Florida Statutes
Fla. Stat. § 319.33 (2025)
Offenses involving vehicle identification numbers, applications, certificates, papers; penalty.
✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session
Find cases:
SyfertCases citing this section
FL-LEGleg.state.fl.us
JustiaFla. Statutes
CornellLII Search
CasesGoogle Scholar
319.33 Offenses involving vehicle identification numbers, applications, certificates, papers; penalty.—
(1) It is unlawful:
(a) To alter or forge any certificate of title to a motor vehicle or mobile home or any assignment thereof or any cancellation of any lien on a motor vehicle or mobile home.
(b) To retain or use such certificate, assignment, or cancellation knowing that it has been altered or forged.
(c) To procure or attempt to procure a certificate of title to a motor vehicle or mobile home, or pass or attempt to pass a certificate of title or any assignment thereof to a motor vehicle or mobile home, knowing or having reason to believe that such motor vehicle or mobile home has been stolen.
(d) To possess, sell or offer for sale, conceal, or dispose of in this state a motor vehicle or mobile home, or major component part thereof, on which any motor number or vehicle identification number that has been affixed by the manufacturer or by a state agency, such as the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which regulates motor vehicles has been destroyed, removed, covered, altered, or defaced, with knowledge of such destruction, removal, covering, alteration, or defacement, except as provided in s. 319.30(4).
(e) To use a false or fictitious name, give a false or fictitious address, or make any false statement in any application or affidavit required under the provisions of this chapter or in a bill of sale or sworn statement of ownership or otherwise commit a fraud in any application.
(2) It is unlawful for any person knowingly to obtain goods, services, credit, or money by means of an invalid, duplicate, fictitious, forged, counterfeit, stolen, or unlawfully obtained certificate of title, registration, bill of sale, or other indicia of ownership of a motor vehicle or mobile home.
(3) It is unlawful for any person knowingly to obtain goods, services, credit, or money by means of a certificate of title to a motor vehicle or mobile home, which certificate is required by law to be surrendered to the department.
(4) It is unlawful for any person knowingly and with intent to defraud to have in his or her possession, sell, offer to sell, counterfeit, or supply a blank, forged, fictitious, counterfeit, stolen, or fraudulently or unlawfully obtained certificate of title, registration, bill of sale, or other indicia of ownership of a motor vehicle or mobile home or to conspire to do any of the foregoing.
(5) It is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to knowingly possess, manufacture, sell or exchange, offer to sell or exchange, supply in blank, or give away any counterfeit manufacturer’s or state-assigned identification number plates or serial plates or any decal used for the purpose of identification of any motor vehicle; or for any officer, agent, or employee of any person, firm, or corporation, or any person who shall authorize, direct, aid in exchange, or give away such counterfeit manufacturer’s or state-assigned identification number plates or serial plates or any decal; or conspire to do any of the foregoing. However, nothing in this subsection shall be applicable to any approved replacement manufacturer’s or state-assigned identification number plates or serial plates or any decal issued by the department or any state.
(6) Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. Any motor vehicle used in violation of this section shall constitute contraband which may be seized by a law enforcement agency and shall be subject to forfeiture proceedings pursuant to ss. 932.701-932.704. This section is not exclusive of any other penalties prescribed by any existing or future laws for the larceny or unauthorized taking of motor vehicles or mobile homes, but is supplementary thereto.
(7)(a) If all identifying numbers of a motor vehicle or mobile home do not exist or have been destroyed, removed, covered, altered, or defaced, or if the real identity of the motor vehicle or mobile home cannot be determined, the motor vehicle or mobile home shall constitute contraband and shall be subject to forfeiture by a seizing law enforcement agency, pursuant to applicable provisions of ss. 932.701-932.704. Such motor vehicle shall not be operated on the streets and highways of the state unless, by written order of a court of competent jurisdiction, the department is directed to assign to the vehicle a replacement vehicle identification number which shall thereafter be used for identification purposes. If the motor vehicle is confiscated from a licensed motor vehicle dealer as defined in s. 320.27, the dealer’s license shall be revoked.
(b) If all numbers or other identifying marks manufactured on a major component part have been altered, defaced, destroyed, or otherwise removed for the purpose of concealing the identity of the major component part, the part shall constitute contraband and shall be subject to forfeiture by a seizing law enforcement agency, pursuant to applicable provisions of ss. 932.701-932.704. Any major component part forfeited under this subsection shall be destroyed or disposed of in a manner so as to make it unusable.
History.—s. 14, ch. 23658, 1947; s. 1, ch. 69-9; ss. 24, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 190, ch. 71-136; s. 18, ch. 82-134; s. 1, ch. 85-155; s. 20, ch. 87-243; s. 5, ch. 90-283; s. 347, ch. 95-148; s. 96, ch. 99-13; s. 258, ch. 99-248; s. 114, ch. 2002-20; s. 12, ch. 2002-235.
Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 319.33
M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd§319.33(1a)FORGERY OFMTR VEH MOBILE HOME TITLE LIEN CANCELLATION
§319.33(1b)PASS FORGEDUSE MTR VEH ETC TITLE LIEN CANCELLATION
§319.33(1b)POSSESS FORGEDRETAIN MTR VEH ETC TITLE LIEN CANCELLATION
§319.33(1c)FRAUDPROCURE OR PASS TITLE ON STOLEN VEHICLE
§319.33(1d)PASS FORGEDSELL VEHICLE WITH ALTERED NUMBERS
§319.33(1d)PROPERTY CRIMESPOSSESS VEHICLE WITH ALTERED NUMBERS
§319.33(1e)FRAUD-FALSE STATEMENTMAKE FALSE STATEMENT IN TITLE APPLIC/AFFADAVIT
§319.33(2)FRAUDOBTAIN GOODS ETC WITH INVALID VEHICLE TITLE
§319.33(3)FRAUDOBTAIN GOODS ETC BY NON SURRENDERED TITLE
§319.33(4)PASS FORGEDSELL FORGED MOTOR VEHICLE TITLE ETC
§319.33(4)PASS COUNTERFEITEDSELL COUNTERFEIT MOTOR VEHICLE TITLE ETC
§319.33(4)POSSESS FORGEDMTR VEH TITLE REGISTRATION BILL OF SALE ETC
§319.33(4)POSSESS COUNTERFEITEDMTR VEH TITLE REGISTRATION BILL OF SALE ETC
§319.33(4)FRAUDPOSSESS BLANK FRAUD OBTAINED MTR VEH TITLE ETC
§319.33(4)FRAUDSELL BLANK FRAUD OBTAINED MTR VEH TITLE ETC
§319.33(4)SALE OF STOLEN PROPSELL STOLEN MTR VEH TITLE/REGIS/BILL OF SALE
§319.33(4)POSSESS STOLEN PROPPOSS STOLEN MTR VEH TITLE/REGIS/BILL OF SALE
§319.33(4)STOLEN PROP-DEAL INMTR VEH TITLE REGISTRATION BILL OF SALE ETC
§319.33(4)COUNTERFEITING OFMTR VEH TITLE REGISTRATION BILL OF SALE ETC
§319.33(5)POSSESS COUNTERFEITEDMTR VEH IDENTIFICATION NUMBER PLATES OR DECAL
§319.33(5)COUNTERFEITING OFMTR VEH IDENTIFICATION NUMBER PLATES OR DECAL
§319.33(5)PASS COUNTERFEITEDSELL SUPPLY BLANK MTR VEH ID NUMB PLATE DECAL
Civil Citations under F.S. 319.33
Driver's license points · R = revocation · S = suspension§319.33(4)REGISTRATION - Possession of a COUNTERFEIT/FICTITIOUS motor vehicle registration
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 33
cases, 1969–2019 · leading case: State v. Copher, 395 So. 2d 635 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981).
State v. Copher, 395 So. 2d 635 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981). “" Section 319.33 provides: (1) It is unlawful: (a) To alter or forge any certificate of title to a motor vehicle or any assignment thereof or any cancellation of any liens on a motor vehicle; (b) To hold or use such certificate, assignment, or cancellation knowing the same to…”
Jackson v. State, 736 So. 2d 77 (Fla. 4th DCA 1999). “Section 319.33(1)(d), Florida Statutes (1997), makes it unlawful to "possess.”
City of St. Petersburg Beach v. Jewell, 489 So. 2d 78 (Fla. 2d DCA 1986). “33(4) may further indicate that that conduct was not meant by the legislature to be encompassed within section 319.”
Stark v. State, 316 So. 2d 586 (Fla. 4th DCA 1975). “However, the evidence adduced at her jury trial for the alleged violation of Fla. Stat. § 319.33 (1)(d) (1971) [1] was insufficient to show that at the time she sold the stolen automobile she had knowledge of the alteration of the vehicle identification number.”
City of Sweetwater v. Zaldivar, 559 So. 2d 660 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990). “The City then filed a complaint for forfeiture alleging that Zaldi-var had sought title to the car using the false name Florido Mendez in violation of section 319.33 and that, pursuant to section 319.”
Troyer v. State, 610 So. 2d 530 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992). “" The body of the information, however, charged a violation of section 319.33, Florida Statutes, a statute pertaining to certificates of title, and alleges that Troyer "did make application for title and/or registration and in the course of said application [knowingly] used a…”
Jalbert v. State, 366 So. 2d 1207 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979). “He contends first that he could not properly have been convicted of uttering a forgery (a) because a motor vehicle certificate of title is not an instrument covered by §§ 831.”
Ellis v. State, 714 So. 2d 1160 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998). “The information filed against the defendant was captioned "Obtaining A License Tag By Fraud," but the body of the information charged a violation of section 319.33, Florida Statutes, which proscribed obtaining certificates of title by fraud.”
