Can we have cars licensed in Florida and our home states?

[STLRAY]

As the title says, can you have cars licensed in Florida and you home state? I am finding conflicting information on line.

Ray

[Stu from NYC]

I doubt it, would think you would need to have two sets of license plates

[C. C. Rider]

As the title says, can you have cars licensed in Florida and you home state? I am finding conflicting information on line.

Ray

Cars can (and should) be licensed in the state they are kept in the majority of time.

[dblwyr]

No. If you have homes in two states, one is primary residence.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I'm assuming you meant "registered" and not "licensed," since cars don't get licenses. They get registrations. You, the driver, get licensed.

The term "license plate" is erroneous; the correct term is "registration plate."

And no, you can't have a car registered in more than one state at a time. You also can't have insurance from one state, and registration in another state.

You CAN have a drivers' license for one state, and drive a car registered in a different state.

[Indy-Guy]

Call your auto insurance carrier and ask them. My guess is that they will only issue insurance when car is licensed in the state of your primary residence.

[STLRAY]

I need to clarify. I plan to keep cars in Florida and at my home in St. Louis. Should the registration be the same as my drivers license, or should they be registered in the state where they are located?

[NavyNJ]

I'm assuming you meant "registered" and not "licensed," since cars don't get licenses. They get registrations. You, the driver, get licensed.

The term "license plate" is erroneous; the correct term is "registration plate."

And no, you can't have a car registered in more than one state at a time. You also can't have insurance from one state, and registration in another state.

You CAN have a drivers' license for one state, and drive a car registered in a different state.

Re: the bolded portion above - Yes, you CAN insure and register in different states. As an example, when my kids were in college, they took a vehicle registered in NJ in my name, to school (first in PA, then in WV) back to school with them. In both cases, working with my USAA agent, we figured out it was cheaper to insure them in those states versus NJ. Since one of the standard insurance questions is usually something like "Where will the vehicle be garaged?", it made sense to do it that way. Made it a bit of a pain to make sure kids brought the car home for inspections when needed, etc., but in the long run it saved a bundle!!

[vintageogauge]

I'm assuming you meant "registered" and not "licensed," since cars don't get licenses. They get registrations. You, the driver, get licensed.

The term "license plate" is erroneous; the correct term is "registration plate."

And no, you can't have a car registered in more than one state at a time. You also can't have insurance from one state, and registration in another state.

You CAN have a drivers' license for one state, and drive a car registered in a different state.


The correct name in Florida is License Plates not Registration Plates, this is according the The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles and Safetly. Registration plates is an erroneous term here in Florida.

[2newyorkers]

Yes you can register your car in Florida even with an out of state license.

[blueash]

It's almost like people don't read what the OP said. Yes you can register one car in Florida, the one you keep here, and one car in Missouri, the one you keep there. In fact that is what you are supposed to do.

[Papa_lecki]

I need to clarify. I plan to keep cars in Florida and at my home in St. Louis. Should the registration be the same as my drivers license, or should they be registered in the state where they are located?

Up to you...call your insurer and ask.

[Topspinmo]

Beings you own two houses in different state I would figure which state is cheaper and claim that state as resident. Northern (east) do it all the time, gets them out of paying the high taxes

[kathyspear]

OP is talking about keeping one car in one state and another car in another state. Yes, you can do it. We did it when we were snowbirds. We had to get two separate insurance policies because our primary residence was PA and ins. co. up there didn't cover FL. Cost the same as having both cars in PA, though.

kathy

[retiredguy123]

It's almost like people don't read what the OP said. Yes you can register one car in Florida, the one you keep here, and one car in Missouri, the one you keep there. In fact that is what you are supposed to do.
Yes, you can, but you need insurance policies in both states. If you register a car in Florida, it must have Florida insurance. In Florida, any car that you use more than 90 days in the state (non-consecutive) during the year must be insured in Florida. Many snowbirds are not in compliance with this law.

[justjim]

As the title says, can you have cars licensed in Florida and you home state? I am finding conflicting information on line.

