SESSION WATCH
Superseded — its companion passed SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. CS/SB 1562

Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, Importers, and Distributors and Franchised Motor Vehicle Dealers
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SPONSOR
Commerce and Tourism; Trumbull
FILED BY
Jay Trumbull — District 2, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
COMPANION
SB 488 — CS/SB 1562 was set aside and its companion carried the policy

Filed under Transportation.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, Importers, and Distributors and Franchised Motor Vehicle Dealers; Authorizing licensees to reject the succession to interest in a franchise agreement of a motor vehicle dealer under certain circumstances; prohibiting a licensee from distributing more than a specified percentage of a specified number of motor vehicles of a particular line-make during a certain period to one motor vehicle dealer or dealers that share common ownership or control; authorizing a licensee to reject a sale, transfer, alienation, or other disposition of a franchise agreement or an equity interest in a motor vehicle dealer under certain circumstances, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Limits how much of a line-make one Florida dealer can receive.

A manufacturer, importer, or distributor that sends 1,000 or more vehicles of one line-make to Florida dealers in a year cannot route more than a third of them to a single dealer, or to dealers under common ownership.

The cap does not apply to a line-make that already had a licensed franchised dealer in Florida on January 1, 2026, or to a licensee already allowed to own or operate its own dealership.

A licensee may now refuse to approve an heir's succession to a franchise, or a dealer's sale of the franchise or its stock, if allowing it would push the licensee into violating that new cap.

Separately, the amount a manufacturer must repurchase from a terminated dealer's inventory is broadened from 'car or truck' to any motor vehicle other than a motorcycle.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 New cap on how much of a line-make one dealer can receive majors. 320.64(44)(a)

AIOnce a licensee distributes 1,000 or more vehicles of one line-make to Florida dealers in any 12-month period, it may not send more than 33.33 percent of that volume to a single dealer or to dealers sharing common ownership or control.

“has directly or indirectly distributed 1,000 or more motor vehicles of a particular line-make to motor vehicle dealers in this state during any 12-month period” bill text, line 101 →
§ 2 New ground to reject a franchise succession by an heir moderates. 320.64(16)(a)

AIA licensee may reject an heir's or devisee's succession to a dealer franchise if the succession would directly result in the licensee violating the new distribution-concentration cap.

“the direct result of such succession will cause the applicant or licensee to be in violation of subsection (44)” bill text, line 51 →
§ 3 New ground to reject a dealership or stock transfer moderates. 320.643(1)

AIA licensee may reject a dealer's proposed sale of a franchise, or of stock or ownership interests in the dealer entity, if the transfer would directly cause the licensee to violate the new cap.

“Would directly cause the licensee to be in violation of s. 320.64(44)” bill text, line 153 →
§ 4 Repurchase duty broadened beyond cars and trucks moderates. 320.64(16)

AIThe inventory a manufacturer or distributor must repurchase from a terminated dealer is expanded from new cars or trucks to any new motor vehicle other than a motorcycle.

“net cost paid by the dealer for each new motor vehicle other than motorcycles in the dealer's inventory” bill text, line 68 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Rules, companion bill(s) passed, see SB 488 (Ch. 2026-39 )
2/18/2026
CS by Commerce and Tourism read 1st time
2/12/2026
Now in Rules
2/11/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/11/2026
CS by Commerce and Tourism; YEAS 9 NAYS 1
2/10/2026
On Committee agenda-- Commerce and Tourism, 02/11/26, 9:00 am, 110...
2/10/2026
Now in Commerce and Tourism
2/10/2026
Favorable by Transportation; YEAS 7 NAYS 0
2/5/2026
On Committee agenda-- Transportation, 02/10/26, 12:00 pm, 37...
1/22/2026
Introduced
1/16/2026
Referred to Transportation; Commerce and Tourism; Rules
1/9/2026
Filed
6 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 320.64
+254 / −11
s. 320.643
+47 / −5
STAFF ANALYSES