THE BILL ITSELF
HB 613
Motor Vehicles
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to motor vehicles; amending s. 320.06,
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F.S.; requiring the Department of Highway Safety and
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Motor Vehicles to establish and maintain a secure
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online license and registration portal for verifying,
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recording, and processing the seizure or confiscation
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of license plates; providing requirements for the
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portal; authorizing the department to adopt rules;
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amending s. 320.084, F.S.; providing that a disabled
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veteran may retain a certain license plate designation
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upon reissuance, renewal, or transfer of the plate;
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amending s. 320.0843, F.S.; authorizing applications
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for disabled parking permits to be made to the tax
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collector; providing that certain license plates may
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be stamped with specified letters at the option of the
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applicant; authorizing the tax collector to issue the
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plates immediately on demand under certain conditions;
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amending s. 320.26, F.S.; prohibiting a person from
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obscuring or altering a registration license plate in
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a specified manner; amending s. 322.21, F.S.;
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requiring a tax collector to fulfill certain renewal
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and replacement driver licenses and identification
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cards; providing methods for receipt of the driver
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license or identification card; requiring the
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department to remit a specified service fee to the
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appropriate tax collector under certain conditions;
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amending s. 320.0848, F.S.; conforming a provision to
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changes made by the act; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Subsection (7) is added to section 320.06,
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Florida Statutes, to read:
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320.06 Registration certificates, license plates, and
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validation stickers generally.—
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(7) The department shall establish and maintain a secure
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online license and registration portal accessible to the
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department, tax collectors, and authorized law enforcement
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agencies for the purpose of verifying, recording, and processing
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the seizure or confiscation of license plates under this
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chapter. The portal must provide immediate status updates when a
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plate has been seized, destroyed, or returned and must be
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checked before reissuance of a registration or plate. The
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department may adopt rules to implement this subsection.
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Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 320.084, Florida
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Statutes, is amended to read:
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320.084 Free motor vehicle license plate to certain
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disabled veterans.—
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(3) The department shall, as it deems necessary, require
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each person to whom a motor vehicle license plate has been
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issued pursuant to subsection (1) to apply to the department for
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reissuance of his or her registration license plate. Upon
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receipt of the application and proof of the applicant's
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continued eligibility, the department shall issue a new
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permanent disabled veteran motor vehicle license plate which
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shall be of the colors red, white, and blue similar to the
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colors of the United States flag. A disabled veteran who has
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been issued a permanent disabled veteran motor vehicle license
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plate may retain the unique alphanumeric designation assigned to
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the plate upon reissuance, renewal, or transfer of the plate to
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another vehicle owned by the veteran. The operation of a motor
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vehicle displaying a disabled veteran license plate from a
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previous issue period or a noncurrent validation sticker after
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the date specified by the department shall subject the owner if
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he or she is present, otherwise the operator, to the penalty
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provided in s. 318.18(2). Such permanent license plate shall be
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removed upon sale of the vehicle, but may be transferred to
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another vehicle owned by such veteran in the manner prescribed
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by law. Upon request of any such veteran, the department is
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authorized to issue a designation plate containing only the
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letters "DV," to be displayed on the front of the vehicle.
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Section 3. Section 320.0843, Florida Statutes, is amended
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to read:
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320.0843 License plates for persons with disabilities
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eligible for permanent disabled parking permits.—
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(1) Any owner or lessee of a motor vehicle who resides in
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this state and qualifies for a disabled parking permit under s.
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320.0848(2), upon application to the department, or the tax
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collector as an authorized agent of the department, and payment
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of the license tax for a motor vehicle registered under s.
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320.08(2), (3)(a), (b), (c), or (e), (4)(a) or (b), (6)(a), or
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(9)(c) or (d), shall be issued a license plate as provided by s.
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320.06 which, in lieu of or in addition to the serial number
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prescribed by s. 320.06, shall, at the option of the applicant,
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be stamped with the international wheelchair user symbol or the
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letters "DV" indicating a disabled veteran after the serial
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number of the license plate. The license plate entitles the
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person to all privileges afforded by a parking permit issued
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under s. 320.0848. When more than one registrant is listed on
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the registration issued under this section, the eligible
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applicant shall be noted on the registration certificate.
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(2) All applications for such license plates may must be
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made to the department or the tax collector, and such plates may
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be issued immediately on demand by the tax collector, subject to
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rules of the department.
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Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
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320.26, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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320.26 Counterfeiting license plates, validation stickers,
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mobile home stickers, cab cards, trip permits, or special
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temporary operational permits prohibited; obscuring or altering
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license plates prohibited; penalty.—
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(1)(a) A no person may not:
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1. shall Counterfeit registration license plates,
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validation stickers, or mobile home stickers, or have in his or
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her possession any such plates or stickers.
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2. ; nor shall any person Manufacture, sell, or dispose of
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registration license plates, validation stickers, or mobile home
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stickers in this the state without first having obtained the
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permission and authority of the department in writing.
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3. Manufacture, sell, offer for sale, or affix to any
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registration license plate any cover, film, or overlay, whether
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transparent, translucent, tinted, or opaque, which obscures or
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alters the legibility, color, or design of the registration
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license plate. Section 5. Subsection (10) is added to section 322.21,
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Florida Statutes, to read:
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322.21 License fees; procedure for handling and collecting
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fees.—
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(10)(a) Any renewal or replacement driver license or
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identification card ordered through the department's online
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license and registration portal shall be fulfilled by the tax
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collector of the county in which the applicant resides. The
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department shall ensure that all online orders are transmitted
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to the appropriate tax collector for fulfillment. The tax
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collector may mail the driver license or identification card to
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the applicant or, at the option of the applicant, may allow the
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applicant to pick up the driver license or identification card
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at the tax collector's office.
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(b) For purposes of s. 322.135(1)(c), fulfillment under
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paragraph (a) constitutes services provided by the tax
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collector. The department shall remit the service fee authorized
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by s. 322.135(1)(c) to the appropriate tax collector for each
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transaction fulfilled under paragraph (a).
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Section 6. Paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of section
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320.0848, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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320.0848 Persons who have disabilities; issuance of
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disabled parking permits; temporary permits; permits for certain
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providers of transportation services to persons who have
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disabilities.—
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(2) DISABLED PARKING PERMIT; PERSONS WITH LONG-TERM
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MOBILITY PROBLEMS.—
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(e) A person who qualifies for a disabled parking permit
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under this section may be issued an international wheelchair
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user symbol or "DV" license plate under s. 320.0843 in lieu of
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the disabled parking permit; or, if the person qualifies for a
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disabled veteran license plate under s. 320.084, such a license
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plate may be issued to him or her in lieu of a disabled parking
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permit.
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Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.