To apply, you must:
10 Florida Dealer License Requirements
Every Florida Dealer License is issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), through its Division of Motorist Services. This page covers Florida's 9 Dealer License types, their requirements, bond size, costs, and how to apply.
Name your Dealership
Your company name is the first step, because you'll use it through the entire Florida Dealer License process.
Florida's Dealer application accepts six business types: sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company (LLC), limited liability partnership (LLP), and limited liability limited partnership (LLLP). An LLC keeps your business separate from your personal life and adds trust to the name.
A sole proprietorship has one owner line on the application. To put a second person on the license, you form a partnership, LLC, or corporation. Adding an officer or member later is a Corporate Officer Update on the same form, not a new application.
Choose your Dealer License Type
Florida issues 10 license types on one application, Form HSMV 86056. One of them, the Franchised Service Facility (SF), is a repair location and not a selling license.
Most people start with the Independent (VI) license, which sells used vehicles to the public and holds dealer plates. No license is required to sell 25 or fewer trailers in 12 months.
| License Type | What It Lets You Do |
|---|---|
| Independent Motor Vehicle DealerVI. Used vehicles, sold to the public | Buy and sell used cars and trucks to the public, to other Dealers, and at dealer auctions, and hold dealer plates. Mobile homes, RVs, and salvage vehicles need their own license |
| Wholesale Motor Vehicle DealerVW | Sell only to licensed Dealers and motor vehicle auctions. No display lot, but the office still can't be in a residence, and Wholesale Dealers can never hold dealer plates |
| Motor Vehicle AuctionVA | Sell motor vehicles and RVs by bid to licensed Dealers only. To sell at retail, an auction also needs a VI license. No dealer plates |
| Franchised Motor Vehicle DealerVF. New vehicles | Sell new vehicles under a manufacturer, importer, or distributor agreement, and hold dealer plates. The application includes motorcycles (over and under 50cc), tri-vehicles, low speed vehicles, and mini-trucks as their own line/makes |
| Franchised Motor Vehicle Service FacilitySF. Not a Dealer License | A franchise Dealer's separate service and repair location. No sales |
| Salvage Motor Vehicle DealerSD | Buy salvaged and wrecked vehicles to resell them or their parts. No dealer plates |
| Mobile Home Dealer and Mobile Home BrokerDH and BH, under §320.77 | Sell mobile homes (Dealer) or broker used mobile homes (Broker). A Mobile Home Dealer can add an RV endorsement; a mobile-home-only Dealer can't hold dealer plates |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealer and Used Recreational Vehicle DealerRV and RU, under §320.771 | Sell new (RV) or used (RU) recreational vehicles, with a smaller $10,000 bond |
Get your Dealer Bond (Surety Bond)
A Florida Dealer License requires a $25,000 surety bond, the same amount for every motor vehicle license type (Fla. Stat. §320.27(10)(a)). The bond protects customers if you break Florida's title and dealer laws. The surety's payout is capped at $25,000 a year.
The Independent Dealer bond costs $250 a year at the base 1% rate, and the surety runs a credit check. You deliver the bond to FLHSMV every year before the license is issued, and a copy of any renewal or change within 10 calendar days.
Florida also accepts an irrevocable letter of credit from a bank authorized in Florida instead of a bond.
| License Type | You Pay | Bond Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Independent Motor Vehicle DealerVI. Florida - USED Motor Vehicle Dealer ($25,000) | $250/yearbase 1% rate, credit check | $25,000 |
| Franchised Motor Vehicle DealerVF. Florida - FRANCHISE Motor Vehicle Dealer ($25,000) | $250/yearabout $21 a month, no credit check | $25,000 |
| Salvage Motor Vehicle DealerSD. Florida - Salvage Dealer ($25,000) | $250/yearbase 1% rate, credit check | $25,000 |
| Mobile Home DealerDH. Florida - Mobile Home Dealer ($25,000) | $250/yearabout $21 a month, no credit check | $25,000 |
| Recreational Vehicle DealerRV and RU. Florida - Recreational Vehicle Dealer ($10,000) | $100/yearbase 1% rate, credit check | $10,000 |
| Recreational Vehicle DealerMore than 4 supplemental locations. Florida - Recreational Vehicle Dealer ($20,000) | $200/yearabout $17 a month, no credit check | $20,000 |
Get your Dealer Liability Insurance (Garage Liability)
A Florida Dealer License requires garage liability insurance: at least $25,000 combined single-limit coverage, plus $10,000 personal injury protection (Fla. Stat. §320.27(3)). The $25,000 covers bodily injury and property damage. That is the limit of the policy, not the cost; your insurance agent quotes the price.