Ray

The answer is yes. I own a condo in Illinois and keep a car there to use during the summer or when I fly there to take care of business or see children. It is insured in Illinois. I own a home in TV and license a car in Florida and have a Florida drivers license and it is insured in Florida. No problems.

[Professor]

We have been doing this for years. We have a summer condo in Missouri and keep a car there registered in Missouri. We live in Florida full time and have a car registered in Florida. We maintain separate insurance policies on each (with the same insurance company) since state laws vary.

[Bill297]

Absolutely! I have a car in AZ (our second home) and it has AZ plates. It stays in the garage abd I use it when I visit AZ. I have two policies. One for FL and one for AZ. Same insurance company but two separate policies.

[J1ceasar]

Also keep in mind many states like New Jersey have inspections yearly or biological cars and us obviously have the car in Jersey for the inspection so if you register the car and have a jersey plate on the car you would have to make sure to drive it back during the month you're supposed to get an inspection. Florida does not have safety inspections. Also the police will definitely stop you much more often if you have an out of state plate on your car while you're driving in Florida and vice versa in the other states.

[Garwood1]

And you can’t get a Florida registration until you have proof of Florida insurance within 72 hours or the license will be suspended -transfer fee to register your auto is around $300-$400 ( I did this process 2 years ago )

[Up North]

We have one vehicle that's kept here and one that's kept in Wisconsin. The one here has a Florida license plate (this is our primary residence). The one kept in Wisconsin has a Wisconsin license plate. The biggest thing is making sure your insurance understands where each vehicle is housed and insures it appropriately. We have USAA and they cover both, some insurances may not cover a vehicle in another state. A problem we did have, was when we forwarded our mail, the insurance was notified and assumed all our vehicles went with us, which raised our rates dramatically. The insurance company must clearly understand where each vehicle stays, regardless of our travels back and forth.

[Tmarkwald]

Re: the bolded portion above - Yes, you CAN insure and register in different states. As an example, when my kids were in college, they took a vehicle registered in NJ in my name, to school (first in PA, then in WV) back to school with them. In both cases, working with my USAA agent, we figured out it was cheaper to insure them in those states versus NJ. Since one of the standard insurance questions is usually something like "Where will the vehicle be garaged?", it made sense to do it that way. Made it a bit of a pain to make sure kids brought the car home for inspections when needed, etc., but in the long run it saved a bundle!!

Perfect response - nearly the same thing with us. we have multiple vehicles, 2 kids in college, etc, but the cars the kids use stay registered in MD and they have their own insurance policy issued in MD on the cars. So, I have to maintain two policies, but that was simple and insurance company has no issue with it.

I think where is get sticky is trying to have have ONE insurance policy covering vehicles registered in multiple states.

[daca55]

I need to clarify. I plan to keep cars in Florida and at my home in St. Louis. Should the registration be the same as my drivers license, or should they be registered in the state where they are located?

Florida will let you register a car here even though your drivers license is in another state. Call the DMV in the county you live and they will explain. Your insurance has to be in State where the car is kept.

[lpkshop]

We have a car registered in NJ and one here in Florida.

[Saluce]

I need to clarify. I plan to keep cars in Florida and at my home in St. Louis. Should the registration be the same as my drivers license, or should they be registered in the state where they are located?

Your vehicle registration and drivers license should be where your primary residence is.

[dewilson58]

Your vehicle registration and drivers license should be where your primary residence is.
Not really. :ohdear:

[maggie1]

The answer is yes. I own a condo in Illinois and keep a car there to use during the summer or when I fly there to take care of business or see children. It is insured in Illinois. I own a home in TV and license a car in Florida and have a Florida drivers license and it is insured in Florida. No problems.

Very interesting! So, when you renew your registration in IL what address do you use as your primary residence? Or do you use the IL address for your registration there, and the FL address when registering your car in this state? I know a person can't hold two (or more) driver's licenses from different states, so I wondered if the same applied to vehicle registration - apparently it doesn't.

[dewilson58]

Very interesting! So, when you renew your registration in IL what address do you use as your primary residence? Or do you use the IL address for your registration there, and the FL address when registering your car in this state? I know a person can't hold two (or more) driver's licenses from different states, so I wondered if the same applied to vehicle registration - apparently it doesn't.
Not primary resident address.............Where the car is garaged the most.

