[R&J in NJ]

We'll be moving down in late Spring (Yeah!!) from NJ and will drive our leased car to our new home. I looked at the Florida DMV webpage and couldn't find the information I was looking for.

Auto registration is supposed to be done within 10 days of the move. Since a leased vehicle's title is held by the car company, how is it able to be registered? Do I need a letter from the company or a special form from the Florida DMV?
What if we decide to turn the car in and get another leased vehicle? Will the dealer take an out of state car?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[DonH57]

If you are leasing a vehicle why would you have to re register it? Is' nt a leased car the leasing company,' property?

[villagetinker]

Stop by the local county office, if you are in Sumter County, it is located in Pinellas Plaza (the building with the copper top). The licensing people are right there and will be able to answer your question, or you could give them a call.

[MikeV]

You will need your Lease Agreement, current registration and your license to register your leased vehicle. You will also get a Florida drivers license all in the same visit. Make sure you drive the vehicle because they check the VIN before registering.

[sirknor]

We went the country building and got our drivers license. Take your lease for the car and they will send to the leasing company for the title. They will call you when they get the title and have you come in to finish the process. They do all the work and you just sign some papers and get your tag.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by sirknor

We went the country building and got our drivers license. Take your lease for the car and they will send to the leasing company for the title. They will call you when they get the title and have you come in to finish the process. They do all the work and you just sign some papers and get your tag.

And if the Company that owns the car doesn't want it registered here....then what?

[Portia]

and be prepared to pay big money..registration an license..thats where Florida gets you

[sirknor]

No, you don't pay the big fee. You don't own the car. The lease company does not care where its registered as long as you make your payments. Your lease payment can change because of different taxes.

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by sirknor

No, you don't pay the big fee. You don't own the car. The lease company does not care where its registered as long as you make your payments. Your lease payment can change because of different taxes.

I've never heard of registering a car you don't own before, anywhere. You wouldn't register a rented vehicle and a lease is a long term rental. New to me.

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by DonH57

I've never heard of registering a car you don't own before, anywhere. You wouldn't register a rented vehicle and a lease is a long term rental. New to me.

I've lived in several states and had lease vehicles. I've never had to register a lease car personally, but I've always had tax, title, tag, and registration fees included in the lease payments....one way or another.

[GatorFan]

A leased vehicle is no different than an owned vehicle. It has to be titled in the state that the owner or lessor lives. The title is changed to Florida and sent back to leasing company. The lessor has to pay the fees for this change plus the cost to tag the vehicle in Florida. You also are required to have Florida insurance.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by GatorFan

A leased vehicle is no different than an owned vehicle. It has to be titled in the state that the owner or lessor lives. The title is changed to Florida and sent back to leasing company. The lessor has to pay the fees for this change plus the cost to tag the vehicle in Florida. You also are required to have Florida insurance.

Really? Every state I lived in the title belongs to the person that owns the car. The owner has always be the leasing company not the lessor. I will admit it has been 10 years since I leased a car and the rules might have changed but I can't imagine a leasing company would let you do anything with the car without giving you authorization in writing or modifying the lease. The only way I would have control over the title was to exercise the buyout provision.

[mulligan]

Florida is a "lein theory state". This is merely a different form of ownership. Auto titles and real estate titles work the same here. you have the title, and the holder of the note/lease/mortgage has a lein on the property.

[GatorFan]

The leasing company does have the title but the title has to be changed to the state the vehicle is garaged and then sent back to leasing company. Every state has its own laws regarding auto insurance. This is why the vehicles have to be insured and registered in state they are garaged. That can not be done until title is changed to the state you live. Not hard to do. Clerks office handles everything for you.

Even if you are buying a vehicle and have it financed the clerks office has to get the title from the lending company, change to Florida and mail back to them.

[sirknor]

Its real easy, go to the county building and they handle it all. They know the actual laws.