Independent, Wholesale, and Auction Dealers can carry a general liability policy plus a business automobile policy instead. Franchise Dealers must carry a garage liability policy. Salvage Dealers are exempt only on vehicles that cannot legally be driven on Florida roads.
Keep the policy for the whole license period and report any change to FLHSMV within 10 calendar days.
Set up your Dealer Office
A Florida dealership office cannot be in a residence, whichever motor vehicle license type you hold. Florida's rule: “No office shall be operated from or maintained in any residence” (FAC 15C-7.003(4)(a)).
The dealership must be the main business at that location.
Every office must be:
- in a permanent structure at the licensed location; an office trailer must be anchored
- at least 100 square feet of interior floor space, not counting hallways, closets, or restrooms, with a 7-foot ceiling
- clearly separated from any other business in the same building
- where your books and records are kept and available for inspection during reasonable hours
- marked with your hours of operation at or near the main entrance, with your phone number kept current with FLHSMV
Display space and sign
Wholesale Dealers are exempt from the display rules; every other motor vehicle license type needs display space that is:
- large enough to store and display every vehicle offered for sale; Florida publishes no minimum size or vehicle count
- under your exclusive control, with no customer, employee, or public parking counted, and no public right-of-way
- next to the office or easy for customers to reach, with direct access to a public street or highway
- divided from any other Dealer's display space by a permanent barrier at least 3 feet high
The dealership also needs a permanent sign, with lettering readable from 50 yards away at the public right-of-way. Florida publishes no parking-space count.
Attend the Dealer Training Class (Dealer Training School)
Every Florida Dealer License applicant attends a training seminar at a licensed dealer training school within the 6 months before applying (Fla. Stat. §320.27(4)(a)). FLHSMV approves each school's curriculum and instructors but doesn't teach the class itself; you pick a school from its approved list, which names 12.
Most schools teach onsite and online, in English and Spanish, and each school sets its own price.
Two different courses:
- Every license type: the general seminar, capped by law at 8 hours. No exam
- Independent (VI) applicants: a longer course: by law, up to 8 hours set by FLHSMV plus up to 24 more set by other agencies
- The exam, VI only: given by the school at the end of the course, not by the state. You must attend at least 90% of the hours to pass. Florida publishes no question count or passing score
- Exempt: anyone who held a valid Florida dealer license within the past 2 years and stayed in good standing
Pass the Background Check (FDLE Fingerprinting)
Every Florida Dealer License applicant, partner, officer, and director must pass a state (FDLE) and federal (FBI) criminal history check (Fla. Stat. §320.27(3)). Form HSMV 86056 extends that to every LLC member and manager listed.
You go to an FDLE-authorized service provider, which bills the processing cost separately from the license fee.
- Already fingerprinted for another Florida dealer license? You skip it, unless you were convicted of a felony since your last renewal. FDLE keeps results only 6 months, so a late filing can mean new prints
- FLHSMV may issue your license while the fingerprint results are still pending. That license is fully revocable if any fact on the application turns out to be untrue
- Salespeople are not fingerprinted or screened; Florida licenses the dealership, not the salesperson
If you have a record
- Never automatic. FLHSMV “may” deny a license for a felony, and only one directly related to the license
- No waiting period. The form asks about any conviction, no matter how old
- Expunged or sealed. You may lawfully answer “No”
- Disclose the rest. The form also asks about pending charges and some motor vehicle misdemeanors. A “Yes” means sending the court documents with your application
- If denied. FLHSMV must give the reasons in writing, and you can request a hearing
Pass the Site Inspection (Compliance Examiner)
A Florida Dealer License requires a site inspection before you file the application, not after. Once you have a location, you call the Division of Motorist Services Regional Office for your area to schedule the Compliance Examiner's visit.
The examiner signs page 6 of Form HSMV 86056, “I have inspected the location... and find it qualifies for a license,” and that signature goes in with your application.
