THE BILL ITSELF
SB 982
Motor Vehicle Registration Renewal
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 982 By Senator Rodriguez 40-00581A-26 2026982__
1
A bill to be entitled
2
An act relating to motor vehicle registration renewal;
3
amending s. 320.06, F.S.; deleting provisions
4
requiring a validation sticker to be issued with each
5
license plate and requiring certain license plates to
6
include validation stickers; requiring that
7
registration renewals be recorded electronically;
8
deleting a provision requiring the Department of
9
Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to provide certain
10
entities with validation stickers; deleting provisions
11
requiring that validation stickers meet certain
12
specifications; deleting a provision authorizing a
13
certain corporation to manufacture validation
14
stickers; conforming provisions to changes made by the
15
act; amending ss. 320.08035, 320.0807, 320.084, and
16
320.102, F.S.; conforming cross-references and
17
provisions to changes made by the act; providing an
18
effective date.
20
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22
Section 1. Section 320.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to
23
read:
24
320.06 Registration certificates and , license plates ; , and
25
validation stickers generally.—
26
(1)(a) Upon the receipt of an initial application for
27
registration and payment of the appropriate license tax and
28
other fees required by law, the department shall assign to the
29
motor vehicle a registration license number consisting of
30
letters and numerals or numerals and issue to the owner or
31
lessee a certificate of registration and one registration
32
license plate, unless two plates are required for display by s.
33
320.0706, for each vehicle so registered.
34
(b)1. Registration license plates bearing a graphic symbol
35
and the alphanumeric system of identification shall be issued
36
for a 10-year period. At the end of the 10-year period, upon
37
renewal, the plate shall be replaced. The department shall
38
extend the scheduled license plate replacement date from a 6
39
year period to a 10-year period. The fee for such replacement is
40
$28, $2.80 of which shall be paid each year before the plate is
41
replaced, to be credited toward the next $28 replacement fee.
42
The fees shall be deposited into the Highway Safety Operating
43
Trust Fund. A credit or refund may not be given for any prior
44
years’ payments of the prorated replacement fee if the plate is
45
replaced or surrendered before the end of the 10-year period,
46
except that a credit may be given if a registrant is required by
47
the department to replace a license plate under s.
48
320.08056(8)(a). With each license plate, a validation sticker
49
shall be issued showing the owner’s birth month, license plate
50
number, and the year of expiration or the appropriate renewal
51
period if the owner is not a natural person. The validation
52
sticker shall be placed on the upper right corner of the license
53
plate. The license plate and validation sticker shall be issued
54
based on the applicant’s appropriate renewal period. The
55
registration period is 12 months, the extended registration
56
period is 24 months, and all expirations occur based on the
57
applicant’s appropriate registration period. Rental vehicles
58
taxed pursuant to s. 320.08(6)(a) and rental trucks taxed
59
pursuant to s. 320.08(3)(a)-(c) and (4)(a)-(d) may elect a
60
permanent registration period, provided payment of the
61
appropriate license taxes and fees occurs annually.
62
2. Beginning July 1, 2024, A vehicle registered in
63
accordance with the International Registration Plan must be
64
issued a license plate for a 3-year period. At the end of the 3
65
year period, upon renewal, the license plate must be replaced.
66
Each license plate must include a validation sticker showing the
67
month of expiration. A cab card denoting the declared gross
68
vehicle weight for each apportioned jurisdiction must be issued
69
annually. The fee for an original or a renewal cab card is $28,
70
which must be deposited into the Highway Safety Operating Trust
71
Fund. If the license plate is damaged or worn, it may be
72
replaced at no charge by applying to the department and
73
surrendering the current license plate.
74
3. In order to retain the efficient administration of the
75
taxes and fees imposed by this chapter, the 80-cent fee increase
76
in the replacement fee imposed by chapter 2009-71, Laws of
77
Florida, is negated as provided in s. 320.0804.