[143666]

As a former notary public in PA with experience processing title work for 25 years, a person can only title and register vehicles in the state that matches their drivers license. That proves their residence. One way to get around this is if a husband or wife holds a license in one state and the other holds their license in the other. Auto insurance must be secured in each state for that vehicle. If a couple has 2 different state’s licenses, they can apply to put a title in both names as long as the first name listed on title is in the state they’re applying for title. Can’t speak for every state, but that’s how it works in PA.

[bilcon]

I had two cars when I first move here part -time. One car was registered and insured in NY and that is where it stayed. My other car was left at my Florida house and was registered and insured in Florida. No problem.

[stebooo]

Where are the cars? If both are in florida then yes. I for example maintain a vehicle in minnesota. It never sees florida. Hence it is licensed mn I am a legal resident of florida. If that helps. Also, to license in florida, the car must be in florida. You could and most likely would be challenged to show me the car if you will

[retiredguy123]

I had two cars when I first move here part -time. One car was registered and insured in NY and that is where it stayed. My other car was left at my Florida house and was registered and insured in Florida. No problem.
That is the correct and legal way to do it. Although, many people don't want the extra expense for two insurance policies.

[Judy n Ron]

I'm assuming you meant "registered" and not "licensed," since cars don't get licenses. They get registrations. You, the driver, get licensed.

The term "license plate" is erroneous; the correct term is "registration plate."

And no, you can't have a car registered in more than one state at a time. You also can't have insurance from one state, and registration in another state.

You CAN have a drivers' license for one state, and drive a car registered in a different state.
You CAN do this, but if you get stopped, be prepared to get a ticket if both the driver license and auto registration are in your name. States do not like sharing revenue on these items. Ron

[Waterborne]

Never understood the 90 day rule. One could possibly be responsible to four different states. What to do ?

[NY2TV]

I have 2 cars. I keep 1 here and 1 in NY. The one I keep here is registered and insured in FL and the one in NY is registered and insured in NY. My driver's license is NY which is my primary residence.

[BFISHER54]

Yes you can, but you will probably need a separate insurance policy for each state since each state’s insurance requirements are different.

[noslices1]

As the title says, can you have cars licensed in Florida and you home state? I am finding conflicting information on line.

Ray

If you are a permanent resident of Florida, you must register your car in Florida. If you are a “snowbird” and live at least one day more than 6 months in your home state, you may keep your car registered in that state.

[Skip]

I need to clarify. I plan to keep cars in Florida and at my home in St. Louis. Should the registration be the same as my drivers license, or should they be registered in the state where they are located?

You will find insurance is cheaper in St. Louis. As long as MO. does not have annual vehicle inspections or require visual VIN verification to renew registration there. You'll find it easier and cheaper to "tag" the car in MO.

Be careful when the insurance company asks you where the car is kept. An independant agent can help with the tricky questions.

Skip

[Waimola]

You can register the car in Florida in Florida. And the car in St Louis in St Louis - I did this for my parents. I recommend using a National insurance company (Allstate or such) as it will make your life simpler if you want to ramp up and down the coverage when you are away.

[davem4616]

for years we had one car registered in Florida and one car registered in Massachusetts (which we left there year round)

we flew back and forth frequently and this made life simple

[Mikee1]

I need to clarify. I plan to keep cars in Florida and at my home in St. Louis. Should the registration be the same as my drivers license, or should they be registered in the state where they are located?

If you have a car that stays at your non resident state it can be registered and insured in that state. You can have vehicles registered in different states, but only one registration per vehicle. You will have 1 driver's license from the state of your domicile ( resident state). State laws vary on the registration laws, so check with the second state for their laws on the matter.

[peggyb]

I have 2 vehicles registered and insured here in Fl, and 2 vehicles same in NJ.

[SacDQ]

Most states tax autos based in your address. Leaving Connecticut fir Florida I had to tern in my CT PLATE to get a tax return from the city I previously liven in.

