A practical checklist based on the current HSMV 86056 application and official Florida sources. Confirm your license type and proposed location with FLHSMV before committing money.
State fees are fixed; the ranges below are not government fees or vendor quotes. Insurance, bond, training, fingerprints, local approvals, and premises depend on the applicant and provider.
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Initial state application | $300 | Statutory first-year fee |
| Optional second license year | $75 | Two-year state total: $375 |
| Approved pre-license training | $75–$300 planning range | Compare approved schools; not a state-set fee |
| State and federal fingerprints | $50–$100 per person planning range | Actual provider cost; each required officer |
| $25,000 surety-bond coverage | $100–$1,000+ annual planning range | Premium depends on credit and underwriting; you do not pay $25,000 |
| Dealer insurance | $2,000–$6,000+ annual planning range | Coverage, history, plates, inventory, and operations affect the quote |
| Entity, name, and local registrations | $125–$500+ planning range | Depends on structure, county, and city |
| Office, zoning, sign, and display area | Highly variable | Rent, deposits, permits, and buildout are often the largest cost |
A practical planning budget for the application, training, one person's fingerprints, bond premium, insurance, and basic registrations is approximately $2,650–$8,200+. This excludes rent, deposit, buildout, signage, inventory, dealer plates, working capital, and unusually high insurance or bond costs.
There is no single statewide total. After adding deposits, rent, zoning, permits, office setup, signage, and display space, plan for several thousand dollars more. Seek preliminary FLHSMV location approval and written quotes before signing a long lease.
Decide whether you will operate as an independent, wholesale, auction, salvage, or another dealer classification. The license type affects both your application documents and permitted activity.
Review the classifications on HSMV 86056 before forming the business or signing a location.The original-license checklist requires a copy of a dealer training course completion document.
Use a provider approved for your classification and apply while the completion document remains valid.Create your LLC, corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship and register any applicable fictitious name through Sunbiz.
Keep the legal business name consistent across the application, lease, bond, insurance, and tax registration.Request the Employer Identification Number directly from the IRS. The IRS does not charge to issue an EIN.
Avoid look-alike commercial sites that charge merely to submit the application.The application requires you to certify that the office is adequately equipped, is not a residence, provides sufficient space, and that motor-vehicle dealing is the principal business at the location.
Speak with the applicable FLHSMV regional examiner before signing a long lease. Office, display, signage, zoning, and access requirements depend on classification and approval.Businesses selling taxable goods must register to collect, report, and remit Florida sales and use tax before conducting business.
Florida’s online business-tax application helps determine which accounts are required.Each new officer listed in the applicable sections of HSMV 86056 must submit state and federal electronic fingerprints through an authorized provider.
Keep the receipt and follow the agency instructions for the correct ORI.The application requires an original surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit using a Division of Motorist Services form. The listed motor-vehicle dealer bond amount is $25,000.
The bond amount is coverage; the premium you pay depends on the provider’s underwriting.For applicable classifications, HSMV 86056 calls for at least $25,000 combined single-limit liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage plus $10,000 personal injury protection.
The certificate must also include the authorized number of dealer plates. Some classifications have different rules or exemptions.Submit the completed application, fee, identification, lease or ownership proof, fingerprints, training document, bond or letter of credit, insurance, and applicable business documents.
Use the attachment list in the current form revision and confirm delivery instructions with the responsible regional office.Check each item as you complete it. Use your browser’s print command to save this checklist as a PDF.
The current HSMV 86056 lists a $300 fee for motor-vehicle dealers. Training, fingerprints, bond, insurance, business formation, and location costs are separate.
As a planning range, budget approximately $2,650–$8,200+ before rent, deposits, buildout, signage, inventory, and working capital. This is an estimate, not a government fee or vendor quote; confirm every component.
Usually no. $25,000 is the bond’s coverage amount. Your premium depends on the bond provider and underwriting. A qualifying irrevocable letter of credit may also be an option.
HSMV 86056 requires the applicant to certify that the office is not a residence. Confirm any proposed location with the applicable regional office before signing a lease.
You must maintain compliant sales, title, tax, and dealer records. 17digit lets a new dealer prepare the first deal jacket free and then charges $9.99 per completed deal with no monthly subscription.
Enter the VIN, buyer, and deal once. Your first deal jacket is free; after that, pay $9.99 per completed deal.
Create my first packet free →Educational information only—not legal, tax, insurance, or licensing advice. Forms, rules, and regional practices can change. Confirm the current revision and requirements for your classification directly with FLHSMV and the relevant agencies before filing or spending money.