78
(c) Registration license plates equipped with validation
79
stickers subject to the registration period are valid for not
80
more than 12 months and expire at midnight on the last day of
81
the registration period. A registration license plate equipped
82
with a validation sticker subject to the extended registration
83
period is valid for not more than 24 months and expires at
84
midnight on the last day of the extended registration period. A
85
registration license plate equipped with a validation sticker
86
subject to a permanent registration period is permanently valid
87
but shall become void if appropriate license taxes and fees are
88
not paid annually. For each registration period after the one in
89
which the metal registration license plate is issued, and until
90
the license plate is required to be replaced, the renewal shall
91
be recorded electronically a validation sticker showing the
92
month and year of expiration shall be issued upon payment of the
93
proper license tax amount and fees and is valid for not more
94
than 12 months. For each extended registration period occurring
95
after the one in which the metal registration license plate is
96
issued and until the license plate is required to be replaced,
97
the renewal shall be recorded electronically a validation
98
sticker showing the year of expiration shall be issued upon
99
payment of the proper license tax amount and fees and is valid
100
for not more than 24 months. For each permanent registration
101
period occurring after the one in which the metal registration
102
license plate is issued and until the license plate is required
103
to be replaced, the renewal shall be recorded electronically a
104
validation sticker showing a permanent registration period shall
105
be issued upon payment of the proper license tax amount and fees
106
and is permanently valid but shall become void if the proper
107
license taxes and fees are not paid annually. When license
108
plates equipped with validation stickers are issued in any month
109
other than the owner’s birth month or the designated
110
registration period for any other motor vehicle, the effective
111
date shall reflect the birth month or month and the year of
112
renewal. However, when a license plate or validation sticker is
113
issued for a period of less than 12 months, the applicant shall
114
pay the appropriate amount of license tax and the applicable fee
115
under s. 320.14 in addition to all other fees. Validation
116
stickers issued for vehicles taxed under s. 320.08(6)(a), for
117
any company that owns 250 vehicles or more, or for semitrailers
118
taxed under the provisions of s. 320.08(5)(a), for any company
119
that owns 50 vehicles or more, may be placed on any vehicle in
120
the fleet so long as the vehicle receiving the validation
121
sticker has the same owner’s name and address as the vehicle to
122
which the validation sticker was originally assigned.
123
(2) The department shall provide the several tax collectors
124
and license plate agents with the necessary number of validation
125
stickers.
126
(2) (3) (a) Registration license plates must be made of metal
127
specially treated with a retroreflection material, as specified
128
by the department. The registration license plate is designed to
129
increase nighttime visibility and legibility and must be at
130
least 6 inches wide and not less than 12 inches in length,
131
unless a plate with reduced dimensions is deemed necessary by
132
the department to accommodate motorcycles, mopeds, similar
133
smaller vehicles, or trailers. Validation stickers must also be
134
treated with a retroreflection material, must be of such size as
135
specified by the department, and must adhere to the license
136
plate. The registration license plate must be imprinted with a
137
combination of bold letters and numerals or numerals, not to
138
exceed seven digits, to identify the registration license plate
139
number. The license plate must be imprinted with the word
140
“Florida” at the top and the name of the county in which it is
141
sold, the state motto, or the words “Sunshine State” at the
142
bottom. Apportioned license plates must have the word
143
“Apportioned” at the bottom, and license plates issued for
144
vehicles taxed under s. 320.08(3)(d), (4)(m) or (n), (5)(b) or
145
(c), or (14) must have the word “Restricted” at the bottom.
146
License plates issued for vehicles taxed under s. 320.08(12)
147
must be imprinted with the word “Florida” at the top and the
148
word “Dealer” at the bottom unless the license plate is a
149
specialty license plate as authorized in s. 320.08056.
150
Manufacturer license plates issued for vehicles taxed under s.
151
320.08(12) must be imprinted with the word “Florida” at the top
152
and the word “Manufacturer” at the bottom. License plates issued
153
for vehicles taxed under s. 320.08(5)(d) or (e) must be
154
imprinted with the word “Wrecker” at the bottom. Any county may,
155
upon majority vote of the county commission, elect to have the
156
county name removed from the license plates sold in that county.
