Temporary Tag Florida — what it costs, how long it lasts and who can get one.
Florida still issues paper temporary tags, and the law behind them is one section: § 320.131. A tag costs $2, plus the $2.50 service charge at the counter, and lasts 30 days unless the statute sets another length for the purpose: 10 days to get a car weighed or its VIN verified, 60 for an out-of-state title with a lien, 90 while a specialty plate is made. Dealers issue them electronically at the sale; everyone else goes to the county tax collector.
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Quick Answer
- How much is a temporary tag in Florida?
- $2, set by § 320.131(2), plus the $2.50 service charge in § 320.04 for each transaction: $4.50 at a tax collector's counter, and a branch office may add up to $0.50. Dealers buy pre-printed tags at the same $2 each, in blocks of 5.
- How long is a Florida temporary tag good for?
- 30 days unless the statute says otherwise. Tags for weighing, emissions testing or VIN verification last 10 days; tags while a personalized or specialty plate is made last 90; tags while an out-of-state title with a lien is transferred, or for a deployed service member, last 60.
- How do I get a temporary tag in Florida after a private sale?
- At any county tax collector office, on Form HSMV 83091 (Application for Temporary License Plate), with proof of Florida insurance and ID. The seller keeps their plate, since Florida plates stay with the owner. The tax collector can also title and register the car the same day, which may make the temporary tag unnecessary.
Four lengths, four reasons
Section 320.131 sets the length by the purpose. Pick the one that matches yours.
- 110 daysThe vehicle must be weighed, emissions tested or have its VIN verified before it can be registered.
- 230 daysA dealer sale, a private sale, a sale to an out-of-state resident, or an out-of-state owner waiting on documents.
- 360 daysAn out-of-state title with a lien is being transferred, or a service member with a Florida license is deployed.
- 490 daysA personalized or specialty plate is being made for the vehicle.
Florida's Temporary Tag Law in Brief
Section 320.131 of the Florida Statutes is the whole framework. It lets the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles design, issue and regulate temporary tags, and lists when they may be used: where a dealer plate can't lawfully be used; for a casual or private sale, meaning any sale other than by a licensed dealer; for carriers moving vehicles for others; for banks and credit unions demonstrating repossessions; for a car sold here to a resident of another state; for weighing, emissions testing or VIN verification; for an out-of-state resident who must get ownership documents from home; and for a handful of other set cases.
The money and the limits are in subsection (2): the department and its agents sell tags at $2 each, one dollar of which goes to the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program Trust Fund, plus the service charge per transaction. Unless the statute says otherwise a tag lasts 30 days, and no more than 2 may be issued to the same person for the same vehicle. Tags go in the rear plate bracket, or the front one on vehicles that display plates there.
How Long a Florida Temporary Tag Lasts
From § 320.131 and the Hillsborough County Tax Collector, read on 20 October 2026.
| Length | When it's issued | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 10 days | The vehicle must be weighed or emissions tested before registration, or have its VIN verified or be inspected to get a Florida title | § 320.131(1)(f) |
| 30 days | Dealer sales; casual or private sales; a vehicle sold to a resident of another state; an out-of-state resident waiting on ownership papers; repossession demonstrations | § 320.131(1), (2) |
| 60 days | The owner is transferring a valid out-of-state title that is subject to a lien | § 320.131(1)(m) |
| 60 days | An active-duty service member with a valid Florida license is deployed outside Florida | § 320.131(1)(n) |
| 90 days | A personalized prestige or specialty plate is being made; Hillsborough also issues it to someone temporarily employed in Florida | § 320.131(1)(j); Hillsborough |
No more than 2 temporary tags go to the same person for the same vehicle, except where the department resolves a consumer complaint.
Temporary Tags From a Florida Dealer
A Florida dealer issues your temporary tag at the sale, through an electronic temporary registration system the department runs under § 320.131(8)–(9). Dealers must use a certified provider, and Hillsborough County's tax collector describes the dealer tag as valid 30 days including the date of issue, which gives the dealer time to apply for the title and registration for you. A dealer may charge a fee to comply with the electronic system; the department can deny, suspend or revoke a dealer's license if it doesn't follow the system's rules.
Pre-printed paper tags still exist, but only as a backup. Hillsborough explains that a licensed dealer can buy them for use during an electronic-system outage or for trailers under 2,000 lb, at $2 a tag, sold in multiples of 5 up to 25 per transaction, with a $2.50 service fee per transaction and Form HSMV 83090. Every issuer has to keep records the department can inspect.
At a Florida dealer
- Tag: 30 days, from the electronic system.
- Backup paper: $2 each, in fives, up to 25.
- Form: HSMV 83090 for dealer purchases.
- Records: open to the department's inspection.
Private Sales in Florida
No dealer, no electronic system. What the buyer and the seller each do.
The seller keeps the plate
Section 320.0609 has the owner remove the plate at a sale and either return it or move it to a replacement vehicle, for a $4.50 transfer fee.
The buyer goes to the tax collector
Any tax collector office, with Form HSMV 83091, proof of Florida insurance and ID, for a temporary tag or a full title and registration.
$4.50 for the tag
$2 plus the $2.50 service charge; a tax collector's branch office may add up to $0.50.
A seller's test-drive tag
Hillsborough issues a seller a 30-day tag so buyers can test-drive, but not for a car never registered in Florida or as a stand-in for renewing its plate.
