The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Fiscal Policy
BILL: CS/CS/SB 736
INTRODUCER: Committee on Fiscal Policy; Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and
Economic Development; and Senator Trumbull
SUBJECT: Services Provided by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or Its
Agents
DATE: February 23, 2024 REVISED:
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Shutes Vickers TR Favorable
2. Wells Jerrett ATD Fav/CS
3. Shutes Yeatman FP Fav/CS
Please see Section IX. for Additional Information:
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE - Substantial Changes
I. Summary:
CS/CS/SB 736 makes changes to various services and programs administered by the Department
of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) and its agents. Specifically, the bill:
 Revises a requirement for a rightful heir to transfer ownership of a motor vehicle or mobile
home if the previous owner died testate;
 Clarifies that no additional fee can be charged by the DHSMV or a tax collector for the
reissuance of a certificate of title that is lost in transit and is not delivered;
 Allows permanent motor vehicle registration decals for rental trucks that weigh under 15,000
pounds;
 Authorizes the DHSMV to issue reduced dimension license plates for trailers;
 Provides that a disabled veteran who qualifies for a free “DV” license plate may choose a
military or specialty license plate he or she qualifies for in lieu of the “DV” license plate;
 Adds the following two cases wherein DHSMV may design, issue, and regulate the use of
temporary tags:
o The existing owner of a vehicle has submitted an application to transfer a valid out-
of-state title that is subject to a lien; and
o An active-duty military service member who has a valid Florida driver license
provides evidence satisfactory to the department that he or she is deployed outside
this state;
BILL: CS/CS/SB 736 Page 2
 Removes the requirement to provide a written, notarized request for the purchase of a
temporary tag and provides requirements for renewal of a temporary tag.
 Provides that in political subdivisions with a population of 1.9 million or greater (currently
Broward and Miami-Dade Counties), upon petition by the agent in charge of a general lines
agency, the tax collector must appoint such agency as an agent for the tax collector for
limited purposes of motor vehicle and mobile home registration transactions.
This bill has an indeterminate, negative fiscal impact on DHSMV. See Section V., Fiscal Impact
Statement.
This bill takes effect July 1, 2024
II. Present Situation:
County tax collectors are the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ (DHSMV)
authorized agents for titling and registering motor vehicles, motor homes, and vessels.
Transfer of Ownership - Certificate of Title
Florida law states that in the case of transfer of ownership of a motor vehicle or mobile home by
operation of law, such as inheritance, the DHSMV must receive satisfactory proof of ownership
and right of possession to such motor vehicle or mobile home, and payment of the required
certificate of title application fee, before the DHSMV can issue the applicant a certificate of
title.1
If the previous owner died testate, the application must be accompanied by:2
 A certified copy of the will, if probated, and an affidavit that the estate is solvent with
sufficient assets to pay all just claims; or
 A sworn copy of the will, if the will is not being probated, and an affidavit that the estate is
not indebted.
Lost Certificates of Titles
Under current law, if a certificate of title is lost or destroyed, the owner of the motor vehicle or
mobile home, or the holder of a lien, must apply to the DHSMV for a duplicate copy.3 Upon
receiving an application signed and sworn to by the applicant, and accompanied by the required
fee,4 the DHSMV must issue a duplicate copy of the certificate of title.5
If an original, duplicate, or corrected certificate of title issued by the DHSMV is lost in transit
and is not delivered to the addressee, the owner or holder must, within 180 days of the date of
issuance of the title, apply to the DHSMV for the reissuance of the certificate of title without an
1
Section 319.28(1)(a), F.S.
2
Section 319.28(1)(b), F.S.
3
Section 319.29(1), F.S.
4
The fee for a duplicate title is generally $75.25. See Section 319.32(1) and (2), F.S., and DHSMV, Fees - Motor Vehicle
Title Fees, https://www.flhsmv.gov/fees/ (last visited March 26, 2023).
5
Section 319.29(1), F.S.
BILL: CS/CS/SB 736 Page 3
additional fee.6 Florida law provides that tax collectors can handle certificate of title applications
and collect the associated fees.7 However, the information technology system used by tax
collectors to process title transactions currently lacks the functionality to issue a no fee
replacement.
Registration, License Plates, and Decals
Florida law provides that registration license plates must be issued for a 10-year period. At the
end of the 10-year period, upon renewal, the plate must be replaced. With the issuance of a
license plate, a validation sticker is issued with the owner’s birth month, license plate number,
and the year of expiration or the appropriate renewal period if the owner is not a natural person.