Submit your Dealer License Application (HSMV 86056)
You apply on paper, on Form HSMV 86056; Florida has no online dealer application. You file it with the Division of Motorist Services Regional Office for your dealership's location, not in Tallahassee. The application fee is $300, or $300 plus $75 for the second year if you choose a 2-year license; the other costs are in the table below.
Every owner, partner, officer, director, member, and manager signs the certification before a notary. The form takes no Social Security number. An LLC, corporation, or partnership gives its FEID. A sole proprietor with no employees can give a photo ID instead.
You also need a Florida Sales Tax Number from the Department of Revenue. An LLC or corporation attaches its articles, its operating or partnership agreement, and proof of current registration with the Florida Division of Corporations.
Get your Dealer License Plates
Florida dealer license plates let you drive your inventory vehicles for the business (Fla. Stat. §320.13(1)). Independent, Franchise, trailer coach, motorcycle, and marine boat trailer Dealers can hold them. Wholesale, Auction, and Salvage Dealers cannot.
A dealer plate covers:
- demonstration, with or without a Dealer representative
- transit to and from the dealership
- transport to an auction and demonstration there
- a free loan to a customer whose vehicle you are repairing
- heavy trucks, for demonstration only, up to 24 hours
Florida sets no plate count; your insurer reports the maximum to FLHSMV, and since April 27, 2018 the state's system won't issue past it. A plate costs $55.60 a year plus a $27 annual use tax per plate, $28 for a new metal plate, and $8.45 to mail it.
Dealer tags are for the business only: there is no personal-use category. They can't go on wreckers or car carriers hauling for pay, or on any for-hire vehicle.
Dealer License Cost
A Florida Dealer License costs $300 to apply and $75 a year to renew, for every motor vehicle license type. A 2-year initial license adds $75 for the second year, and a 2-year renewal is $150. Every other fee on this page is in the table.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Dealer LicenseIndependent, Wholesale, Auction, Salvage, Franchise, Service Facility | $300 initial, 1 year$75 second year, if you choose a 2-year initial license$75 renewal, 1 year$150 renewal, 2 years |
| Supplemental location | $50 a year initial, or $100 for 2 years$50 renewal, 1 year; $100 for 2 years |
| Dealer Bond | $250 a year, Independent, Franchise, Salvage, or Mobile Home Dealer, at the base 1% rate$100 a year, RV Dealer $10,000 bond$200 a year, RV Dealer $20,000 bond$25,000 letter of credit instead, priced by your bank |
| Liability insurance | $25,000 combined single limit plus $10,000 PIP, priced by your agent |
| Dealer training class | Set by the school; Florida sets no price |
| Fingerprinting | State and FBI processing, billed by the FDLE-authorized provider |
| Dealer plates | $55.60 a year per plate$27 annual use tax per plate$28 for a new metal plate$8.45 mail fee |
| Name-change endorsement | $25 |
| Delinquent renewalFiled within 45 days after expiration | $100, on top of the renewal fee |
| Off-premises sale licenseAn off-site sale of up to 10 consecutive days | No charge |
Dealer License Renewal
A Florida Independent, Wholesale, or Auction Dealer License expires April 30, and a Franchise license December 31, whatever day it was issued (Fla. Stat. §320.27(4)(a)). Renewal is $75 for 1 year or $150 for 2 years, plus $50 or $100 per supplemental location.
FLHSMV mails the renewal form at least 60 days before expiration. File at least 30 days before the date, or you must stop selling on that date.
Independent (VI) Dealers alone certify 8 hours of continuing education every 2 years before renewing:
- 2 hours on legal and legislative issues
- 1 hour on FLHSMV issues
- 5 hours on industry topics
- in a classroom or by correspondence, through a licensed dealer school. Franchise, Wholesale, Auction, and Salvage Dealers have no continuing education
Common Questions
Can you get a Florida Dealer License with a felony?
Yes, a felony is never an automatic denial for a Florida Dealer License. The statute says FLHSMV “may” deny for a felony, and §112.011 limits that to crimes directly related to the license. Florida publishes no waiting period, and you may lawfully answer “No” to an expunged or sealed record. Disclose it and send the court documents with the application.