[Bilyclub]

To get plates in Florida the vehicle has to be in Florida at least once because they do a vin verification.

[karostay]

Cars are to be titled to your state of residency

[yabbadu]

As the title says, can you have cars licensed in Florida and you home state? I am finding conflicting information on line.

Ray

What did they say when you spoke with them????? Easier than 43 responses!!!!!

[tlshoe]

Perhaps this may vary by state, but in the states I'm familiar with, you canNOT have your driver's license from one state and have your care registered in another state--such is a violation of motor vehicle code and you can be ticketed for it.

[retiredguy123]

Perhaps this may vary by state, but in the states I'm familiar with, you canNOT have your driver's license from one state and have your care registered in another state--such is a violation of motor vehicle code and you can be ticketed for it.
I've never heard of that requirement. You can get a drivers license even if you don't own a car. Or, you can register a car even if you don't have a drivers license. And, if you have a drivers license, you can drive cars owned by a rental car company, or by someone who lives in another state.

[dewilson58]

As a former notary public in PA with experience processing title work for 25 years, a person can only title and register vehicles in the state that matches their drivers license. That proves their residence. .
This is so false.

[Bilyclub]

Perhaps this may vary by state, but in the states I'm familiar with, you canNOT have your driver's license from one state and have your care registered in another state--such is a violation of motor vehicle code and you can be ticketed for it.

No DL necessary in most states. I had an out of state DL and registered a car in Florida.

[C. C. Rider]

It's almost like people don't read what the OP said. Yes you can register one car in Florida, the one you keep here, and one car in Missouri, the one you keep there. In fact that is what you are supposed to do.

Precisely correct. Wherever the car is kept is where it is supposed to be titled, licensed, and insured.

[SharonW]

I need to clarify. I plan to keep cars in Florida and at my home in St. Louis. Should the registration be the same as my drivers license, or should they be registered in the state where they are located?

Registered and insured in state that auto is garaged.

[jfignewt]

Yes. We have cars registered in NY that never travel to FL, and cars in FL that never go to NY, although they could do so legally. ( we fly, once we purchased a FL home, hate that I95 ride!) You can only have one driver’s license, however. We still have NY licenses, but were able to register car in FL, showing proof of a residence in FL. GEICO insures all of them, but as someone else said, separate policies.

[dewilson58]

Cars are to be titled to your state of residency
Sorry, but false.

[dewilson58]

Registered and insured in state that auto is garaged.
Bingo

[lindawalker57]

As the title says, can you have cars licensed in Florida and you home state? I am finding conflicting information on line.

Ray

I just moved here as primary state and got FL driver license. But I have one car mainly here snd I registered it here and got FL insurance. My other car is mainly in Virginia, where I moved from. I kept it registered and insured in Virginia.

[pjackson8]

Yes... we are residents of Florida and have one car that we use in Florida...registered and insured in Florida. We have several vehicles at our home in KY that are registered and insured in KY. We have Florida driver's license.

[Vernon Hud]

I had one here, and one in MN, and had to register in each state, did this for 12 years.

[DAVES]

As the title says, can you have cars licensed in Florida and you home state? I am finding conflicting information on line.

Ray

I do wonder why you would ask here. The police have or used to have a question and answer presentation once a month at the Savanna center. You could stop at the police dept and get something in writing.

As far as I know it is illegal to have two registrations on the same car or two different state licenses-driving licenses. People used to carry two licenses. You would put the tickets on one state and get a clean record insurance against your license that you don't use for tickets. Today, their computers will surely catch you.

[vinnytalk]

Why would want autos registered in 2 states?

[vinnytalk]

Why would want autos registered in 2 states? However if you have 2 autos one can be in Fla & the the other in your home state. I have done this

[vinnytalk]

As the title says, can you have cars licensed in Florida and you home state? I am finding conflicting information on line.

Ray
Why would want autos registered in 2 states? However if you have 2 autos one can be in Fla & the the other in your home state. I have done this.

[tophcfa]

Licensed no, insured and registered yes. We have two vehicles insured and registered up north and one in Florida. They should be insured and registered where they are primarily garaged.

