Florida Registration - end of days

[Billy]

Greetings all

 

Nearly two years ago I posted in the hope of getting information of registering a car in Florida. Despite the great advice I was unable to register the car. I registered the car in Montana which was a straightforward process handled by a very helpful company. The reason for this post is to update you with what I think is interesting information.

 

2 weeks ago I decided to transfer the registration of my car to Florida. This would have meant paying sales tax and the conveyancing cost to the Florida tax collector. Again I was thwarted but this time, I received an email from the supervisor of Florida Region 8 office for motor vehicle safety, stating that Caterhams are not eligible for registration in Florida and, that any Caterhams who are currently registered in Florida will have their registrations cancelled. I am sharing this as it may impact other owners.

 

I would be happy to share the email with anyone who may be affected.

 

 

 

[theDreamer]

Why all the hate against Caterhams? How about Lotus 7's which many Caterhams and other brands are registered As?

California is rejecting any car registered in Montana but living in Cali.

[Billy]

The issue in Florida is apparently that Caterham Cars is not recognised by Florida. This is despite the fact that Caterham Cars is listed on the NHTSA as a low volume manufacturer. It doesn’t make any sense at all.

 

When a car is registered in Florida there is a form that needs to be completed by the tax collector’s office. One field that requires filling is that of manufacturer. If they type in Caterham the registration cannot proceed. Clearly some offices use Lotus as a manufacturer and this does and has worked for many. With several cars being issued either a vintage Florida registration or a Florida registration. 
 

other marques like Cobra replicas have experienced issues as Florida vehicle safety employees appear to sometimes accept replicas based on the manufacturer of the original example but sometimes use the manufacturer of the replica. This inconsistency is the cause of the confusion I think and can and does yield different outcomes for different applicants.

 

i personally think it is something Caterham should look into. If they offer cars in Florida they should either work towards a resolution with the state apparatus and be open about the fact they may be illegal to use in the state.

[CBuff]

Maybe reach out to the Florida dealer. I think they just added a new one. They might be able to help and certainly would be interested in the situation

https://waltgracevintage.com/collections/caterham

 

[jeffs]

My car is registered in Florida as a 2013 Caterham.  It was previously registered in Montana.  The whole process seriously couldn't have been any easier.  Went to DMV with the Montana registration and title, they walked out and checked the VIN, and gave me Florida plates.  Been registered here for almost 9 years now. 

 

Never had to do any tax collector paperwork, don't remember them having to do anything either (but it was a while ago).  The DMV I went to (Inverness) is co-located with the county tax collector, but I doubt that was a factor.    

[IamScotticus]

@Billy you're letting the DMV idiots get to you.  You just have to try different offices until you find a non-idiot.

Texas and Florida are close. Maybe @hahuang65 recent experience can help you. There is a big thread on it. Somewhere here...

also there is Sevens and Elans.  Chris there might be of help.

 

 

Edited March 14 by IamScotticus

[wdb]

10 hours ago, IamScotticus said:

You just have to try different offices until you find a non-idiot.

 

This could be a thread starter all by itself. I have an IRS related story involving multiple years, hundreds of printed and mailed pages, and countless hours on hold, that would fit perfectly.

[IamScotticus]

I think a forum top category parsed out by state specific subs is beneficial to the 7 community.

[CBuff]

I defer to the more experienced. But I believe there is some level of vagueness needed to avoid legal entanglements. I believe the Cobra forum had some listings on navigating the DMV (IE gaming the system) which ended up coming back to bite them with a bunch of registrations being revoked. Although I dont have first hand knowledge of this. 

 

There might be a way to keep this on track but may turn into a moderation nightmare. 

 

Navigating the DMV was certainly a stressful aspect of ownership. Sitting with a new seven and fearing you couldn't get it registered in the state you lived in. Or Montana (which seems to be slowly closing the door on out of state registration.

[IamScotticus]

Some people are in positions of public trust that cannot chance "gaming the system" lest they run afoul of the law.

For them, other less difficult autos should be considered.  Which sucks to have to say that.  But, hey, for what you spend on a 7, you could have a very nice TR, MG, or Spit, etc., lots of aftermarket support from Moss, and have 5" under you.

Edited March 14 by IamScotticus

[JohnCh]

Piling on to @CBuff, before anyone checks themselves into jail (literally) let’s remember this is a public forum, which has never supported sharing ideas on how to commit fraud or even skirt along its edges. Every state has its own laws for registering a kit car; some make it easy, some make it impossible, and most fall somewhere in between.

Further complicating the situation, the individuals working at DMV offices are rarely well‑versed in the nuances of their state’s regulations in this area. As a result, they often default to the safest and simplest answer for them: “No.” This is why the advice to visit multiple DMV offices until you find someone who actually understands your state’s laws is both sound and legal. It also means the responsibility is on each of us to do our due diligence and become familiar with the relevant statutes before we show up at an office.

And for those who like to fly a little too close to the sun, think carefully about the risks of publicly discussing your flight plan.

[toldfield]

Well said John.  One thing that hasn't been mentioned is hiring someone to help with DMV.  In my case we had a friend who, as a part of his business, worked with the DMV every day.  His business amounted to if you had an issue with DMV he went to the office and resolved it.  In my case after completing the SB 100 process with the referee my friend made the DMV process very efficient.  He even told them where to find the instructions for how to do their job.  He's gone to the big used car lot in the sky, but I would think that if you asked around you might find a guy in your area who does the same thing.

 

Tom

[IamScotticus]

On 3/14/2026 at 10:44 AM, CBuff said:

I believe there is some level of vagueness needed to avoid legal entanglements.

To piggyback on this, I would clarify "vagueness" by suggesting one stick to a few rules:

 

Don't over-sell the car.  It's a car, they see thousands.  They really don't care about your cars special history or you built it or anything.  If they're a fan and want to know,  oblige, but don't talk too much, show photos instead.

 

Don't talk about previous rejections and problems you're having with titling,  registration, or someone else's situation.  Don't tip them off that you may need more scrutiny.

 

Treat each new DMV office as if it's a completely new application.  If they know it's not, they will have the records.  You don't have to tell them it's your 7th attempt.

 

Don't volunteer info.  Only give what they ask for.

 

Be willing to withdraw your application.  If the visit is going south,  politely excuse yourself with a fake text that the dog got out again and you have to go home.

 

One more thing..

If your scrutinizer is of the opinion that you have a race car, because you've shown them pictures of a 7 with full roll cage, race livery, etc, sorry bud, you've done it to yourself. 

 

 

Edited March 15 by IamScotticus

[hahuang65]

On 3/11/2026 at 11:48 AM, CBuff said:

Maybe reach out to the Florida dealer.

Tacking onto this comment, this is also a dealer in Florida possibly worth reaching out to https://www.christopherjohnltd.com/caterham