The license plate and validation sticker are issued based on the applicant’s appropriate renewal
period.8
License plates with validation stickers subject to the registration period are valid for not more
than 12 months and expire at midnight on the last day of the registration period. A license plate
with a validation sticker subject to the extended registration period is valid for not more than 24
months and expires at midnight on the last day of the extended registration period.9
Currently rental cars have the ability to permanently register vehicles, provided they pay the
appropriate annual license taxes and fees.10
License Plates with Reduced Dimensions
In lieu of a standard license plate, the DHSMV may deem a plate with reduced dimensions
necessary to accommodate motorcycles, mopeds, or similar smaller vehicles.11 All other
requirements, including the type of metal, validation stickers, identification letters and numerals,
and imprints for specific plates, are the same regardless of registration license plate size.12
Disabled Veteran “DV” License Plates
Section 320.084, F.S., provides that a disabled veteran is eligible for one free “DV” license plate
if he or she has been a resident of this state for the preceding five years or has established a
domicile in this state, has been honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces, and
provides proof that he or she:
 Has a vehicle initially acquired through financial assistance by the United States Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) or its predecessor specifically for the purchase of an automobile;
 Has been determined by the VA or its predecessor to have a service-related one hundred
percent disability rating for compensation; or
6
Section 319.29(3), F.S.
7
Section 319.32(2)(b), F.S.
8
Section 320.06(1)(b)1., F.S.
9
Section 320.06(1)(c), F.S.
10
Section 320.06(1)(b), F.S.
11
Section 320.06(3)(a), F.S.
12
Id.
BILL: CS/CS/SB 736 Page 4
 Has been determined to have a service connected disability rating of one hundred percent and
receives disability retirement pay from any branch of the United States Armed Forces.
The license number on each plate issued to a disabled veteran must be identified by the letter
designation “DV.”13 The design of the special disabled veteran plate is red, white, and blue, and
resembles the United States flag.14 As of January 2023, there were 97,994 active Florida “DV”
license plates, the most of any military license plate.15
Upon issuance of each new permanent “DV” license plate, an initial validation sticker with an
expiration not exceeding 27 months, is issued without cost to the applicant.16 The applicant does
have to pay the associated service charges for each initial application or renewal of registration. 17
Registration must be renewed annually or biennially, and at that time the applicant must submit a
certified statement affirming their continued eligibility for the special “DV” license plate.18
Any vehicle displaying a “DV” license plate that is transporting the person to whom the plate
was issued is authorized to park in a designated accessible parking space.19 A state agency,
county, municipality, or any agency thereof, may not enact any fee for parking on the public
streets or highways or in any metered parking space from the driver of a vehicle that displays the
“DV” license plate when the vehicle is transporting the person who has the disability or who the
plate was issued to.20 Additionally, the governing body of a publicly owned or publicly operated
airport must grant free parking to a vehicle displaying a “DV” license plate.21 These rights are
afforded by the state and are not necessarily universally accepted as parking permits and license
plates designated with the International Symbol of Accessibility.22
Special Military License Plates
Florida offers Special Military License Plates, which have specific eligibility requirements that
must be met upon application and required payment of the license tax for the vehicle, if
applicable, before the plate can be issued.23 Section 320.089, F.S., authorizes the majority of
these special military plates, which include several plates for veterans, plates for National Guard
members and former Prisoners of War, and plates for military members who have been awarded
specific honors such as combat badges and medals. General revenue generated from the sale of
13
Section 320.084(3), F.S.
14
See DHSMV, Florida Military License Plates, HSMV 80003, available at
https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/specialtyplates/military_brochure.pdf at 2. (last visited December 19, 2023).
15
Id. at p. 6.
16
Section 320.084(4)(a), F.S.
17
Section 320.084(4)(b), F.S.
18
Section 320.084(4)(c), F.S.
19
Sections 553.5041(1) and 316.1955(1), F.S.
20
Section 316.1964(1), F.S. However, a fee may be charged when such parking facility or lot is being used in connection
with an event at a convention center, cruise-port terminal, sports stadium, sports arena, coliseum, or auditorium. See
s. 316.1964(3), F.S.
21
Section 316.1964(7), F.S.
22
See U.S. Access Board, Guide to the ADA Accessibility Standards: Guidance on the International Symbol of Accessibility
(March 27, 2017), https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/guidance-on-the-isa/ (last visited December 19, 2023).
