Florida title guide
Selling a junk car without a title in Florida
The short answer
In Florida, you'll usually need the title to sell or scrap a car. If it's lost, apply for a duplicate from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) before you book a pickup.
First published November 4, 2026. Rules checked against official Florida sources on and reviewed by Paola Reniery, Operations Manager (see the sources).
What does Florida ask of sellers?
In Florida, a replacement title (form HSMV 82101) costs $75.25, and you file the Notice of Sale (form HSMV 82050) within 30 days. Each card links to the official page it came from.
- Replacing a lost title
- Form HSMV 82101, Application for Duplicate or Lost in Transit/Reassignment Title for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home or Vessel Title Certificate. Fee: $75.25.
- Official source
- License plates
- Plates stay with the seller, who removes them and may transfer them to another vehicle.
- Official source
What do you do if you have the title?
Sign and print your name where the seller signs, fill in the odometer reading if there's a space for it, and leave the buyer section blank. If your title has a notary section, the signatures have to be notarized. If it doesn't, you sign in front of the driver at pickup. Don't sign the title until the driver is there and you've agreed the price.
What if the title is lost or damaged?
Florida replacement titles come from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), using form HSMV 82101 (Application for Duplicate or Lost in Transit/Reassignment Title for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home or Vessel Title Certificate), for a fee of $75.25. You'll need the VIN, which is on the dashboard by the windshield, on the driver's door jamb and on your registration. If you're in a hurry, tell our buyer partner when it contacts you: it can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for your car in Florida.
For the full walkthrough, including the states that exempt older cars and what to avoid, read how to sell a junk car without a title.
What if there's a loan, or the owner has died?
If a lender is still listed on the title, you'll need its lien release, or the loan gets paid off as part of the sale. If the owner has died, only someone with legal authority, usually the executor, can sell the car, and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) can tell you which estate papers Florida accepts.
What do you do after the sale?
- Report the sale to Florida (Notice of Sale (form HSMV 82050), within 30 days), so tickets and tolls for the car stop coming to you.
- Plates: Plates stay with the seller, who removes them and may transfer them to another vehicle.
- Keep a photo of the signed title, and cancel the insurance once the car has been picked up.
Title rules change, so confirm them with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) before you sell; this page is general information, not legal advice.
Can you junk a car without a title in Florida?
Usually not. In Florida you'll normally need the title or a duplicate from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). Our buyer partner can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for yours in Florida when you get your offer.
How do I get a duplicate title in Florida?
Apply to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) with form HSMV 82101 (Application for Duplicate or Lost in Transit/Reassignment Title for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home or Vessel Title Certificate), and have a photo ID and the VIN ready. The fee is $75.25, according to the agency.
Can I sell a car in Florida with just a bill of sale?
A bill of sale on its own usually isn't proof of ownership for a titled vehicle. It's a useful record of the sale, but buyers will normally want the title or a duplicate.