FAQs
Learn how to junk a car in Florida the right way. Our FAQ breaks down everything from title transfers to free towing options.
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Ultimate Guide
HOW TO JUNK A CAR IN FLORIDA
Need to transfer ownership? Junking an inherited car? Not sure which form goes where? We’ve rounded up everything you need to junk your car in Florida – organized by situation. Select your scenario and get every form, fee, address, application method, and more in one place.
All the paperwork. None of the headache.
WHAT SITUATION DO YOU NEED HELP WITH?
EXPERT SUPPORT
TOP 3 THINGS TO DO BEFORE JUNKING YOUR CAR IN FLORIDA
Check for outstanding liens
Do a quick VIN check first. Run the VIN through a vehicle history service like CARFAX to check for any outstanding liens.
Check title brand
Not sure about its history? Use the same vehicle history check to find out whether it has a title brand. Knowing what you’re dealing with saves you from chasing down the wrong paperwork later.
Remove license plates
Before you send your car off into the sunset, take off the plates. Then either surrender them, transfer them to another vehicle, or keep them depending on your situation.
HOW TO TRANSFER A CAR TITLE IN FLORIDA
When you junk a car in Florida, you must sign the appropriate section to transfer ownership. Got the title? We explain how to sign your title correctly in the section below.
Don’t have the title? Apply for a replacement or duplicate using Form 82040 below, or read our guide to replacing missing titles in Florida for more support.
FORM 82040
NO FLORIDA TITLE? APPLY FOR A REPLACEMENT BEFORE TRANSFERRING IT TO THE BUYER.
Replacement Title Application
- Application method: Online, mail or in person.
- Fee: $77.25 (new), $85.25 (used) + $10 for fast printing.
- Processing time: Online and Mail (2-4 weeks), In person (Immediate at participating county tax collectors offices for an extra $10).
HOW TO SIGN YOUR FLORIDA CAR TITLE
Transferring ownership to the buyer? How you sign your title depends on whether you’re a single or joint owner.
Your printed name and signature must be written on the front of the title on the appropriate lines.
The buyer must also sign their section for the transfer to be complete.
KEY INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the instructions for single and joint owners below, using the annotated images to help.
SINGLE OWNERS
Single owners must sign their name once on the ‘seller must sign here’ line, and print it once on the ‘seller must print here’ line.
joint OWNERS
Joint owners must sign their name once on the ‘co-seller must sign here’ line, and print it once on the ‘co-seller must print here’ line.
JUNK A CAR WITH AN ETITLE
In Florida, you need a physical copy of the title to junk the car. Wheels Away and many other brokers and buyers do not accept electronic titles.
Apply for a physical copy through the MyDMV portal below for a fee of $2.50. Some locations allow same-day printing for an extra $10.
REQUEST A PHYSICAL COPY OF AN ETITLE
LOG IN TO THE MYDMV PORTAL BELOW TO REQUEST A PHYSICAL COPY OF YOUR ELECTRONIC TITLE.
Florida MyDMV portal
- Fee: $2.50 (additional $10 for fast printing)
- Processing time: Online: 7-10 days, In person: Instant (for additional fee)
JUNK A CAR WITH NO TITLE IN FLORIDA
In Florida, you can sometimes junk a car without a title if it’s 10 years old or older and worth less than $1,000.
Many brokers and buyers, including Wheels Away, still prefer titles as proof of ownership, even for older vehicles.
If you don’t have the title, apply for a new one using Form 82040.
FORM 82040
NEED A NEW TITLE? APPLY FOR ONE BELOW BEFORE JUNKING YOUR CAR.
Replacement Title Application
- Application method: Online, mail or in person.
- Fee: $77.25 (new), $85.25 (used) + $10 for fast printing.
- Processing time: Online and Mail (2-4 weeks), In person (Immediate at participating county tax collectors offices for an extra $10).
VEHICLES MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD AND WORTH LESS THAN $1000
Sound like your car? You may be able to junk it without a title using Form 82137 instead.
Check out our guide to junking without a title in Florida for more detailed instructions.
SURRENDER OR TRANSFER YOUR LICENSE PLATES
In Florida, you only need to surrender your plate if you’re not transferring it to another car.
If you’re not getting another car, you’ll also need to cancel your registration. We’ll walk you through how to cancel your Florida registration in the next section.
SURRENDER YOUR LICENSE PLATES
Surrender your license plates at your local county tax collector’s office or by mail, with a signed statement explaining why you’re cancelling your plates. You’ll also need to show ID.
Need more support?
Saying goodbye to your old car is stressful enough without having to navigate DMV rules. Get all the support you need to surrender your plates in one place in our expert guide below, including fee breakdowns, rules, and processes – by county.
TRANSFER YOUR LICENSE PLATES
Getting a new set of wheels? If you’re buying from a dealer, they’ll take care of it all for you.
If you’re buying from a private seller, transfer your tags by:
- Sign the title with the seller so that the car is transferred into your name
- Apply for a new title with Form 82040, and provide your existing plate, valid ID and proof of insurance for the new vehicle
You can then transfer your old plate and registration (if needed)
FORM 82040
APPLY FOR A NEW TITLE FOR THE NEW VEHICLE USING FORM 82040.
New Title Application
- Application method: Online, mail or in person.
- Fee: $77.25 + $10 for fast printing.
- Processing time: Online and Mail (2-4 weeks), In person (Immediate at participating county tax collectors’ offices for an extra $10).
CANCEL YOUR REGISTRATION
In Florida, if you junk your car and you’re not getting a new one, you’ll also need to cancel your registration.
Surrendering your plates ends your registration. Just remember to cancel your insurance separately.
How you surrender your plates varies by county – that’s why we’ve broken it down more in our ultimate guide to plate surrendering in Florida, where you can get every form, fee and process you need in one place.