Can you get a Dealer License in Florida without a lot?
Yes, with the Wholesale (VW) license. Florida exempts Wholesale Dealers from the display-lot rules, but they “shall maintain an office wherein records are kept” (Fla. Stat. §320.27(1)(c)3). That office cannot be in a residence and must be at least 100 square feet. A Wholesale Dealer sells only to licensed Dealers and auctions and holds no dealer plates.
How many cars can you sell in Florida without a Dealer License?
Florida presumes you're a Dealer once you buy, sell, or offer 3 or more vehicles in any 12-month period (Fla. Stat. §320.27). Selling a vehicle you bought for your own use, in good faith, doesn't require a Dealer License.
How do you get an auction license in Florida?
A Florida Motor Vehicle Auction (VA) license uses the same application, $300 fee, $25,000 bond, seminar, fingerprints, and inspected location as any other license. An auction sells by bid to licensed Dealers only. To sell used vehicles at retail, FLHSMV's FAQ says “an independent dealer license must be obtained.” Auctions hold no dealer plates and have no continuing education.
How do you get a wholesale dealer license in Florida?
A Florida Wholesale Motor Vehicle Dealer (VW) license takes the same steps as any motor vehicle license. The $300 fee, the $25,000 bond, liability insurance, the general seminar, and fingerprints all apply. There is no display lot, no exam, and no continuing education. Wholesale Dealers sell only to licensed Dealers and auctions and never hold dealer plates.
Does Florida license car brokers?
No. Florida defines a motor vehicle broker as someone who procures vehicles for the public and “does not store, display, or take ownership of any vehicles” (Fla. Stat. §320.27(1)(d)), and FLHSMV's FAQ confirms it does not license them. To buy at the dealer-only auctions, you need a Dealer License.
How much does a Florida Dealer License cost?
A Florida Dealer License is $300 to apply and $75 a year to renew. Add the $25,000 bond, from $250 a year at the base rate, plus insurance and the training class, both priced by the provider. Dealer plates are $55.60 a year plus $27 use tax each. Every fee is in the cost table.
Do I need a business bank account?
No. No Florida statute, rule, or line on the dealer application requires a business bank account. Form HSMV 86056 asks for no bank details at all, unlike some states' applications.
Support
Dealer licensing questions go to the Bureau of Dealer Services in Tallahassee. Your application and site inspection go through the Regional Office for your dealership's location.
| Contact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Department | Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Division of Motorist Services, Bureau of Dealer Services, Dealer License Section |
| Phone | 850-617-3003 Dealer licensing |
| Address | Dealer License Section, Bureau of Dealer Services2900 Apalachee Parkway, Neil Kirkman BuildingTallahassee, FL 32399-0500 |
Additional sources (12)
The forms and the agency pages for each step are linked in the steps. These are the law, the rules, and the agency pages the page was checked against.
- Fla. Stat. §320.27, Motor vehicle dealers — the licensing law. It sets the license types, the $25,000 bond (10)(a), the insurance requirement (3), fingerprinting, the seminar, fees, expiration dates, and the felony ground (9)(a)
- FAC 15C-7.003, Requirements for Office, Display Space and Operation — the 1990 rule still in force. No office in a residence, 100 square feet, the 3-foot barrier, the 50-yard sign
- Types of Licenses Available (FLHSMV) — the state's own descriptions of every letter-code license type
- Fla. Stat. §120.60, Licensing — the 90-day decision limit and the hearing right after a denial
- Fla. Stat. §112.011, Disqualification from licensing based on criminal conviction — the “directly related” limit on every state licensing agency
- Fla. Stat. §943.0585, Expunction — who may still ask about an expunged record; dealer licensing is not on the list
- Fla. Stat. §943.059, Sealing — the same list for sealed records
- Fla. Stat. §320.13, Dealer license plates — the permitted uses of a dealer plate
- Fla. Stat. §320.77, Mobile home dealers — the mobile home Dealer and Broker licenses
- Fla. Stat. §320.771, Recreational vehicle dealers — the RV Dealer licenses and their $10,000 and $20,000 bonds
- Modification to Dealer License (HSMV 86072) — the form for adding a location, changing a name, or updating your mailing address
- FLHSMV Contact Us — the published dealer licensing phone number
