Florida License Plate Lookup

Today, only 31 states in the US states require two license plates. But Florida is not one of that states. FL only requires you to have a license plate on the rear of your vehicle like in Michigan.

Currently, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) issues license plates in FL.

What Will You Know About Florida License Plate Lookup?

Are you searching for the current information about the license plates in Florida? Then, you are in the right place. This article is specially designed to make your Florida license plate lookup easier.

We are going to look through different types of license plates in Florida. There will be a more in-depth discussion about specialty license plates.

There will be hints to help you get a license plate in Florida. You will also have information about the documentations.

This article will also cover two ways of ordering online license plate renewal.

If your license plate is stolen or lost don’t worry! There are some solutions as well.

We will also talk about the initial registration fee and other cost-related topics.

There will also be some information about the vehicle’s public and private information. We will discuss the license plate information you can have access to. There will be also a discussion about how to lookup Florida license plate numbers.

Different license plates in Florida

There are many types of FL license plates. Florida license plate search will take you to the various pages. You may get confused and tired. Here, we decided to collect all the necessary information. There are Specialty License Plates, Standard Plates, Military License Plates, and Personalized License Plates.

Specialty License Plates

First, let’s talk about specialty license plates. FL offers more than 100 different specialty license plates. They are for helping different organizations. The money raised from specialty license plates doesn’t go to the government. This money goes directly to the organization it supports. Much money has already been raised to help organizations since the first day of introducing specialty license plates.

In June 2021, there were 1,734,921 specialty plate registrations in the whole state.

You can see almost all specialty license plates excluded military license plates in FL. Specialty License Plate portal by FLHSMV gives you that chance.

Now, “Endless Summer”, “University of Florida”, and “Helping Sea Turtles Survive” are the 3 most popular specialty plates in Florida.

Through May 31, 2021, they had the following budgets. The money is collected only thanks to sales of specialty license plates.

• Endless Summer- $1,029,200.00
• University of Florida- $869,500.00
• Helping Sea Turtles Survive- $833,658.00

There are also special requirement plates. They are considered as a subtype of specialty license plates. The only difference is that they have specific requirements. The vehicle owner must meet specific requirements before applying for a special requirement plate.

Gift Certificate Program in Florida

There is also a gift certificate program in FL. The program allows everyone to buy a specialty license plate as a gift for another car owner.

The FLHSMV even allowed the insurance of these certificates. This certification is like any other gift certificate program.

Standard Plates

The next one is Standard Plates. The material for standard license plates is metal.

Florida has 3 standard license plates. License plate options include “Sunshine State”, “In God We Trust”, and a plate with county name. You can see these phrases at the bottom of the plate.

Note: County designation plate is not available in all counties.

Military Plates

Now, let’s talk about Military License Plates. People serving for the country can get one of these plates. For ordering some military license plates like Navy Cross, Medal of Honor you should request it from the FLHSMV.

Personalized Plates

There are also Personalized License Plates. You can order these plates in person. For this, you should just go to the motor vehicle service center in FL. You should complete the application for a personalized license plate. After, take it to the local office.

Do you hesitate your desired design is available or not? You can simply check the availability via the personalized license plate inquiry service.

Getting a license plate in Florida

The fee for the whole registration is $225. The registration consists of the license plate, sticker, and card.

The whole registration only takes place at a local office center. You should go there in person.

You must submit the following documents.

• Your proof of identity.
• Your FL Insurance Certificate.
• Application for Certificate of Title.

There can be also a need to provide additional documents.

Temporary License Plates in Florida

Did you just buy a motor vehicle in FL? But you are from another state? No need to worry!

Fl gives you a chance to have a temporary license plate. You will not need to get FL vehicle tags. There is also no need to have a sticker and a card.

You will need only to go to the tax collector’s office.

There, you will need to provide the certificate of insurance. Having a driver’s license is also a must.

You will pay just the sales taxes required by your home state.

Online License Plate Renewal in Florida

Unfortunately, there are no online platforms for ordering license plates in FL. However, there are 2 ways to renew your license plate. Online renewal and renewing via Mobile App are your 2 options.

Online renewal

This is a really quick way to renew your vehicle registration. You should visit GoRenew.com

You can find there the following options.

• Renewing from 1 to 2 years registration for motor vehicles.
• Renewing from 1 to 2 years registration for vessels.
• Getting a duplicate registration.

For online renewal, you should have a credit card. Because it is the only payment method. You must also provide the vehicle owner’s ID.

You will receive your license plate within 7 to 10 days. There is a $2 fee. It is for the total transaction.

Mobile App renewal

The name of the app is My Florida. It is FLHSMV’s mobile app. You can download it for free. Vehicle owners can renew a maximum of 5 vehicles.

App offers the same options as GoRenew. There is, however, one plus. It is also possible to get special clearance information.

You can pay via credit card. Paying via a checking account is also possible.

It is a must to show your license plate. Also, having a vehicle identification number is an obligation.

You receive a digital document before the new documents are ready.

There is a $4 processing fee for each transaction.

Florida License Plate Number Lookup

You should again have valid reasons for the Florida license plate lookup. Therefore, it should be according to the rules of the Department of Motor Vehicles.

You should also have the full plate number for the FL license plate number lookup.

There is also a possibility to lookup for someone by FL license plate number. You can look up someone via Florida Driver Protection Privacy Act.

Again, there should be valid reasons and a full plate number.

License Plate Fees in Florida

As we have already mentioned, there is a $225 registration fee for getting a license plate in FL.

Registration fees are based on registration use and license plate type. Class code also matters.

License Plate Rate Charts will give you more information about the costs.

Getting a new license plate in Florida

You will need to get a new license plate every 10 years. This is, however, not something optional.  There’s no need even to request it. You don’t need to pay any extra fee too.

That is because FL replaces license plates automatically. It takes place every 10 years.

Driving a car without a license plate in Florida

You can drive a car in Florida without a license plate. But only for 30 days. However, you will need a bill of sale and a certificate of insurance.

It is also possible to buy a temporary plate for $15. You can use it with the proof of insurance to drive in FL without plates.

Note: Having an unassigned tag or a license plate is a second-degree crime. You have to spend a maximum of 2 months in prison. The punishment can be also 6 months probation period and a $500 fine in FL.

Returning license plate to Florida

License plates belong to FL. That’s why you are obliged to return your license plate to the FL.

There are 2 ways to return your Florida license plate.

• You can do it at a motor vehicle center in a person.
• You can request to cancel the license plate via email. Again, you should mail it to the motor vehicle center.

Public and Private Vehicle Records in Florida

According to FL law motor vehicles, driver’s licenses, and crash records are public information. But personal information is not available. Moreover, it is automatically blocked. You can’t see them in motor vehicle and driver’s license records.

However, there are some law enforcement agencies having access to personal information. They can use it only if it is needed for the investigation.

Searching for anyone’s FL license plate is not legal unless you are a law enforcement officer.

But you have the possibility to access the ownership history of the vehicle. You should use a license plate number to access the information.