State guide — Florida
Any person who buys, sells, or deals in three or more motor vehicles in any 12-month period, or who offers or displays for sale three or more motor vehicles in any 12-month period, is prima facie presumed to be a motor vehicle dealer engaged in the business, and a dealer license is required (Fla. Stat. § 320.27).
Any person who buys, sells, or deals in three or more motor vehicles in any 12-month period, or who offers or displays for sale three or more motor vehicles in any 12-month period, is prima facie presumed to be a motor vehicle dealer engaged in the business, and a dealer license is required (Fla. Stat. § 320.27).
The count is only half the law. Whatever your number, three things turn a private seller into an unlicensed dealer in practice: buying vehicles mainly to resell them, advertising or holding yourself out as a seller, and selling vehicles that were never titled in your name. That last one — title jumping — is illegal on its own in nearly every state, at any count, and it is the violation unlicensed sellers are actually caught on.
Violation of § 320.27 is a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in §§ 775.082 / 775.083 (§ 320.27(8)).
Source: Fla. Stat. § 320.27 (Motor vehicle dealers) · Checked October 18, 2026. Verified against the primary state source during our build.
A license is not a punishment — it is the key to dealer auctions, dealer plates, and selling without counting cars. Florida is one of the eight states in our deep dataset: see the license types, the itemized Year-1 cost, and the step order on the Florida dealer license page, or run the License Path Checker.
One payment, yours to keep. The Playbook is a navigation guide — it is not the state-approved course (where your state requires one, it walks you to the approved providers).
The Am I Legal? checker applies Florida's rule to your actual count, titling, and intent — in your browser, with nothing sent anywhere.
Up to 2 vehicles in a 12-month period, under the rule cited on this page. Any person who buys, sells, or deals in three or more motor vehicles in any 12-month period, or who offers or displays for sale three or more motor vehicles in any 12-month period, is prima facie presumed to be a motor vehicle dealer engaged in the business, and a dealer license is required (Fla. Stat. § 320.27).
Violation of § 320.27 is a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in §§ 775.082 / 775.083 (§ 320.27(8)).
The rule is cited on this page to Fla. Stat. § 320.27 (Motor vehicle dealers). The licensing authority is Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) — Bureau of Dealer Services. Figures checked October 18, 2026.