How To Transfer a Car Title in Florida to a Family Member in 2026

In Florida, transferring a vehicle title to a family member requires completing an official change of ownership recorded through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), with transactions processed at county tax collector offices and licensed plate agents throughout the state. Both the current owner and the recipient must fulfill all FLHSMV-required procedures within 30 calendar days of the transfer to ensure ownership is properly recorded and a new certificate of title is issued in the recipient's name.

What Does Transferring a Car Title to a Family Member in Florida Mean?

Transferring a car title to a family member in Florida is the legal process of conveying recorded motor vehicle ownership from one individual to another through the state's official titling system. The Florida Certificate of Title serves as the primary legal proof of vehicle ownership. Until FLHSMV issues a new certificate in the recipient's name, the original owner remains the legal owner of record, regardless of any private transfer agreement between the parties.

Applications for title transfer are filed at authorized motor vehicle service centers, including county tax collector offices and FLHSMV-licensed plate agents located in all 67 Florida counties. FLHSMV urges both the transferring party and the recipient to attend the transaction together at a motor vehicle service center, ensuring that document deficiencies can be identified and corrected on the same visit, and that the seller's name is removed from the vehicle record immediately upon issuance of the new title.

Under Fla. Stat. § 319.23, the buyer must file an application for a new certificate of title within 30 calendar days of the delivery of the vehicle. An application filed after that deadline incurs a $20.00 late title fee in addition to all other applicable fees. The transfer of ownership has separate tax implications — gift transfers and private sales are treated differently under Rule 12A-1.007, Florida Administrative Code, which governs the sales and use tax treatment of motor vehicle transactions.

Note: Florida certificates of title may exist in paper or electronic form. The procedures for completing the assignment differ by title type. For paper titles, the seller completes the "Transfer of Title by Seller" section directly on the certificate. For electronic titles, both the seller and buyer must appear in person at a motor vehicle service center together to complete a secure reassignment using Form HSMV 82994 or Form HSMV 82092.

Eligible Family Members for Title Transfers in Florida

Florida law does not restrict the sales tax gift exemption for vehicle transfers to a defined list of family relationships. The gift exemption applies to any transfer between individuals, provided two conditions are met: the title passes without any monetary payment or other consideration of a monetary value, and the new owner assumes no outstanding lien on the vehicle. These conditions are established by the Florida Department of Revenue under Rule 12A-1.007(25), Florida Administrative Code.

Because the sales tax exemption in Florida is tied to the nature of the transaction rather than the family relationship, any transfer — including one between unrelated individuals — qualifies as a nontaxable gift transfer when both exemption conditions are satisfied. Conversely, a transfer between immediate family members that involves any stated consideration, or in which the recipient assumes an existing lien, is treated as a taxable sale subject to Florida's 6% state sales tax plus any applicable county discretionary surtax.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Gift to a Family Member in Florida

A gift transfer applies when no monetary consideration is exchanged, and the recipient assumes no outstanding lien on the vehicle. The following steps govern the gift transfer process in Florida.

Step 1 — Confirm the title is free of outstanding liens. Before proceeding, the current owner must confirm that no lienholder is recorded on the Florida Certificate of Title. If a lien exists, the lienholder must file a lien satisfaction with FLHSMV before the vehicle can be transferred as a gift without triggering sales tax liability. A lienholder must file a satisfaction notice within 10 days after the loan is fully paid.

Step 2 — Complete the title assignment. The method for completing the assignment depends on whether the title is held in paper or electronic form.

Gift Transfer — Paper Title

The seller (donor) completes the "Transfer of Title by Seller" section on the face of the existing paper Florida Certificate of Title. Required fields include:

• Recipient's full legal name and Florida address
• Sale price or transfer value — enter "$0" or "Gift"
• Date of transfer
• Odometer reading at the time of transfer (required for vehicles subject to federal odometer disclosure)
• Seller's original signature; if ownership is held jointly as "AND," all owners must sign; if held as "OR," either owner may sign

Gift Transfer — Electronic Title

For vehicles with an electronic title, both the donor and recipient must appear together in person at a motor vehicle service center to complete a secure title reassignment using Form HSMV 82994 or Form HSMV 82092. Both parties must present valid photo identification.

