| The Lake County Tax Collector, as an agent
for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV),
provides the service of titling and registering your motor
vehicles and mobile homes. All motor vehicles and mobile homes
must be registered and/or titled. The Tax Collector works
closely with DHSMV to ensure all transactions are conducted
according to state statutes.
Obtaining a Florida Title:
We recommend that any transfer of title transactions be completed
in one of our branch
locations. To avoid unforeseen complications,
it is recommended that sellers and purchasers be present in
our office at the time of the transaction. Sellers will have
the reassurance of knowing that the transfer is complete,
and they no longer have any liability for the vehicle. Purchasers
have the reassurance that a title was issued in their names.
If it is not convenient for both sellers and purchasers to
visit our office together, please contact our Customer Information
Center, at (352) 343-9602, for information relating to your
specific needs in successfully accomplishing the transfer
of ownership.
Florida titles are issued by the Lake County Tax Collector’s
Office at the time the title transaction is processed, for
an additional fee, at the request of the owner. Should the
owner not wish to pay the expedited title fee, the title will
be issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
in Tallahassee, and will be returned to the owner’s
mailing address in approximately two weeks.
Application with a Florida Title:
To transfer a Florida title, the seller must complete in
full, the “Transfer
of Title by Seller section” on the title.
This is to include the purchaser’s name and address;
selling price and date of sale; odometer reading and date
read, when applicable; signature and printed name of the seller(s)
and purchaser(s). Signatures are not required to be notarized
in this section, even if there is a labeled place.
Proof of sales tax paid or proof of exemption must be provided.
If not, we must collect sales tax when processing the title
application. For additional sales tax information, click
here.
For complete information on transferring Florida titles,
click
here.
For answers to Frequently Asked Questions on titles, click
here.
Application with a Manufacturer’s Certificate
of Origin (MCO):
An MCO is the original documentation (best described as
the birth certificate) for a brand new vehicle. The selling
dealer must complete this document indicating the purchaser(s)
name(s). The dealer reassignment section must be completed
in full.
MCO’s issued by a Florida licensed motor vehicle or
mobile home dealer do not require notarization. However, out
of state MCO’s that have areas for notarization, must
be properly executed. There are some circumstances when a
notary is not required; however, we recommend completion of
the notary.
Florida statutes require that a Florida motor vehicle or mobile
home dealer must process the paperwork for an applicant. The
dealer is required to present the completed paperwork to the
Tax Collector’s Office for processing.
Proof of sales tax paid or proof of exemption must be provided.
If not, we must collect sales tax when processing the title
application. Florida dealers must collect sales tax on sales
they complete. For additional sales tax information, click
here.
For details on MCO’s or out of state titles, click
here.
For answers to Frequently Asked Questions, click
here.
Application with an Out of State Title:
Motor vehicles or mobile homes from out of state will have
a title for proof of ownership in most circumstances. Should
there be a transfer of ownership involved with an out of state
motor vehicle or mobile home, the transfer section of the
title must be properly executed.
Florida Statutes require that the vehicle identification
number (VIN) on motor vehicles be verified by one of the following:
- A law enforcement officer from any state
- A licensed motor vehicle dealer from Florida
- A Florida county tax collector employee or Florida Division
of Motor Vehicle Compliance Examiner
- Provost Marshal or commissioned officer in active military
service, with a rank of 2nd lieutenant or higher
- A Florida Notary
An application for Florida title must be completed and accompanied
by the VIN verification and odometer reading on form, HSMV82040.
If all owners come in, and the vehicle being titled is driven
to any of our branch
locations, we will verify the VIN and complete
your application electronically. If your title is held by
a lending institution, please bring the name, address and
account number for the lienholder.
Proof of sales tax paid or proof of exemption may be required,
or sales tax will be collected, if applicable. For addition
sales tax information, click
here.
We recommend that customers with motor vehicles or mobile
homes involving a transaction on a non-titled vehicle, contact
our Customer Information Center at (352) 343-9602 to address
your specific needs.
For details on MCO’s or out of state title, click
here.
For answers to Frequently Asked Questions, click
here.
Duplicate Florida Title:
The owner of a motor vehicle, mobile home, or vessel may
obtain a duplicate Florida title by completing form, HSMV82101.
If there is an outstanding lien, the lienholder must apply
for the duplicate title by completing and signing the form
instead of the owner. If the lien has been satisfied (paid
off), the owner must submit a completed lien satisfaction
form, HSMV82260,
signed by the lienholder, to accompany the application for
duplicate title.
For additional information on duplicate titles, click
here.
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