NOTIFY FLHSMV OF VEHICLE SALE
If you’re junking and not getting a new car, you’ll need to notify the state.
Submit Form 82050 (Notice of Sale) to your local county tax collector’s office within 30 days of junking the car to avoid issues with your registration and insurance.
FORM 82050
NOTIFY THE STATE OF VEHICLE SALE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF JUNKING THE VEHICLE.
Notification of sale
- Application method: Mail or in person.
- Fee: Free
JUNK AN ABANDONED CAR (PRIVATE PROPERTY)
Trying to report an abandoned car and get it junked?
If it’s been parked on private property without consent, you can contact a vehicle removal service to tow it away for you.
Florida statutes then give the towing and storage operators liens to cover the costs. If it remains unclaimed, they’ll sell the vehicle. Simple!
JUNK AN ABANDONED CAR (PUBLIC PROPERTY)
If you need to report a car that’s abandoned on public property, contact your local law enforcement on their non-emergency line.
They’ll need to identify the vehicle, take it into custody (if it can be removed) or place a notice of disposal. Towing companies will not be able to remove these vehicles for you, so always contact your local police department for more information.
JUNK AN INHERITED VEHICLE
Inherited a vehicle through survivorship rights? Junking is simple.
IF YOU HAVE THE VEHICLE TITLE
Still got the title? If you’re the co-owner (and the title joins you both by ‘OR’), the interest passes straight to you. This means you can junk the vehicle without transferring it first.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
- Sign the title (seller section) as the surviving owner
- The junkyard may request extra paperwork like a copy of the death certificate, your marriage certificate, and a proof if ID.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE VEHICLE TITLE
APPLY FOR A DUPLICATE FLORIDA CERTIFICATE OF TITLE WITH FORM 82101.
Duplicate Title Application
- Application method: Mail or in person
- Fee: $75.25 + $10 for same day processing
- Processing time: In person: instant, mail: 2-3 weeks
JUNK A CAR THAT’S REGISTERED OUT OF STATE
If your car is in the the sunshine state but it’s registered or titled elsewhere, you can still junk it in Florida by either:
- Transferring the title to the seller (if you have it)
- Getting a replacement from the state it’s registered in (if you don’t)
FORM 82040
SIGN THE TITLE AND SUBMIT THIS FORM.
Transfer Title
- Application method: Online, mail or in person.
- Fee: $77.25
- Processing time: Online and Mail (2-4 weeks), In person (Immediate at participating county tax collectors’ offices for an extra $10).
Lost your title? Apply for a replacement from the state it’s registered in. Use the finder below to see the forms, fees and processing times for a replacement title application in your registered state.
JUNK A CAR WITH AN EXPIRED REGISTRATION
Good news – you don’t need a valid registration to junk a car, but you will need the title to prove you’re the owner.
If you don’t have the title, apply for one first using the form below.
FORM 82040
NEED A NEW TITLE? APPLY FOR ONE BELOW BEFORE JUNKING YOUR CAR.
Replacement Title Application
- Application method: Online, mail or in person.
- Fee: $77.25 (new), $85.25 (used) + $10 for fast printing.
- Processing time: Online and Mail (2-4 weeks), In person (Immediate at participating county tax collectors offices for an extra $10).
VEHICLES MORE THAN 10 MODEL YEARS OLD & VALUED AT LESS THAN $1,000
Old ride with an expired reg? You might not even need the title to junk it. Requirements vary by buyer. Just make sure you have another way to prove ownership, using the forms of ID below.
Photo ID
Such as your driver’s license or passport.
Bill of sale
You may need to show this as well as your photo ID.
JUNK A CAR WITH A LIEN
If you’ve paid off your loan, you can apply for a new title using the form below to junk your car.
Most brokers and buyers, including Wheels Away, can’t junk or buy your car with a lien on it. You’ll need to clear the lien first by either paying the loan in full or asking the lender for permission to sell it.
In Florida, titles with active liens are electronic. When the lien is cleared, the title remains electronic. Remember to apply for a physical copy through the MyDMV portal once the loan is paid off so you can junk your vehicle.
REQUEST A PHYSICAL COPY OF AN ETITLE
LOG IN TO THE MYDMV PORTAL BELOW TO REQUEST A PHYSICAL COPY OF YOUR ELECTRONIC TITLE.
Florida MyDMV portal
- Fee: $2.50 (additional $10 for fast printing)
- Processing time: Online: 7-10 days, In person: Instant (for additional fee)
NOT SURE IF IT HAS A LIEN? RUN THE VIN.
Before you junk it, make sure nobody else has dibs.
Some cars can come with more baggage than just that mysterious rattle…Inherited a car? Dealing with an abandoned one? Before you sell it or send it off to the scrapyard, check for liens.
Run the VIN through an NMVTIS provider or a vehicle history service like CARFAX to check for liens. Not sure where the VIN is? We’ve got you. Here are the spots to check – although, like most things with cars, they can vary depending on the age, make, and model.
HELP CENTRE
Junking a car can come with a surprising amount of paperwork, rules, and “wait, do I need that?” moments. From junking a Florida car without a title to figuring out what your car is worth, our specialist help centre breaks it all down – without the headache.
Junking a car in Florida? Get everything you need organized by situation. Forms, fees, expert tips, and more. Junking a car without a title in Florida ? We explain what paperwork you need, what buyers accept, and how to get it done fast. Get everything you need to surrender your Florida license plate by county, including forms, office details, submission options, and important reminders. Junk car recycling in Florida explained – see how offers are made, why it’s good for the planet, and what parts are most valuable. Many people struggle with the question, ‘How to junk a car?’ Don’t worry—you don’t need to be an expert to make the process simple, profitable, and stress-free.
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