need her passport for ID proof not visa. She can visit this link to get started: https://www.etags.com/app/us?utm_source=blog_question
Hi, I’m 18 years old and i Brought a car from Spouse father and I trying to get the tag and plate in my name but I only have a learners permit could I still buy the car …?
You technically can buy a car since you don’t need a license for that…but will you be able to register it so you can actually drive it involves many other factors like car insurance. To register a vehicle in FL, you must present the vehicle title and proof of insurance. If you’re able to obtain both of these items with only a learner’s permit, you can register the car.
Can I buy a car from Carvana and have it registered and insured in Florida and hold a CT license. The car would stay in Florida so when I go back and forth I have a car there until I move there permanently.
If you are a Florida resident, then you can use your Connecticut driver license to title and register the vehicle with the state. You must have a Florida address to title and register your vehicle with the state. Florida residency isn’t required for military members stationed in Florida. That’s the only exception. You can go to https://www.etags.com/app/fl#utm_source=blog_question for title/reg
Hi – I am reinstating my license after a DUI, with IID required. The DMV requires that I have a vehicle with the IID installed and FR-22 insurance. Is it possible for me to purchase and register a vehicle in my name before I have my license reinstated? The only other way would be to have the IID installed in someone elses car and I’m not sure that is a possibility for me…
A car cannot be registered with a suspended DL. The DL will have to be reinstated first.
Hi. My cousin doesn’t have drivers license, but she want to buy a car. I have driver’s license, and I will drive her. However, she want her name is in the title and tag. Is it possible to do that? By the way, she will take a drive test in this May, that why she don’t want to mess afterwards.
She could use her passport to title and register the vehicle in her name. Go to https://www.etags.com/app/fl#utm_source=blog_question for title/reg online.
Hi, due to COVID my business got almost closed and I got late on my car insurance payments. When I called the insurance company to pay my due balance they told me the policy was canceled so they will reinstate it after my payment. I asked them if that would automatically be informed to the DMV and they said Yes. I’ve been paying the car insurance since then but when I went to the Tax Collector to renew my tag they told me they couldn’t renew it because there was no proof of insurance registered under my plate/title and that I must present the insurance proof directly to the DMV office. Do I need a valid license to renew the tag?
You can try contacting the County Tax Collector by phone to have the profile updated with the insurance policy. Once that is completed, you should be able to renew. With eTags a copy of the DL is not required, HOWEVER, it is illegal to operate a vehicle without a valid drivers license. We can’t speak on behalf of DMV in terms of DL.
Me and my fiancé went to finance a car we were told that the car was going to be in my name since I held a valid driver’s license, but he had the most credit then I did so we both signed the paperwork but at the end we realized that they put the registration and loan in his name and put the insurance in my name ,being that he doesn’t have a valid driver’s license is this actually legal please let me know what needs to be done.
Hey there, I’m not sure I understand your question. But this FL DMV webpage should help answer your question about requirements, including insurance and DL, for titling a car + registration in FL as well as titles with two owners. You’ll see there’s a difference between having an “and” or and “or” on the title. https://www.flhsmv.gov/motor-vehicles-tags-titles/liens-and-titles/ Remember, the car title is about ownership, while registration and plates are about legally driving the vehicle in FL. Hope this clarifies things for you. And if you need and vehicle services, eTags processes those online at https://www.etags.com/app/fl?utm_source=blogquestion
I have a valid nys drivers license I spend nine months in Florida I want to buy a car in Florida and register it how do I do that
In most instances, the dealership will include this service in the price of the vehicle. If you’re purchasing from a private party or a small “buy here, pay here” dealership, once the purchase is complete, you can either transfer and register the vehicle in person at local DMV office or utilize our services at https://www.etags.com/app/fl?utm_source=blogquestion. The eTags service type would either be New Registration/Plate (if you’re provided a title), or Transfer Title/Register (if the title is in previous owner’s name). The NY drivers license is fine, but you’ll have to have fl insurance.
