License Plate Lookup in Florida
A Florida license plate lookup refers to a process of searching for information about a vehicle using a license plate lookup tool. A license plate number lookup can provide information about names, public records, theft or accident records, and recalls.
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) is the state agency responsible for administering vehicle registrations and renewals and issuing license plates in the state. You may conduct a license plate lookup using free license plate lookup services online or visit any of the local service centers of the FLHSMV. While free license plate search services in Florida may be useful for obtaining basic information such as the driver's identity or vehicle type, they are typically not helpful in obtaining comprehensive vehicle history reports and Florida traffic records.
What is a Florida License Plate?
Florida license plates, also known as tags, are issued to vehicles registered with the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). Florida license plates are metal license plates containing alphanumeric numbers and letters used to identify each vehicle and maintain information about the automobiles. Florida only requires vehicles to affix license plates on the rear of the automobiles. The FLHSMV issues standard and specialty or custom license plates. Standard license plates include a graphic image of the state outline and the state's official website, myflorida.com. Standard license plates are governed by the Florida Statutes, Section 320.06, and are offered in three options, including the "County Name" plate, "In God We Trust" plate, and "Sunshine State" plate. The "County Name" plate option is not available in all counties.
Specialty license plates are issued under several categories to various organizations in accordance with the causes represented by the organizations. The FLHSMV currently issues 120 special plates under collegiate, environmental or wildlife, special interest, sports, military, special military, and other categories. Vehicle owners can personalize both specialty plates and standard license plates. For an additional fee, vehicle owners may order personalized plates with configurations of their choice, subject to approval. Personalized plates with a central logo design, such as the standard plate, may have up to seven characters, including a space or a hyphen. Plates featuring a logo on the left, such as college specialty plates, may include up to five characters without needing space or a hyphen.
In Florida, temporary license plates are permitted and may be used for several lawful purposes. Temporary license plates are valid for a period of 10, 30, or 90 days, depending on the reason for their issuance. The most typical use is for motor vehicle dealers to enable clients who lack transferable license plates to drive their recently acquired vehicles off the lot.
How Do I Get a License Plate in Florida?
In Florida, vehicles must possess valid registrations in order to operate on state roads. Automobiles with out-of-state registrations must be registered in Florida within 10 days of the owners of the vehicles establishing residency. The registrations consist of a metal license metal or plastic plate itself, a decal sticker, and a paper registration certificate. Hence, to obtain a license plate in Florida, the vehicle to which the plate will be affixed must be registered with the FLHSMV.
The FLHSMV requires that the initial registration for a vehicle be completed in person at a local service center when titling the vehicle, by submitting:
- Proof of Florida insurance. This proof includes Personal Injury Protection (PIP) of at least $10,000 and Property Damage Liability (PDL) in the amount of a minimum of $10,000.
- Proof of identity.
- A completed HSMV Form 82040 (Application for Certificate of Title With or Without Registration)
- A $225 initial registration fee. This fee is required of vehicle owners who do not have license plates or records of license plates registered in their names for vehicles previously owned in Florida to transfer to newly acquired vehicles. This fee applies to all motor homes, vehicles, and trucks weighing under 5,000 lbs. Other applicable fees are outlined on the fees page of the FLHSMV website.
Except for the Medal of Honor plates, military plates are also available through a local motor vehicle service center. Distinguished Service Cross, Medal of Honor, Air Force Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy Cross, Silver Star, and World War II Veteran number plates must be requested at the Department. Such requests must go through the mailing address:
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Direct Mail
2900 Apalachee Parkway, MS #72
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Personalized license plates may be obtained in person at any Florida motor vehicle service location. Each customized license plate will cost an extra $15 per year, and an Application for Personalized License Plate (HSMV form 83043) must be completed and presented to a local office for processing. You may use the Personalized License Plate Inquiry service to check the availability of your desired configuration.
Third-party aggregate sites are a convenient alternative for obtaining license plate information. These sites are maintained by independent establishments which collate the information from government-run repositories. Obtaining records from these sites often proves substantially easier than government alternatives. However, requestors may be required to provide any information required to facilitate the record search and pay any required fees to access the record of interest.
Passenger License Plates vs. Commercial License Plates
Florida does not specifically issue passenger and commercial license plates. The state only issues standard plates and specialty vanity plates only. Still, vehicles may be classified as passenger or commercial vehicles in the state. A passenger vehicle is an automobile built and exclusively used for the private use of the driver, is surrounded by windows, possesses permanent passenger seats, and can be parked in one parking space.
Per Section 320.01(26) of the Florida Statutes, a commercial motor vehicle is a vehicle not owned by the government, with a GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) of 26,001 lbs. or more, has a minimum of three axles, or is used in combination (with a trailer) when the weight of such combination is above 26,001 lbs. GVW. For more information on obtaining license plates for vehicles in Florida, visit the motor vehicle registrations page of the FLHSMV website.
How Can I Find the Owner of a License Plate in Florida?
Persons looking to find out the owner of vehicles registered in Florida may do so by performing a license plate search if the license plate numbers are known. A license plate number issued to a vehicle owner at the automobile's registration is linked with the vehicle owner's name by the FLHSMV. Hence, using a license plate lookup tool, you can find the persons associated with the license plate.
Florida License Plate Renewal
Florida license plates are valid for 10 years per Section 320.06(1)(b) of the Florida Statutes. Vehicle owners will be issued new license plates in the tenth year of their vehicle registration renewal. Note that vehicle owners in Florida may renew their vehicle registrations for a period of one or two years. Renewals may be done up to three months before the registration expiration. Except when a vehicle owner is a business entity, the vehicle registration expires at midnight on the first owner's birth date. Therefore, provided a vehicle's registration is continually renewed as at when due, the license will be automatically replaced in the tenth year from its first registration.