Out-of-state car? Verify the VIN
A car coming from another state usually needs its VIN verified before it gets a Florida title; a 10-day tag covers the trip.
Not a substitute for registering
Knowingly using temporary tags to avoid registering a vehicle is a first-degree misdemeanor under § 320.131(5).
Florida Temporary Tags at a Glance
The four lengths, the fee and the two-tag limit on one card.
Every figure comes from §§ 320.131, 320.04 and 320.0609 and the Hillsborough County Tax Collector, read on the date shown.
Taking a Car In for VIN Verification?
The inspector checks the number on the car against the paperwork, not the car's history. Enter the VIN for a free preview of the title brands and odometer records on file.
Penalties for Misusing a Florida Temporary Tag
Florida grades misuse in four steps. Driving on a tag that expired 7 days ago or less is a noncriminal, nonmoving violation. Unlawfully issuing or using a temporary tag, or breaking the section or the department's rules, is a noncriminal infraction punished as a moving violation, on top of any action the department takes. Those are traffic matters.
The next two are crimes. Knowingly and willfully abusing temporary tags to avoid registering a vehicle that must be registered is a misdemeanor of the first degree. Knowingly and willfully issuing a temporary tag, or causing one to be issued, to a fictitious person or entity to hide who really owns a vehicle is a felony of the third degree. Hillsborough County's tax collector puts both warnings at the top of its temporary-tag page. Failing to keep the issuer records the section requires is a second-degree misdemeanor.
Under § 320.131
- Expired ≤ 7 days: nonmoving infraction.
- Unlawful use: moving violation.
- Avoiding registration: first-degree misdemeanor.
- Fictitious owner: third-degree felony.
Florida Temporary Tag Situations
The cases buyers, sellers and new residents ask the tax collector about most, matched to the statute.
Moving to Florida
An out-of-state resident who must get ownership documents from the home state can get a 30-day tag while they arrive (§ 320.131(1)(g)).
Title still has a lien
Transferring a valid out-of-state title that's subject to a lien gets a 60-day tag (§ 320.131(1)(m)).
Deployed service member
A member with a valid Florida license, deployed out of state, can get a 60-day tag with duty orders or an affidavit.
Waiting on a specialty plate
A 90-day tag covers the wait while a personalized or specialty plate is manufactured (§ 320.131(1)(j)).
Selling to an out-of-state buyer
A car sold here to a resident of another state, for registration there, can leave on a 30-day tag (§ 320.131(1)(e)).
Repossession sales
Banks and credit unions that aren't licensed dealers can get tags to demonstrate repossessed vehicles for sale (§ 320.131(1)(d)).
Temporary Tag or Full Registration at the Counter
After a private sale you're at the tax collector either way. What each gets you.
Temporary tag
- $4.50, 30 days (or 10 for an inspection trip).
- Useful when paperwork, weighing or a VIN check isn't done yet.
- Counts toward the limit of 2 per person and vehicle.
- Ends on its date whether or not you've registered.
Title and register now
- A permanent plate and registration in one visit.
- Or move a plate you own to the new car for $4.50.
- Needs the signed title, insurance and ID at the counter.
- An out-of-state car may need its VIN verified first.
If you already own a Florida plate, a transfer is usually cheaper than a new plate plus a temporary tag.
Related Checks and Guides
The national temporary-tag guide, Texas's rules, and the other Florida title pages.
Where These Facts Come From
From the Florida Statutes as published by the Florida Senate, and the Hillsborough County Tax Collector, read on 20 October 2026. County offices set their own procedures and may add a small branch charge; check yours before you go.
CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or any county tax collector, and does not sell temporary tags. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Temporary Tag Florida — Frequently Asked Questions
What Florida buyers and sellers ask most.
Can I get a Florida temporary tag online?+
Dealers issue them online through the department's electronic system. Individuals get them at a county tax collector office on Form HSMV 83091. A website selling printable Florida tags is not the state, and unlawful use of a temporary tag is an infraction under § 320.131(3).
Can I get a temporary tag in Florida without a title?+
Section 320.131 lets an out-of-state resident who must get ownership documents from their home state get a 30-day tag, and gives 60 days to someone transferring an out-of-state title with a lien. Ask the tax collector what proof of ownership it accepts for your case.
How many temporary tags can you get in Florida?+
No more than 2 for the same person and the same vehicle, except when the department issues more to resolve a consumer complaint.
Where does a Florida temporary tag go on the car?+
In the rear license plate bracket, or the front one on vehicles that must display a front plate, where the metal plate would normally be. The tag is printed on weatherproof media the department specifies.
Does the seller's plate stay on the car in Florida?+
No. Florida plates belong to the owner. At a sale the owner removes the plate and returns it or transfers it to a replacement vehicle, for a $4.50 transfer fee.
What happens if I drive on an expired temporary tag in Florida?+
If it expired 7 days ago or less, it's a noncriminal, nonmoving violation. Beyond that it is unlawful use, a noncriminal infraction punished as a moving violation.
Run the VIN Before You Title It in Florida
Enter any 17-character VIN for a free preview. The full report lists title brands, NMVTIS junk and salvage records, insurance total-loss records, odometer readings, and auction records with the damage the auction recorded and its photos.
CarCheckerVIN is an independent vehicle-history service and is not affiliated with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or any tax collector. Requirements are summarized from the Florida Statutes and the Hillsborough County Tax Collector and are not legal advice. Records in our reports reflect what was reported to our data providers. Our reports do not include police or repair-shop accident entries.
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