23
See ss. 320.0845, 320.0846, 320.089, 320.0891, 320.0892, 320.0893, F.S. A full-listing of the military plates offered by
DHSMV are available at https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/specialtyplates/military_brochure.pdf supra, note 91.
BILL: CS/CS/SB 736 Page 5
military plates issued under s. 320.089, F.S., are distributed to Florida Department of Veterans’
Affairs trust funds to be used as follows:
 The first $100,000 are to be used for the common benefit of the residents of Florida
Veterans’ Nursing Homes.24
 Any additional revenue is to be used to support program operations that benefit veterans or
the operation, maintenance, or construction of domiciliary and nursing homes for veterans.25
 Except for the revenue from the “Woman Veteran” license plate, which is to be used solely
for creating and implementing programs to benefit women veterans.26
Specialty License Plates
As of December 2023, there are 144 specialty license plates authorized by the Legislature. Of
these plates, 109 are available for immediate purchase and 31 are in the presale process.27
Specialty license plates are available to an owner or lessee of a motor vehicle who is willing to
pay an annual use fee, ranging from $15 to $25, paid in addition to required license taxes and
service fees.28 The annual use fees are distributed to organizations in support of a particular
cause or charity signified on the plate’s design and designated in statute.29
Temporary Tags
Section 320.131, F.S., authorizes the DHSMV to sell temporary tags to their agents where a need
is met by the consumer. The fee for the temporary tag is $2, and from that $1 from each tag sold
is deposited into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program Trust Fund. The remaining proceeds
are deposited into the Highway Safety Operating Trust Fund. Agents of the DHSMV are
permitted to sell the temporary tags for $2 each and service charges are authorized, regardless of
quantity sold. Requests for temporary tags must be in written, notarized form. Unless provided
otherwise, temporary tags are valid for 30 days, and no more than two shall be issued to the same
person for the same vehicle.
Currently, 65 counties have elected tax collectors who are constitutional officers, while Broward
and Miami-Dade counties have appointed tax collectors under each county’s charter government.
However, pursuant to s. 1(d), Article VIII of the State Constitution, these counties will have
elected tax collectors effective January 7, 2025.30
License Plate Agents and Fees
Currently, 65 counties have elected tax collectors who are constitutional officers, while Broward
and Miami-Dade counties have appointed tax collectors under each county’s charter government.
24
Section 320.089(1)(c), F.S.
25
Id.
26
Section 320.089(1)(d), F.S.
27
DHSMV Presentation to the Senate Transportation Committee, Specialty License Plates (January 24, 2023), slideshow
available at https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/TR/MeetingPacket/5615/10046_MeetingPacket_5615_3.pdf (last
visited October 10, 2023).
28
Section 320.08056(3)(d), F.S., provides that except if specifically provided in s. 320.08056(4), the annual use fee for a
specialty license plate is $25.
29
Section 320.08058, F.S.
30
Art. VIII, s. 1(d), Fla. Const.
BILL: CS/CS/SB 736 Page 6
However, pursuant to s. 1(d), Article VIII of the State Constitution, these counties will have
elected tax collectors effective January 7, 2025.31
Each tax collector is authorized to enter into contracts with private third-party license plate
agents (LPAs) for the titling and registration of motor vehicles, mobile homes, and vessels. LPAs
are granted online computer access to DHSMV systems and are supplied with title paper,
registration decals, and license plates by the tax collector.32
Sixteen counties have, or until recently had, contracts with privately owned LPAs to operate 57
offices33, primarily in Miami Dade and Broward County, to perform title and registration
services for motor vehicles, mobile homes, and vessels. In counties with elected tax collectors,
LPAs only charge the fees for those services as expressly authorized in statute. In these counties,
the LPAs may retain all or a portion of the statutorily authorized service fee that tax collectors
are allowed to collect for motor vehicle, mobile home, and vessel title and registration services,
as provided in the contracts between the LPA and the tax collector.34 The LPAs in Broward and
Miami-Dade County charge fees for motor vehicle, mobile home, and vessel title and registration
fees in addition to the statutory fees authorized in chs. 319, 320, and 328, F.S. The additional
fees levied in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties are levied pursuant to county ordinance and
are retained by the LPAs.35
Regulation of Insurance Agents
The Department of Financial Services’ (DFS) Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services
is responsible for the licensing and regulation of insurance agents, adjusters, insurance agencies,
as well as related personnel and business entities.36
No person may be, act as, or advertise, or hold himself/herself out to be an insurance agent,