Step 3 — Prepare a Bill of Sale or Affidavit Documenting the Gift. Although Florida does not mandate a separate gift affidavit form for individual-to-individual transfers, FLHSMV advises that both parties complete a bill of sale or sworn affidavit confirming that the vehicle was transferred without monetary consideration. This document provides evidentiary protection for both parties in the event of a subsequent dispute over ownership or tax liability.

Step 4 — Buyer completes Form HSMV 82040 MV, declaring the gift exemption. The recipient must complete the Application for Certificate of Motor Vehicle Title (HSMV 82040 MV). Under the "Sales Tax Exemption Certification" section of the form, the recipient must declare that the transfer is exempt from sales and use tax as a gift.

Step 5 — Submit the document package at a motor vehicle service center. Both parties should attend the submission together at a county tax collector's office or licensed plate agent. Present the following:

• Assigned Florida Certificate of Title (or completed HSMV 82994/82092 for electronic titles)
• Completed HSMV 82040 MV with gift exemption declared
• Bill of sale or affidavit documenting the gift
• Valid photo identification for both parties
• Proof of valid Florida PIP and PDL liability insurance in the recipient's name (required if registering the vehicle)
• Payment for the applicable title fee and registration fees; no sales tax is collected for qualifying gift transfers

Step 6 — Seller removes license plates; recipient registers the vehicle. In Florida, license plates remain with the seller, not the vehicle. The seller must remove the plate before transferring possession of the vehicle. The recipient must visit a motor vehicle service center to register the vehicle and obtain new license plates. If the vehicle has not been previously registered in Florida, an Initial Registration Fee of $225.00 also applies.

How To Transfer a Car Title as a Sale to a Family Member in Florida

When a family member pays any amount for the vehicle — even a nominal or below-market price — the transaction is treated as a private sale. Florida's 6% state sales tax applies to the total purchase price, and an applicable county discretionary surtax is assessed on the first $5,000 of that price based on the purchaser's home county.

Step 1 — Agree on a purchase price and complete the title assignment. The seller records the agreed purchase price and completes the title assignment by the same method applicable to the title type (paper or electronic, as described in Step 2 of the gift transfer section). For paper titles, the seller completes the "Transfer of Title by Seller" section.

Step 2 — Prepare a Bill of Sale. A written bill of sale should be executed between the parties. It must include:

• Vehicle identification number (VIN)
• Year, make, and model of the vehicle
• Full legal names and addresses of both the seller and buyer
• Agreed purchase price
• Date of sale
• Original signatures of both parties

Step 3 — Release any existing lien, if applicable. If a lienholder is recorded on the Florida Certificate of Title, the lienholder must file a lien satisfaction with FLHSMV before the title can be reassigned to the buyer. The satisfaction must be filed by the lienholder within 10 days of full payoff.

Step 4 — Buyer completes Form HSMV 82040 MV The buyer must complete the Application for Certificate of Motor Vehicle Title and provide all required identification and vehicle information. No sales tax exemption is declared for a private sale transaction.

Step 5 — Submit the document package and pay applicable taxes and fees. Both parties should appear together at a county tax collector office or licensed plate agent and present:

• Assigned Florida Certificate of Title (or HSMV 82994/82092 for electronic titles, with both parties present)
• Completed HSMV 82040 MV
• Bill of sale
• Lien satisfaction documentation (if applicable)
• Valid photo identification for both parties
• Proof of valid Florida PIP and PDL liability insurance in the buyer's name (required for registration)
• Payment for the title transfer fee, 6% state sales tax on the total purchase price, county discretionary surtax on the first $5,000, and registration fees

Step 6 — Seller removes license plates; buyer registers the vehicle. The seller must remove all license plates from the vehicle before transfer. The buyer must register the vehicle and obtain new plates at a motor vehicle service center. If the vehicle has not been previously registered in Florida, the $225.00 Initial Registration Fee applies in addition to annual registration fees.

