The short answer
Florida normally wants a title when a car changes hands. If yours is lost, you can get a duplicate. If the car is old and nearly worthless, Florida law lets a licensed salvage dealer buy it as a derelict motor vehicle without a title, using a state form instead.
Option 1: get a duplicate title
- The state fee for a duplicate title is $75.25 (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles fee schedule).
- A fast title, printed the same day where it's offered, adds $10, and a $2.50 service and handling fee applies when a paper title is printed.
- With the title in hand you can sell to anyone: a junkyard, a scrap buyer or a private buyer.
Option 2: sell it as a derelict motor vehicle
Under Florida Statutes section 319.30, a car counts as a derelict motor vehicle when all of these are true:
- It's at least 10 model years old (the model year counts as year one).
- It's worth less than $1,000.
- Its main value is being sold to a licensed salvage motor vehicle dealer or a registered secondary metals recycler for dismantling or scrap.
How the sale works:
- You and the dealer fill out a derelict motor vehicle certificate application at the time of the sale.
- You give the dealer a legible copy of your valid driver license or ID card (Florida or another state's).
- If you aren't the owner of record, you'll also put your right thumbprint on the application, and the dealer has to pay you by check or money order made out to you, not cash.
- The dealer sends the application to the state within 24 hours and has to hold the car at least 3 business days before crushing or dismantling it, or 10 days if there's a loan on it that's less than 3 years old.
A tow company, repair shop or landlord can't sell your car this way unless they hold the title or a certificate of destruction in their own name.
After you sell: protect yourself
Florida law (section 319.22) has the seller notify the state within 30 days of a sale. Doing that limits your liability for what the buyer does with the car afterward.
Watch out for
- Anyone offering cash for a car that isn't yours on paper. The law requires a check or money order made out to the seller in that case.
- Lying on the derelict form or scrapping a car before the waiting period ends is a third-degree felony in Florida.
Find licensed Florida salvage dealers by city →
Common questions
Can you junk a car without a title in Florida?
Yes, if it qualifies as a derelict motor vehicle: at least 10 model years old, worth under $1,000, and sold to a licensed salvage motor vehicle dealer or registered secondary metals recycler. You and the dealer complete a derelict motor vehicle certificate application, and you provide a copy of a valid driver license or ID.
How much is a duplicate title in Florida?
The state fee is $75.25. A fast title adds $10, and there's a $2.50 service and handling fee when a paper title is printed.
How long does a Florida junkyard have to hold a car bought without a title?
At least 3 full business days, or 10 days if the car has an active loan less than 3 years old. The lender can then protest, which puts a 30-day hold on it.
Do I have to tell the state I sold my car in Florida?
Yes. Notify the state within 30 days of the sale. It limits your liability for the car's use after you hand it over.
Checked against official sources on October 29, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the agency or business before you act.