Vehicle registrations in Florida may be completed via the MyFlorida mobile app or online. To renew vehicle registration online, the vehicle owner must provide personal identification information in order to log in and complete the process. If the FLHSMV cannot verify the vehicle's or vessel's proper insurance, no registration will be issued online or in person.
All electronic payments made online are subject to a $2.00 processing fee in addition to the transaction amount. If vehicle owners cannot renew online, they may visit a local service center or contact FLHSMV Customer Service at (850) 617-2000 for assistance.
The MyFlorida App enables vehicle owners to renew vehicle registrations from the comfort of their locations. Vehicle owners using the app to renew registrations will get digital documents to use while waiting for the registrations to come by mail. Each transaction is subject to a $4.00 processing charge if the consumer pays with a credit card or $3.75 if the client pays with a checking account. MyFlorida app users may renew up to five automobiles simultaneously using the app for a one-year or two-year term with a single processing charge. The MyFlorida app is freely available on Google Play and iTunes and is compatible with all mobile devices.
Can You Look Up License Plates with VIN?
Yes. You can look up license plates using the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). While a vehicle owner registers a vehicle with the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) as required under Section 320.06 of the Florida Statutes, the registration process requires registrants to provide other information about the vehicle and the vehicle owner, which the FLHSMV will maintain. Hence, if the VIN of a vehicle is known, it is possible to obtain information about the license plate associated with the VIN.
Florida VIN Number Lookup
A Vehicle Identification Number is usually represented by a 17-digit code composed of numbers and characters that a car manufacturer issues to each vehicle. Vehicle identification numbers may provide various information about vehicles, including the kind of airbag, the country of origin, the engine size, the model year, the vehicle type, the trim level, and the manufacturer. The vehicle identification number is often imprinted onto a plate positioned on the dashboard near the windshield or the driver's side doorjamb. Additionally, it is engraved on the engine's firewall.
There are many reasons to conduct a Florida VIN lookup. For instance, if you are considering buying a vehicle, it is a good idea to check for a clear title before you pay. A clear title indicates that no liens are held against the vehicle. A VIN lookup will also help identify if a car was stolen.
You can run a VIN lookup online using third-party websites by using the FLHSMV Vehicle Information Check tool or by visiting a local service center of the FLHSMV in Florida. However, by conducting a VIN lookup on a third-party site offering the service for free, you are likely to obtain only basic information about the vehicle, such as engine size, fuel type, or assembly type. For detailed vehicle history reports, it is recommended that requesters visit the FLHSMV office to conduct VIN lookups.
Can Civilians Lookup License Plates in Florida?
Yes, under Florida Law, driver's licenses, vehicular crash information, and motor vehicle records (including license plate information) are considered public information. Hence, interested persons can look up license plates in Florida by querying Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) local service centers and through relevant online tools.
However, public access to Florida license plate records is regulated by the federal Driver Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), 18 USC, Section 2721, and Florida Statutes Section 119.0712(2). Under the Driver's Privacy Protection Act, only certain eligible persons and entities are allowed access to personal information contained in Florida license plate records. Examples of such information include the record subject’s social security number, driver's license number, name, telephone number, address, and disability or medical information. Meanwhile, under Florida Statutes Section 119.0712(2), public access to emergency contact information and email addresses linked to Florida license plates is also restricted. Hence, ineligible persons and entities can only obtain basic information about a vehicle, such as its year, make, model, and color, when they look up a Florida license plate.
Unrestricted access to personal information contained in Florida license plate records is reserved for law enforcement agencies in carrying out their functions and other qualified persons and entities. These include and are not limited to:
- Auto manufacturers (when recalling vehicles or parts)
- Towing companies (to notify a vehicle owner when their vehicle gets towed or impounded)
- Certain government agencies and private entities (when verifying the accuracy of personal information)
- Any agency or individual who has written permission from the record holder.
What Do Police See When They Run Your Plates in Florida?
Florida law enforcement agencies (including the state police department) are allowed unrestricted access to license plate records in Florida. Hence, when a police officer runs a Florida license plate, they can see the personal information about the vehicle's owner. These include the car owner's name, address, driver's license number, phone number, and disability or medical information. The police can also see the license plate registered owner’s driver's license status and current warrant status (if any). They will also see basic information about the vehicle linked to the license plate, such as the vehicle's make, year, model, and color when they run plates. Police officers are also alerted if the car or plate has been reported stolen.
Free License Plate Lookup in Florida
Interested persons can conduct a free license plate lookup in Florida through different third-party websites online. Most of these third-party websites provide online tools and services inquirers can use to search for and look up Florida license plates for free. Users must provide the full license plate number to conduct a search through these third-party websites. It should be noted that personal information about the registered owner of a vehicle is typically not included in search results pursuant to the DPPA provisions. As a result, the only information provided to inquirers is on the vehicle registered to the license plate, such as the vehicle specifications and history.
How to Search for Ticket by License Plate in Florida
Interested persons can search for tickets by their license plate number by querying county clerk offices in Florida. It is worth noting that the clerk's office has to be in the county where the ticket was issued for the ticket to appear in the inquiry results. Inquirers can visit the location page provided by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) to obtain the addresses and contact information of county clerk offices in Florida.
Searching for tickets through the FLHSMV remains the easiest and most convenient way to search for tickets in Florida. However, the FLHSMV does not provide a means to search for tickets by license plate. Instead, interested persons can use the FLHSMV Driver Check and ID Tracking System to search for tickets by supplying their driver’s license number.
