How To Renew Your Car Registration In Florida

Updated May, 2023:
Hey, Floridians! Is your car registration expiring anytime soon? If so, let us walk you through the process step by step.

You don’t need to be a DMV clerk, not even an expert, to keep track of the items you need to gather for a successful transaction.

This process traditionally involves an in-person visit to the DMV, but there are other alternatives you will definitely need to consider.

For that reason, we gather a step-by-step guide on how to renew your car registration in Florida. Vehicle ownership was never that simple thanks to technology.

With that being said, let’s start with the basics before moving to the steps for a successful registration renewal.

What is a car registration?

A car registration refers to the registration of a particular vehicle to a local government authority.

In Florida, you’ll be registering your vehicle with the FL Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLDHSMV or the FL DMV)

By registering your vehicle, the DMV establishes a link between you and your vehicle for taxation and legal purposes.

In return, you’ll receive a vehicle identification plate along with a vehicle registration certificate to keep it handy.

Keep in mind that a car registration is not a single expense, but an annual or biannual cost you need to cover on time. And that’s why registration renewals should be handled in due time.

Don’t worry! You’ll receive a renewal notice in advance but do not rely on that just yet.

What is a vehicle registration renewal notice?

Your registration renewal notice is an actual reminder about your duty so you plan ahead of time.

The DMV usually notifies via mail or e-mail users about their renewal obligation within 90 days prior to the expiration date.

You may not receive it and that’s fine. You could either remember when your next renewal period starts, or simply call your local tax collector’s agency for more information.

What does a car registration renewal notice contain?

Next time you receive your FL registration renewal notice, pay attention to the information you’ll get on that document.

The typical renewal notice contains the following information:

• Renewal fees.
• Renewal date.
• Information your vehicle.
• Different ways to process your renewal.

What do I need to renew my car registration?

The process is pretty much straight-forward but that doesn’t mean you should underestimate it. Many times people booked a second or even a third visit for missing relevant items.

Fear not! We managed to group everything you need to ensure a successful vehicle registration in Florida.

Best Tip: Renew your registration online.

In-person car registration renewals:

This might be the hardest method depending on your availability but you should still know about it.

You could either walk in or arrange an in-person visit with your local tax collector’s office and submit the following:

Your registration renewal notice or registration certificate if you didn’t get your reminder.

• Your driver’s license or FL ID card.
• Proof of valid auto insurance.
• Payment for the renewal fees.

Unfortunately, not every branch offers all forms of payment. Contact your local DMV agency for more information about their available payment methods.

Registration renewals via mail

This method requires an authorization detailed on your renewal notice. Otherwise, they won’t be able to process your renewal.

You will need to send your fee payment to the address written on your renewal notice or to your local tax collector’s agency.

If you have pending fees owing to late registration renewals, you’ll better contact your DMV agency or find another more effective method.

Online registration renewals

At this point, you are about to become the next savvy user. We all know that registration renewals can be boring and tedious.

Many people report spending a lot of time waiting in line or just not getting enough information prior to their appointment.

For that reason, you are strongly advised to renew online. To renew your registration with eTags, you need to provide the following:

• Your license plate number and vehicle information
• Proof of auto insurance
• Pay your vehicle renewal fee and tag renewal convenience fee

As you can see, the process is straight-forward and simple. eTags’ user-friendly platform lets you renew your tags from any device and the steps are easy. Plus, once you complete an order with eTags, you can get reminders for your next renewal via text or email. You never have to worry about driving with an expired registration. If you get pulled over with an expired registration sticker, you can get fined up to $500 in Florida.

You might’ve heard of GoRenew for online renewals in Florida, which also offers an alternative to in-person renewals.

But let us give you 4 reasons why eTags differentiates from other alternatives making things for you even better.

Once you renew with eTags, you’ll get:

• A digital copy of registration.
• The chance to renew up to a month after expiration.
• Guidance and expertise from eTags’ Customer Support.
• One time replacement if you’ve lost your registration on the mail.

With eTags, you could renew your tags without having to go through in-person appointments, unnecessary trips to the post office, and lengthy instructions for renewals.

What are the registration renewal fees in Florida?

Fees vary depending on the following vehicle attributes:

• Vehicle type.
• Vehicle weight.
• The length of registration (1 or 2 years).
• County specific fees.
• Extra fees for leased vehicles.

A registration renewal notice provides a breakdown of the fees that you need to cover on time to avoid paying late fees.

Nobody wants to pay late fees. It just builds up on your expenses. And the DMV will charge you late fees if you wait 11 days after the expiration date.

All in all, registration renewals are mandatory in FL. You don’t want to be caught hitting the roads with an expired tag.

You should keep your registration and/or notice handy as they contain key information for your next renewal. In addition, you should update your address with the DMV to keep receiving notices and your new registration.

Lastly, you shouldn’t be surprised for getting new license plates after few years. The DMV requires residents to replace their license plates every 10 years.

If you have any other questions in regards to FL registration renewals, please let us know in the comments below.

SEE ALSO: Want To Renew Your Florida Tag Online? Now You Can!