[gpkk_2000]

We have cars in FL & MN. Each is registered in the state that is it's primary residence. We insure the vehicles, in separate policies, in the state it is licensed. We've done this for almost 6 years.

[Bethwill]

Why would you want double the aggravation?

[dewilson58]

Why would you want double the aggravation?
:ohdear:Not want.
Read your policy, coverage could be denied.

[LianneMigiano]

Yes, you can, but you need insurance policies in both states. If you register a car in Florida, it must have Florida insurance. In Florida, any car that you use more than 90 days in the state (non-consecutive) during the year must be insured in Florida. Many snowbirds are not in compliance with this law.Many snowbirds are not in compliance with their homeowners insurances either! If the home is vacant (even if you have someone check on it off and on) you are required to hold vacant home insurance during the period of :boom:time you are away.

[dewilson58]

Many snowbirds are not in compliance with their homeowners insurances either! If the home is vacant (even if you have someone check on it off and on) you are required to hold vacant home insurance during the period of :boom:time you are away.
Not True.

[tlshoe]

What you say is correct, you can do those things, but what you said has nothing to do with what I said. You can get a driver's license in one state and you can register a vehicle in another state, but if you are stopped you could be ticketed for this if you are not a resident of both states.

[Bilyclub]

What you say is correct, you can do those things, but what you said has nothing to do with what I said. You can get a driver's license in one state and you can register a vehicle in another state, but if you are stopped you could be ticketed for this if you are not a resident of both states.

To get a DL you need to show proof of an address in that state, likewise the same goes for plates in another state. If you somehow got either of these without having a residence in that state you have bigger problems than a ticket.

[cj1040]

We just moved from NY to NH and will move to our new house at TV in Feb. We had a NY registration expiring just after we moved to our NH condo and we had to register it in NH . We had to turn in the car TITLE along with the application and fees and it took over a month to get the new NH title. We want to be Florida residents for tax reasons and the homestead deduction so we will have to do it all again in 2021. So short answer is NO - you have to send the title in to get the state registration so you can only register a car in ONE state and you can only get a driver license in ONE state - we checked this out as well You can get a state ID card in another state but you cannot have 2 licenses in 2 different states either.

[cj1040]

Also it is an issue with your auto insurance company

[cj1040]

So which states do you have your driver license in ? To be a Florida primary resident for tax reasons etc you need a Florida drivers license too.

[Bilyclub]

FYI You have to establish residency in Florida by January 1st. of that tax year to claim a homeowners exemption and you have to apply before March, at least in Sumter County.

[nn0wheremann]

I need to clarify. I plan to keep cars in Florida and at my home in St. Louis. Should the registration be the same as my drivers license, or should they be registered in the state where they are located?
Your DL follows your primary state of residence. If you bring a car into Florida you have to pay an “impact fee”, and that is not cheap, several hundred dollars. Keep the documents in Missouri, but list the “Principal place of Garage” with the insurance where you keep the car, the way a college student does. If you are not employed, Florida does not care where you are licensed. Just don’t try to vote or claim a homestead property tax exemption in Florida with your Missouri drivers license.

[Bilyclub]

Your DL follows your primary state of residence. If you bring a car into Florida you have to pay an “impact fee”, and that is not cheap, several hundred dollars. Keep the documents in Missouri, but list the “Principal place of Garage” with the insurance where you keep the car, the way a college student does. If you are not employed, Florida does not care where you are licensed. Just don’t try to vote or claim a homestead property tax exemption in Florida with your Missouri drivers license.

Initial Registration Fee $225.00
Automobiles (3,500 or more pounds) $32.50 a year

Still cheaper in the long run for me. Cost $151 a year for plates up North.

[PPLEPEU]

We’re snowbirds and keep cars at both of our homes. The Michigan Secretary of State allowed us to obtain MI titles for vehicles and register them in Michigan despite our Florida residency status.

As far as insurance, we use State Farm Insurance at both ends. The residency issue was not a problem for them at either end, but we always insure a vehicle with insurance purchased in the state in which the vehicle is titled.

Based on other poster’s comments, it sounds like each state has their own set of requirements.