157
The state motto or the words “Sunshine State” shall be printed
158
in lieu thereof. A license plate issued for a vehicle taxed
159
under s. 320.08(6) may not be assigned a registration license
160
number, or be issued with any other distinctive character or
161
designation, that distinguishes the motor vehicle as a for-hire
162
motor vehicle.
163
(b) An additional fee of 50 cents shall be collected on
164
each motor vehicle registration or motor vehicle renewal
165
registration issued in this state in order for all license
166
plates and validation stickers to be fully treated with
167
retroreflection material. The fee shall be deposited into the
168
Highway Safety Operating Trust Fund.
169
(3) (4) The corporation organized under chapter 946 may
170
manufacture license plates , validation stickers, and decals, as
171
well as temporary tags, disabled hang tags, vessel decals, and
172
fuel use decals, for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
173
Vehicles as provided in this chapter and chapter 327. The
174
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is not required
175
to obtain competitive bids in order to contract with the
176
corporation.
177
(4) (5) The department may conduct a pilot program to
178
evaluate the designs, concepts, and technologies for alternative
179
license plates. For purposes of the pilot program, the
180
department shall investigate the feasibility and use of
181
alternative license plate technologies and the long-term cost
182
impact to the consumer. The pilot program shall be limited to
183
license plates that are used on government-owned motor vehicles
184
as described in s. 320.0655. Such license plates are exempt from
185
the requirements in paragraph (2)(a) (3)(a) .
186
(5) (6) All license plates issued pursuant to this chapter
187
are the property of the state.
188
Section 2. Section 320.08035, Florida Statutes, is amended
189
to read:
190
320.08035 Persons who have disabilities; reduced dimension
191
license plate.—The owner or lessee of a motorcycle, moped, or
192
motorized disability access vehicle who resides in this state
193
and qualifies for a parking permit for a person who has a
194
disability under s. 320.0848, upon application and payment of
195
the appropriate license tax and fees under s. 320.08(1), must be
196
issued a license plate that has reduced dimensions as provided
197
under s. 320.06(2)(a) s. 320.06(3)(a) . The plate must be stamped
198
with the international symbol of accessibility after the numeric
199
and alpha serial number of the license plate. The plate entitles
200
the person to all privileges afforded by a disabled parking
201
permit issued under s. 320.0848.
202
Section 3. Subsection (4) of section 320.0807, Florida
203
Statutes, is amended to read:
204
320.0807 Special license plates for Governor and federal
205
and state legislators.—
206
(4) License plates purchased under subsection (1),
207
subsection (2), or subsection (3) shall be replaced by the
208
department at no cost, other than the fees required under ss.
209
320.04 and 320.06(2)(b) ss. 320.04 and 320.06(3)(b) , when the
210
person to whom the plates have been issued leaves the elective
211
office with respect to which the license plates were issued.
212
Within 30 days after leaving office, the person to whom the
213
license plates have been issued must apply to the department for
214
a replacement license plate. The person may return the prestige
215
license plates to the department or retain the plates as
216
souvenirs. Upon receipt of the replacement license plate, the
217
person may not display on any vehicle the prestige license plate
218
or plates issued with respect to his or her former office.
219
Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section
220
320.084, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
221
320.084 Free motor vehicle license plate to certain
222
disabled veterans.—
223
(4)
224
(b) There shall be a service charge in accordance with the
225
provisions of s. 320.04 for each initial application or renewal
226
of registration and an additional sum of 50 cents on each
227
license plate and validation sticker as provided in s.
228
320.06(2)(b) s. 320.06(3)(b) .
229
Section 5. Section 320.102, Florida Statutes, is amended to
230
read:
231
320.102 Marine boat trailers owned by nonprofit
232
organizations; exemptions.—The registration or renewal of a
233
registration of any marine boat trailer owned and operated by a
234
nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal income tax
235
under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and which is
236
used exclusively in carrying out its customary nonprofit
237
activities is exempt from paying the fees, taxes, surcharges,
238
and charges in ss. 320.03(5), (6), and (9), 320.031(2),
239
320.04(1), 320.06(1)(b) and (2)(b) (3)(b) , 320.0801, 320.0802,
240
320.0804, and 320.08046.
241
Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.