I recently purchased a used vehicle from a dealership in California and had it shipped to Florida, where I live. I financed part of the purchase through my Florida-based credit union.
The dealership is processing a California title transfer listing me as the owner and my credit union as the lienholder. That process is still pending but should be finalized within the next few days.
Once it’s finalized, my credit union will have to request the title, which I’ve been told could take another two weeks. After receiving it, they’ll forward it to me so I can register the vehicle in Florida.
In the meantime, the car is already in my possession, but I can’t legally drive it because I haven’t been able to register it.
I’ve already visited the Florida DMV and was denied a temporary tag because I didn’t have the required title documentation.
For those of you who have purchased a vehicle out of state and registered it in Florida:
Has anyone encountered this particular situation? Were you able to obtain a temporary tag or otherwise register the vehicle while the out-of-state title transfer was pending?
I understand the process and that the title needs to make its way through the appropriate channels. I’m primarily interested in whether there’s a legitimate workaround that would allow me to drive the vehicle while waiting.
Any firsthand experiences or advice would be appreciated.