Every winter time, Canadians from Quebec, Ontario and other provinces head south to the Sunshine State to escape freezing temperatures and indulge in much-needed beach time. Many of them even have a vacation home in Florida, which they come back to (mostly) from November to April. Some even leave behind a second car, so they can fly in and still have a vehicle they own once in FL.
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A Fox News Report last year mentioned Canadians make up 3.5 million visits to Florida every year
Second home in Florida and part-time residency
If you’re a Canadian citizen and are in Florida for a quick getaway, you don’t have to register a car you don’t leave behind. You can even use your Canadian driver’s license. But if you own a home in the state of Florida, in other words have residency in FL, and have a vehicle that stays in the Sunshine State year-round (even when you’re back in Canada), you should register the vehicle in Florida to have an FL license plate.
Getting an FL license plate for Canadian car
So how do you register a Canadian car that you leave behind in Florida. If you send your winters basking in warmth, you need auto insurance and a FL license plate since you’re driving on FL roads. The Sunshine State requires all vehicles within FL for more than 90 days to be registered with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (FL DMV). After the vehicle has cleared customs at the border, you’ll find that some counties offer online or mail-in options to start a transfer a vehicle title, such as Polk County.
Around 145,000 snowbirds flock to Palm Beach County in the winter, raising the population by 11%, according to the county’s figures
The 90 days don’t have to be consecutive, just within same year for you to be a part-time FL resident. So most Canadians who spend their winters here must get a FL tag. If you register your car, you can use your Canadian driver’s license. There are special “district” offices in Florida where imported vehicle transfers are processed. Manatee county has a useful guide about this. There are emissions and safety compliance requirements which must be met or, if you already have the proper paperwork or decals, confirmed. This must be confirmed at the border when the vehicle is crossing over. As such, is not a component of the process that can be completed online or by mail.
Next up, auto insurance for Canadians in Florida
To register your vehicle, you must have car insurance from an FL provider. Specific requirements include personal injury protection of at least $10,000 in coverage plus property damage liability insurance for at least the same amount in coverage. You can research auto insurance pricing via comparison sites online to see the most affordable option for the type of coverage you need.
In Jupiter, snowbirds boost the winter population by about 17%, in Delray Beach by 14%
The word “snowbird” was initially used in the 1920s to describe migrant workers headed south for the winter, by the 1970s it transitioned to describe northerners moving to southern states in the winter
14 comments
I came to Florida to visit from Canada.(dual citizenship ) I have decided to stay with my car. ( from Canada) do I have to go back to the boarder to have my car registered here. How do I get the necessary paperwork filled out in order to register it?
You can find a guide here.
I am US citizen, I bought a car in Canada and I will like to know how to transfer my car to Fl I have a FL driver license.
This article should help since it seems like you want to import permanently
I am a Canadian with a seasonal home in Florida. I have a vehicle that we purchased in Canada. We are thinking we may be better to register the vehicle in Florida, and get insurance from a provider registered in Florida. We are starting to spend more time there and sometimes leave the car in between visits. From reading above, it sounds like the first thing we do is get insurance; then have it inspected by the DMV bcs it was an ‘out of state’ purchase; then follow the DMV process to register it and get plates. Is that the correct process? Many thanks,
This tax collector in Fl website can help guide you.
Hi, I am a Canadian snowbird. I am trying to register my Canadian car here but the options do not recognize Canada. I only see States I can pick from in reference to where I am coming from.
Where do I navigate in this site to register a Canadian vehicle? I think I am ending up at the wrong page each time.
Thanks
There are specifications about transferring your vehicle fulltime to FL that eTags can’t process at the moment. Here’s the info on how to do so through FL tax collector. Hope this helps!
If I have a Canadian car that I want to put American plates on (I have an American plate I can use). What do I need to do. Can you take care of this for me.
Yes, you can get your registration online with eTags
Hi there. I bought a Canadian car and I would like to register it. The car has already a insurance policy.
Hello! You’ll need to visit DMV in person for this one! Imports require an inspection that needs to be done by a licensed DMV agent. Once you get inside, the DMV will be able to complete the entire transfer from start to finish. Good luck!
I am a Canadian and own a property here in Florida. Can a buy a car locally in Palm Beach County let’s say and use your service to transfer the ownership title and get a Florida plicence plate ?
Depending on the year of the car, would the car need to pass an inspection ? and what about a smog emission inspection like in California ?
Would I keep my Canadian driver’s licence with that arrangement?
thank you for your feedback
Francine
Yes, as long as you have Florida residency, you can register the car here. We don’t have a smog inspection here in Florida, in fact, unless the vehicle is purchased from out of state, there are no inspections at all! When you’re ready, place an order on our site for a title transfer! Good luck!