What Documents Are Needed To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Florida

Required for all transfers:

• Florida Certificate of Title — The original paper title, with the "Transfer of Title by Seller" section completed by the transferring party. For electronic titles, Form HSMV 82994 or Form HSMV 82092 is completed in person at a motor vehicle service center with both parties present.
• Form HSMV 82040 MV — Application for Certificate of Motor Vehicle Title — Completed by the recipient. Includes vehicle identification information, ownership details, odometer disclosure acknowledgment, and the sales tax exemption or sales tax declaration section.
• Valid Photo Identification — A current driver's license or state identification card from any U.S. state, or a valid passport. Identification must be presented by the applicant and verified against the title.
• Proof of Valid Florida Liability Insurance — Required at the time of vehicle registration; must demonstrate the minimum required PIP (Personal Injury Protection) and PDL (Personal Damage Liability) coverage from a Florida-authorized insurer.
• Payment for Applicable Fees — Title fee, registration fees, and applicable taxes.

Required for gift transfers only:

• Gift Declaration on HSMV 82040 MV — The "Sales Tax Exemption Certification" section of the form must be completed, declaring that the transfer is exempt from sales tax as a gift — that no monetary payment or other consideration was exchanged and no outstanding lien was assumed. No separate gift affidavit form is required for individual-to-individual transfers in Florida.
• Bill of Sale or Sworn Affidavit (recommended) — A written record confirming that no consideration was exchanged. Recommended by FLHSMV to document the gift and protect both parties.

Required for sale transfers only:

• Bill of Sale — A written record of the transaction that includes the VIN, year, make, and model; full legal names and addresses of both parties; purchase price; date of sale; and original signatures of both parties.
• Payment of Florida Sales Tax — 6% of the total purchase price, plus the applicable county discretionary surtax on the first $5,000 of the purchase price, assessed based on the buyer's home county.

Additional documents that may be required:

• Form HSMV 82053 — Power of Attorney — Required if a third party is authorized to handle the title and registration on behalf of an owner who cannot appear in person.
• Lien Satisfaction Documentation — Required if a lienholder was recorded on the title; evidence that the lien was marked satisfied and filed with FLHSMV by the lienholder.
• Form HSMV 82042 — VIN and Odometer Verification — Required for vehicles not previously titled in Florida. Must be verified by an FLHSMV compliance officer, a licensed Florida dealer, a Florida notary public, or a police officer.

How To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member Online in Florida

Transferring car titles to a family member in Florida cannot be completed entirely online and requires the new owner to appear in person before a county tax collector, a licensed plate agency, or an FLHSMV service center. For vehicles with paper titles, only the buyer's in-person appearance is strictly required at submission, though FLHSMV encourages both parties to complete the transaction together at a service center to ensure the transfer is recorded out of the seller's name without delay. For vehicles with electronic titles, both the seller and the buyer must be physically present at the same motor vehicle service center to execute the secure title reassignment (HSMV 82994 or HSMV 82092) and to acknowledge the odometer disclosure; this requirement cannot be waived or performed remotely by either party.

What's the Cost To Transfer a Car Title to a Family Member in Florida?

All fees listed below are published on the official FLHSMV fee schedule. All title fees are for electronic titles; a $2.50 service and handling fee is added when a paper title is requested.

Title Fees:

Registration Fees:

Sales and Use Tax (for sale transfers only):

Florida imposes a 6% state sales and use tax on the purchase price of motor vehicles transferred through private sale, which is collected at the time of title application by the county tax collector or a licensed plate agent. In addition to the state rate, each county may impose a discretionary sales surtax on the first $5,000 of the purchase price; the applicable county surtax rate is determined by the buyer's home county address. Both taxes are assessed and collected by the motor vehicle service center at the time of title transfer.

Contact Information

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Neil Kirkman Building, 2900 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Phone: (850) 617-2000
Official Website: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles