Classic Car Dealers in Florida

Florida is one of the easier states to own a classic in: there is no emissions testing, no periodic safety inspection, and cars 30 years and older qualify for permanent antique plates. The paperwork that matters happens when you title the car, so it pays to know the rules before you buy, especially if the car is coming from another state.

Titling the car

You have 30 days from delivery to apply for a Florida title; filing late adds a $20 fee (Florida Statutes s. 319.23). Florida has no title exemption for old cars, so even a 1930s car needs a title. If the car was last titled or registered in another state, you surrender that title and registration when you apply.

A car coming from another state also needs a VIN verification: a physical check of the vehicle identification number on a state form, signed by a law enforcement officer, a licensed dealer, a license inspector or a Florida notary public. Ask the selling dealer whether they can complete it for you before the car ships.

Check the title brands. Florida titles must be branded for flood vehicles, replicas, kit cars, custom vehicles and street rods (s. 319.14), and a seller must disclose a flood vehicle in writing. In a state that sees hurricanes, a flood brand is the first thing to look for.

Antique and Horseless Carriage plates

• Horseless Carriage plates are for cars from model year 1945 and earlier.
• Antique plates are for cars built after 1945 that are at least 30 years old.

Both are permanent plates that never need renewing (s. 320.086). For an antique car the annual license tax is a flat $7.50 instead of the weight-based rate, plus a plate fee set by the state. Antique-plated cars are also exempt from the $225 initial registration fee Florida charges on a vehicle's first registration in the state (s. 320.072), which matters if you are bringing a classic in from elsewhere. For a privately owned antique car, the statute sets no limit on how much you can drive it.

If you want a period-correct look, an original Florida plate from the car's model year can be used on vehicles from 1974 and earlier, with state approval (s. 320.086(4)).

Inspections

Florida ended emissions testing in 2001, and the state does not require a periodic safety inspection to register a car. That makes an independent pre-purchase inspection more important, not less: nobody else will look at the car before you drive it.

Sales tax

• The state sales tax on a vehicle is 6%, plus a county surtax that applies only to the first $5,000 of the price and follows the county where the buyer lives (s. 212.05, s. 212.054).
• Buying out of state and registering in Florida? Use tax is due, but tax you lawfully paid to the other state is credited, so you only pay the difference (s. 212.06).
• Buying from a Florida dealer and taking the car to another state? Florida charges your home state's rate, capped at Florida's, if you sign a statement that you will register the car at home within 45 days (s. 212.08).

Insurance to register

Florida requires personal injury protection of $10,000 and property damage liability of $10,000 to register a car (s. 627.736, s. 324.022). Classic owners usually add an agreed-value collector policy on top. Confirm the current minimums with your insurer before you buy, as lawmakers have debated changing the PIP system.

Sources: Florida Statutes chapters 212, 319, 320, 324 and 627 (current through 2025), and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on the end of emissions testing. Fees and rules change, so confirm with your county tax collector before you buy.