Rat rods are street legal in Florida, and owners must register them with the state of Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (HSMV). A rat rod is a vehicle that is similar to the hot rods from the 1950s and by definition, they are used vehicles. When you buy a used car in Florida, you do not have to visit an HSMV office to complete the title transfer if you buy it from a dealer who has the authorization to issue temporary licenses.
Get a Florida driver's license if you do not already have one. Unlicensed drivers cannot register cars in Florida, and insurance companies do not insure vehicles that unlicensed drivers own.
Obtain insurance on the rat rod. The minimum amount of liability and property damage is $10,000 in Florida. If you have caused a car crash or have other moving offenses, the state may require you to carry bodily injury on the policy as well. If you owe money on a car loan for the rat rod, the person or institution that loaned you the money will require you to carry collision insurance to protect their investment.
Check the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Make sure the VIN matches the VIN on the title to the car.
Make an appointment with your local HSMV office. Many counties in Florida will let you schedule an appointment to register a vehicle if the seller of the rat rod did not register it for you. See Resources for a link to a listing of HSMV offices by county and refer to the last column on the right to determine if the office accepts appointments.
Register the rat rod. Bring the notarized title from the previous owner and proof of insurance. Place the license plate and registration tag on the vehicle as soon as you can so that you are driving the rat rod legally.
