[Tom Hannon]

I will be bringing and keeping my Mini Cooper to TV. In New York they have a yearly inspection. My inspection expires on March 2011. Does Florida have an inspection law or not have to worry about it? With the registration to expire around the same time, can I register the Mini in Florida even if my residence is in NY? I hear the insurance rates for cars are less expensive in Florida.

[petenj]

a shock. The auto insurance is reasonable , but the cost of establishing a fl title is high. I paid just under $400 to title '06 Mazda Tribute from NJ. Like NY there is inspections in NJ. Fl does not have inspection.

[nitehawk]

Don"t really know if a Florida cop has the authority to issue a ticket for expired inspection in NY. You cant renew you registration in NY without the inspection being current - if your inspection expires one month after your registration, you can register the car.via mail or i think on line. That would be good for two more years, IF Florida cant write ticket for uninspected vehicles from NY

[chuckinca]

If Fla police couldn't ticket out of date out of state licenses who would buy Fla licenses for out of state licensed cars?

I moved a car from California to TV in 2007 and licensed it in Fla in 2008 (because the CA license had expired and it needed the biannual smog tested in CA to be renewed) Title and Plate fee was $100. Now $400!!!





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[jblum8156]

But Chuck, there is no vehicle inspection in Florida, therefore no ticket for expired NY inspection. Expired registration is another thing.

[Bryan]

Florida does not have a motor vehicle inspection law NOR an emission check law so neither apply in Florida. Unlike what others have said, registration in Florida is fairly reasonable BUT (and this is a biggie) if you are transferring registration from out of state or purchased a car and this is your first registration of it (in any state) you will either pay Florida sales tax on it or show proof that you paid the sales tax in the state where you purchased it. I suspect it was Sales Tax that caused the previously mentioned $400 registration cost. Also, I think to register you car in Florida you need a Florida drivers license and address, but I am not 100% sure about that.

[faithfulfrank]

Here is a link to Fl DMV

http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/faqmotor.html

First, you need to determine WHERE you will be a legal resident. If in Florida, you have I think ten days to change your license, and 30 days to change your registration. It may be the other way around. Basically, just check around the DMV website for CORRECT info.

[chuckinca]

Originally Posted by Bryan

Also, I think to register you car in Florida you need a Florida drivers license and address, but I am not 100% sure about that.

When I registered the car in 2008 I didn't need a Fla Drivers License but I had to show proof of insurance. To get Florida insurance you need a Florida Drivers license but they will issue the insurance and give you 90 days to produce the Fla DL. You can get a "Florida Only" Drivers License and still keep your out of state Drivers License. This was in 2008, things change.


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[pauld315]

Back in the 70's FL used to make you get your car inspected at stste run inspection centers. That was also the only time you would get checked to make sure yoou had insurance. So, all these little insurance companies would open up next to the inspection centers where you could go and get insurance. People would then go get their inspection and then cancel their insurance. I think the companies charged you for a month of insurance or something like that.

I lived in the Ft Lauderdale area then and the population was growing very quickly back then. Because the inspection centers were owned by the state, there were only so many of them and it wasn't enough. You could wait in line for hours and hours to get your car inspected. if you failed inspection, you had to go get the problem fixed and then come back and wait in line all over again. It was a nightmare ! When the state realized they couldn't provide enough inspection centers to make the process easier, they just said cars no longer needed to be inspected.

[SALYBOW]

Originally Posted by Bryan

Also, I think to register you car in Florida you need a Florida drivers license and address, but I am not 100% sure about that.

Thai is correct.

[chuckinca]

Originally Posted by SALYBOW

Thai is correct.

When I registered the car in 2008 I didn't need a Fla Drivers License but I had to show proof of insurance.


Has it changed since 2008?


.

[jblum8156]

Yes

[petenj]

Originally Posted by Bryan

Florida does not have a motor vehicle inspection law NOR an emission check law so neither apply in Florida. Unlike what others have said, registration in Florida is fairly reasonable BUT (and this is a biggie) if you are transferring registration from out of state or purchased a car and this is your first registration of it (in any state) you will either pay Florida sales tax on it or show proof that you paid the sales tax in the state where you purchased it. I suspect it was Sales Tax that caused the previously mentioned $400 registration cost. Also, I think to register you car in Florida you need a Florida drivers license and address, but I am not 100% sure about that.

It was the cost of issueing a fl. title. and prices had changed recently, another way of raising taxes without taxing property.

[pauld315]

Originally Posted by petenj

It was the cost of issueing a fl. title. and prices had changed recently, another way of raising taxes without taxing property.

North Carolina does this also. In addition, we have a property tax on our cars that we have to pay each year based on the value of the car and a state income tax. There is also a yearly inspection/emissions test for your car that runs about 35 or 36 dollars (can't remember how much it is, they keep raising it)

[rustyp]

Hi Tom
I am from northern NY and do what you are asking about every year. Get your car inspected before you leave NY even though it is not due. That way it is good for a year. You need this when you set foot again in NYS or once you hit the NYS line you are a target for a ticket. Besides you will be back next year so get yourself on the right schedule. Also your NYS reg will come to you via mail. Just send it in for the renewal. It doesn't matter where you are. NYS will ship it to Florida or simply let the mail forwarding thing work.