The State of Florida considers you to be a dealer and requires you to have a dealer's license if you buy or sell any of the following in a 12-month period:

• Three or more motor vehicles

• One or more mobile homes

• One or more recreational vehicles

All vehicle dealer licenses are administered and regulated through the Florida Division of Motor Vehicles. The application and approval process can be lengthy, and it varies depending on what type of vehicle you plan to sell: motor vehicles, mobile homes, or recreational vehicles.

Top Motor Vehicle Dealer

When you apply for a license, you'll need to specify which type you need:

Independent Dealer: allows you to deal in used motor vehicles only, for retail or wholesale sales.

Franchise Dealer: allows you to deal in new motor vehicles in agreement with a manufacturer. It also allows for the sale of used vehicles.

Wholesale Dealer: allows you to buy, sell, and deal only at wholesale prices with other licensed dealers.

Auctions: allows you to sell, through bidding, vehicles from other dealers. It also prohibits retail sales.

The Application Process

To receive your motor vehicle dealer license, you must complete the application, also available at any regional office of the Division of Motor Vehicles. You'll need to provide required documentation and pay any applicable fees.

Note: You will need the free Adobe Reader to download and read PDF files.

Make sure to return the form to the regional office that serves your locale; applications sent to Tallahassee that pertain to other regions will be sent to the appropriate regional office and could delay processing time.

Requirements to Obtain a Florida Motor Vehicle Dealer License

• Completed application

• $25,000 bond or letter of credit

• Garage liability insurance

• Copy of business lease or proof of ownership of location

• Approval (by DMV representative) of dealership location

• Certificate proving completed dealer training seminar

• Business documents (copies of corporate agreement, fictitious trade name registration, sales tax number, federal employee ID number)

• Fingerprints

Note: Franchise dealers may have additional requirements. Please check with any Division of Motor Vehicles regional office for details.

Fees

• $300 per approved location

• $54.25 (per person) for fingerprints and processing

License renewals

Dealer licenses must be renewed annually, at a fee of $75. All independent dealers must provide proof of at least eight hours of continuing dealer training upon renewal. This is in accordance with Florida Statute 320.27 (4)(a), which reads:

• "Each independent dealer shall certify that the dealer principal (owner, partner, officer of the corporation, or director) has completed eight hours of continuing education prior to filing the renewal forms with the department. Such certification shall be filed once every two years commencing with the 2006 renewal period. The continuing education shall include at least two hours of legal or legislative issues, one hour of department issues, and five hours of relevant motor vehicle industry topics."

Continuing (and initial) dealer training can be found at the following locations:

• Florida Independent Automobile Dealers Association: (888) 587-0004

• Advanced Dealer Training Institute: (888) 791-9511

• Florida Auto Dealer School: (866) 884-0549

Find more information on approved dealer training sites at any regional office of the Division of Motor Vehicles.

Top Mobile Home Dealer

Two types of licenses are issued to mobile home dealers:

Mobile home dealer: allows you to deal in new and used mobile homes, and to do business at retail or wholesale prices.

Mobile home broker: allows you to deal in used mobile homes only, at either retail or wholesale prices.

Requirements to Obtain a Florida Mobile Home Dealer License

• Completed application

• $25,000 bond or letter of credit

• Copy of business lease or proof of ownership for location

• Approval (by DMV representative) of dealership location

• Certificate proving completed dealer training seminar

• Business documents (copies of corporate agreement, fictitious trade name registration, sales tax number, federal employee ID number

• Fingerprints

Fees

• $300 per approved location

• $54.25 (per person) for fingerprints and processing

• $40 annual fee for Mobile Home and Recreational Vehicle Trust Fund

Top Recreational Vehicle Dealer

Only one type of license is issued for recreational vehicle dealers.

Requirements to Obtain a Florida Recreational Vehicle Dealer License

• Completed application

• $10,000 bond

• Copy of business lease for the location, or proof of ownership

• Approval (by DMV representative) of dealership location

• Certificate proving completed dealer training seminar

• Business documents (copies of corporate agreement, fictitious trade name registration, sales tax number, federal employee ID number

• Fingerprints

Fees

• $300 per approved location

• $54.25 (per person) for fingerprints and processing

• $40 annual fee for Mobile Home and Recreational Vehicle Trust Fund

Renewal of Mobile Home and Recreational Vehicle Dealer Licenses

Licenses must be renewed annually. The fee is $140. Return your renewal form to any regional office of the Division of Motor Vehicles.

Top Penalties

No matter your choice of vehicle, if you fail to obtain a dealer license, you could be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor, resulting in six months in jail or a fine of $500. You could also be deemed in violation of Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, resulting in large fines or a permanent injunction from a circuit court.

Top Ensure Compliance

For a comprehensive look at Florida's dealer regulations and procedures, download the 80-page Florida Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, and Recreational Vehicle Dealers' Handbook, available for free in PDF format.

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