Driving a Truck to Florida for Repairs or to Pick Up a New One: When You Don't Need a Florida Trip Permit

Driving a Truck to Florida for Repairs or to Pick Up a New One: When You Don't Need a Florida Trip Permit

Table Of Contents

• Introduction

• The Short Answer

• What Florida Law Says

• The Four Conditions You Must Meet

• Example Trips That Qualify

• Example Trips That Don't Qualify

• What About the New Truck Leaving Florida?

• Other Credentials Still Apply

• Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Why Many Trucking Companies Choose Our Service

• FAQ

Introduction

Florida has plenty of truck dealers, body shops, and engine specialists. Out-of-state owners often drive into the state to have a tractor rebuilt, to collect a truck after warranty work, or to pick up a newly purchased truck from a dealer in Jacksonville, Orlando, or Miami.

On trips like these, the truck isn't earning money. It's just going to a shop or a dealer. So does it still need a Florida Trip Permit? Florida law has a specific answer, and it comes with conditions that are easy to break by accident. This guide explains when the exemption applies and when it doesn't.

The Short Answer

In some cases, no. Section 320.0715(5), Florida Statutes, says the International Registration Plan (IRP) rules in that section do not apply to an out-of-state commercial motor vehicle that enters Florida solely to bring a commercial vehicle in for repairs or to pick up a newly purchased commercial vehicle, as long as the truck is operated by its owner and is not hauling a load.

If any one of those conditions isn't met, the normal rules apply, and a truck that isn't apportioned for Florida will need a Florida Trip Permit.

What Florida Law Says

Section 320.0715 covers IRP registration and trip permits in Florida. Subsection (5) reads:

"The provisions of this section do not apply to any commercial motor vehicle domiciled in a foreign state that enters this state solely for the purpose of bringing a commercial vehicle in for repairs, or picking up a newly purchased commercial vehicle, so long as the commercial motor vehicle is operated by its owner and is not hauling a load."

Under subsection (2) of the same section, a Florida Trip Permit is valid for 10 days and allows a vehicle to operate in interstate or intrastate commerce in Florida during that time. The repair and pickup exemption is a narrow exception to that system.

The Four Conditions You Must Meet

To use the exemption, every one of these must be true:

1. The truck is based outside Florida. The law covers a commercial motor vehicle "domiciled in a foreign state," meaning another state or country.

2. The trip is only for repairs or a new-truck pickup. The word "solely" matters. If the trip has any other business purpose, the exemption doesn't fit.

3. The owner is driving. The vehicle must be operated by its owner. A hired driver or a carrier's employee doesn't meet this wording.

4. There's no load. The truck can't haul freight on the way in or on the way out.

If you're unsure about any of the four, treat the trip as a normal one and get a Florida Trip Permit before the truck enters the state.

Example Trips That Qualify

Here are trips that fit the wording of the law:

• An owner-operator from Georgia drives an empty tractor to a Tampa shop for an engine overhaul and drives it home after.

• A small fleet owner from Alabama drives one of their own trucks, bobtail, to a Florida dealer to pick up a newly purchased truck.

• An owner from South Carolina brings a truck to a Florida body shop after an accident, with no trailer and no cargo.

In each case, the owner drives, and nothing is hauled.

Example Trips That Don't Qualify

These trips fall outside the exemption:

• Hauling a load to Florida and dropping the truck at a shop. The truck was hauling a load, so the trip wasn't solely for repairs.

• Picking up a backhaul after repairs. Once the truck hauls freight, the exemption ends.

• A company driver taking the truck to the shop. The law requires the vehicle to be operated by its owner.

• A Florida-based truck. The exemption is only for vehicles domiciled in another state.

For any of these, the truck needs IRP registration that includes Florida or a Florida Trip Permit.

What About the New Truck Leaving Florida?

The exemption covers the vehicle that enters Florida to pick up the new truck. It does not register the newly purchased truck. Before the new truck is driven out of Florida, make sure it has proper registration or a temporary credential from your base state, the dealer, or the state where it will be registered.

If the new truck is going to haul a load before it gets permanent plates, plan for a Florida Trip Permit or other credentials for that move.

Other Credentials Still Apply

Subsection (5) only says that the IRP rules in Section 320.0715 don't apply. It doesn't remove every other requirement. Before the trip, check:

• Fuel tax credentials, such as IFTA or a Florida fuel permit.

• Federal requirements, such as your USDOT number, insurance, and driver qualifications.

• Size and weight limits, if the truck is oversize or overweight.

• Your own state's registration, which must be current.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Picking up "just one load" while in Florida. Hauling a load ends the exemption.

• Sending a hired driver. The owner must operate the truck.

• Mixing errands. The trip must be solely for repairs or a new-truck pickup.

• Forgetting the new truck. The exemption doesn't register the truck you buy.

• Not keeping paperwork. Carry the repair order or purchase agreement so you can show the purpose of the trip.

Why Many Trucking Companies Choose Our Service

Florida Trucking Online helps owners figure out whether a repair or pickup trip fits the exemption or needs a Florida Trip Permit. If the trip includes a load or a hired driver, we can get the permit ready before your truck reaches the state line.

• Trip permit: $105

• Fuel permit: $120

• Oversize permit: $97

We provide support 24/7 and also work weekends and holidays.

or

FAQ

• Do I need a Florida Trip Permit to drive my truck to a Florida repair shop?

  Not if the truck is based outside Florida, you drive it yourself, it isn't hauling a load, and the trip is solely for repairs, under Section 320.0715(5).

• Does the exemption cover picking up a new truck?

  Yes, for the vehicle that enters Florida to pick it up, under the same conditions. The new truck still needs its own registration.

• Can my company driver use the exemption?

  The law requires the vehicle to be operated by its owner.

• What if I haul a load home after the repair?

  The exemption no longer applies, and you'll need a Florida Trip Permit or IRP registration that includes Florida.

• How long is a Florida Trip Permit valid?

  Ten days, under Section 320.0715(2).

For more information, visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.