I am buying a condo in Florida and I have a Pennsylvania drivers license I’ll be going back-and-forth between Pennsylvania and Florida but I wanna buy a car in Florida so I can leave it there and fly back-and-forth can I get a car and insurance there with my Pennsylvania drivers license
Yes, it may be possible to buy, register and insure a car in one state while holding a driver’s license in a different state. Typically, one should buy insurance in the state that your car is registered since that is, in a normal situation, where your car will be located, driven and garaged.
I bought a financed used car from a dealership, I previously had another auto so I own a renewed tag until 2022. That day they gave me a temporal tag, when it expired dealership made a transfer to my old plate and printed a new registration. Now 2 months later they called and ask me to pay 420 USD for a new tag because “due my license is expired” they can’t made a transfer and without it the lender would make a repossession. Is that true?
The car appears linked to my plate on Dmv records however it doesn’t have a electronic or paper title yet.
All Dmv offices are closed due coronavirus, I tried through Dmv website and I can’t renew my license. What can I do?
Thank you
your license being expired would affect a plate transfer or getting a new plate equally so it seems odd that you are being asked to pay to get new plates as opposed to just being asked to resolve the license expiration so that you can transfer your existing plate. You will need to seek legal advice on whether they can repose for this reason but the Florida DMV does offer an online license renewal option for a “simple” license renewal (name, address, etc remains the same): https://services.flhsmv.gov/virtualoffice/
What if I’m back in the country after more that a decade being absent and want to immediately buy a car in Miami area but actually going to live in Tallahassee ? Can I drive it to Tally, register the car there and get my license there as well or do I need to do all this first in Miami area before buying the car (used car btw) and driving it to Tally ?
You would need to obtain a temporary tag from the DMV in Miami for that vehicle to be on the road. There will also be a VIN verification.
I bought a new car got a tag through the dealership, I dont have a driver license, they have been suspended for about 15 years, but my spouse does and we r both on the title and registration.went to tag agency to renew my tag was told that I couldn’t without getting my license. Is there something I could do in order to get my tag. And of course I don’t drive. Haven’t in many years. Please help. In need of advice.
you’d have to transfer title to person who doenst have the license suspension. etags.com/app/fl
I was gifted a vehicle a few months back as payment for some work I did and it sat at a property as I didn’t need the vehicle at the time. Also I never got around to going to DMV to switch the title to my name. Now I found out the property owner has had the vehicle towed to a impound and the previous owner was notified. They then went and got a new title to get the vehicle out of impound and now wont give me the vehicle back even though I offered to pay all there costs. I still have the original title that was signed over to me. Can I get the vehicle switched to my name still and take the vehicle back? Could etags do the title transfer online? I live in Florida where all this is taking place.
Your title is no longer valid because the previous owner printed a new title. Therefore, you cannot use the title…you have to transfer the title. This is a legal issue and a lawyer must be involved.
I bought a new car got a tag through the dealership, I dont have a driver license, they have been suspended for about 15 years, but my spouse does and we r both on the title and registration.went to tag agency to renew my tag was told that I couldn’t without getting my license. Is there something I could do in order to get my tag. And of course I don’t drive. Haven’t in many years. Please help. In need of advice.
You would have to transfer the title to the one who doesn’t have the license suspension. You can do so on etags.com/app/fl
I bought a classic car in Iowa 8 months ago (1965 Corvette). The title is under my name but the same day I purchased the car I was asked by my company to go on assignment abroad for 7-8 months. The car has been in storage during that entire period without a registration, license plate or insurance. I am about to return to the US to my home town Miami and will need to get the car shipped or driven to Miami.
How do I register the vehicle and get a license plate? Do I need to get the insurance for the vehicle? Do I need to pay Florida sales taxes? I never paid Iowa taxes since the car went straight into storage and the plan was always to ship it to Miami.
Can etags handle this entire process for me? I just don’t have the time with the move back the US and all that.
Thanks
If the car is in Iowa and it will be driven out (instead of towed or shipped out by a transport vehicle), we recommend contacting the Iowa DoT to ask about a temporary tag option and you will very likely need insurance for the temp tag. Contact info on this page: https://www.iowatreasurers.org/mvfaq.php?idContent=125
In regards to using eTags to title and register the vehicle in Florida, you can use our service as long as you have the title (which you mentioned you do). You will need Florida insurance in order to get a (permanent) Florida registration. http://www.etags.com/fl/app