Which vehicle forms actually need a notary
The Power of Attorney for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home or Vessel (form HSMV 82053) is the common one: the owner signs it before a notary so somebody else can handle the title work at the tax collector's office.
A plain title transfer does not always need notarization, and county offices differ on what they ask for. Call the office that will receive your paperwork, or ask the dealer, before you book. I would rather you make one appointment than two.
What I notarize most often
- Power of attorney for a motor vehicle, so a relative, a dealer or a title service can act for you.
- Affidavits about a vehicle: lost titles, corrections, odometer statements and similar sworn statements.
- Bills of sale, when the buyer or the insurer wants a notarized one.
- Out-of-state paperwork, where the other state does require a notarized signature.
- Documents signed by an owner who is abroad, through an online session.
Selling privately
A private sale is where people get caught out. The buyer wants the title signed today, the seller wants proof the car is no longer theirs, and both want it done before the money moves.
I can meet you both at the same time — at home, at the office or in a parking lot — so the signatures happen in front of each other and nobody is left holding an unsigned document.
What to bring
- The form, filled in but unsigned.
- Current, government-issued photo ID for every person signing.
- The vehicle identification number and the title number if the form asks for them.
- The full legal name of the person who will act for you, if it is a power of attorney.
What I cannot do
I cannot fill in the form for you, tell you which form your transaction needs, or advise on taxes or liability after the sale. Those answers come from the tax collector's office, the dealer or an attorney. My part is the identity check, the signature and the certificate.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a Florida title transfer have to be notarized?
- Not in every case, and requirements vary by transaction and by county office. The motor vehicle power of attorney does require a notary. Check with the office receiving the paperwork before you book.
- Can the buyer and seller sign at different times?
- Yes, if the form allows it. Each signature is notarized separately, and I can do one today and the other tomorrow.
- I am abroad and my car is in Florida. Can I still sign?
- Yes, through an online session. Many owners handle their vehicle power of attorney that way.
- Can you come to the dealership?
- Yes, anywhere in Lakeland and nearby towns, including evenings and weekends.