Davis v. State, 445 So. 2d 627 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984). “33(1)(e), Florida Statutes (1981), which provides in pertinent part: (1) It is unlawful: * * * * * * (e) To use a false or fictitious name, give a false or fictitious address, or make any false statement in any application or affidavit required under the provisions of this law…”
Evans v. State, 737 So. 2d 1167 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999). “…part, and remanded. BLUE, A.C.J., and GREEN and CASANUEVA, JJ., Concur. NOTES [1] § 812.13(b), Fla. Stat. (1995). [2] § 319.33(d), Fla. Stat. (1995).”
State v. Marrero, 890 So. 2d 1278 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005). “135(1)(b)(1)(c), Florida Statutes (1997); selling or possessing a motor vehicle with altered vehicle identification numbers, a violation of section 319.33(1)(d), Florida Statutes (1997); and possession of drug paraphernalia, a violation of section 893.”
City of Margate v. Singh, 778 So. 2d 1080 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001). “The City impounded the vehicle and, even though a teletype check showed the owner of the repair shop to be the owner, and the VINs to be consistent with the title, the City filed a complaint for forfeiture based on a violation of section 319.”
— 319.33(1) — 2 cases
State v. Copher, 395 So. 2d 635 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981). “" Section 319.33 provides: (1) It is unlawful: (a) To alter or forge any certificate of title to a motor vehicle or any assignment thereof or any cancellation of any liens on a motor vehicle; (b) To hold or use such certificate, assignment, or cancellation knowing the same to…”
Elliott v. State, 414 So. 2d 649 (Fla. 2d DCA 1982).
— 319.33(1)(a) — 1 case
Gyulveszi v. State, 805 So. 2d 84 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002).
— 319.33(1)(d) — 6 cases
State v. Copher, 395 So. 2d 635 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981). “" Section 319.33 provides: (1) It is unlawful: (a) To alter or forge any certificate of title to a motor vehicle or any assignment thereof or any cancellation of any liens on a motor vehicle; (b) To hold or use such certificate, assignment, or cancellation knowing the same to…”
Jackson v. State, 736 So. 2d 77 (Fla. 4th DCA 1999). “Section 319.33(1)(d), Florida Statutes (1997), makes it unlawful to "possess.”
State v. Marrero, 890 So. 2d 1278 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005). “135(1)(b)(1)(c), Florida Statutes (1997); selling or possessing a motor vehicle with altered vehicle identification numbers, a violation of section 319.33(1)(d), Florida Statutes (1997); and possession of drug paraphernalia, a violation of section 893.”
City of Margate v. Singh, 778 So. 2d 1080 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001). “The City impounded the vehicle and, even though a teletype check showed the owner of the repair shop to be the owner, and the VINs to be consistent with the title, the City filed a complaint for forfeiture based on a violation of section 319.”
Cooper v. State, 585 So. 2d 489 (Fla. 5th DCA 1991).
— 319.33(1)(e) — 7 cases
State v. Copher, 395 So. 2d 635 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981). “" Section 319.33 provides: (1) It is unlawful: (a) To alter or forge any certificate of title to a motor vehicle or any assignment thereof or any cancellation of any liens on a motor vehicle; (b) To hold or use such certificate, assignment, or cancellation knowing the same to…”
Davis v. State, 445 So. 2d 627 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984). “33(1)(e), Florida Statutes (1981), which provides in pertinent part: (1) It is unlawful: * * * * * * (e) To use a false or fictitious name, give a false or fictitious address, or make any false statement in any application or affidavit required under the provisions of this law…”
State v. Nuckolls, 677 So. 2d 12 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996).
State v. James, 543 So. 2d 288 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989).
City of St. Petersburg Beach v. Jewell, 489 So. 2d 78 (Fla. 2d DCA 1986). “33(4) may further indicate that that conduct was not meant by the legislature to be encompassed within section 319.”
— 319.33(2) — 1 case
Jalbert v. State, 366 So. 2d 1207 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979). “He contends first that he could not properly have been convicted of uttering a forgery (a) because a motor vehicle certificate of title is not an instrument covered by §§ 831.”
— 319.33(4) — 1 case
City of St. Petersburg Beach v. Jewell, 489 So. 2d 78 (Fla. 2d DCA 1986). “33(4) may further indicate that that conduct was not meant by the legislature to be encompassed within section 319.”
— 319.33(5) — 1 case
State v. Copher, 395 So. 2d 635 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981). “" Section 319.33 provides: (1) It is unlawful: (a) To alter or forge any certificate of title to a motor vehicle or any assignment thereof or any cancellation of any liens on a motor vehicle; (b) To hold or use such certificate, assignment, or cancellation knowing the same to…”
— 319.33(6) — 3 cases
City of Sweetwater v. Zaldivar, 559 So. 2d 660 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990). “The City then filed a complaint for forfeiture alleging that Zaldi-var had sought title to the car using the false name Florido Mendez in violation of section 319.33 and that, pursuant to section 319.”
Maria Serret Tejada v. Forfeiture of 2015 Cadillac Escalade Vin No: 1gys4bkj5fr157228, 267 So. 3d 1032 (Fla. 4th DCA 2019).
Rogers v. State, 656 So. 2d 245 (Fla. 5th DCA 1995).
— 319.33(7)(a) — 3 cases
Cochran v. Jones, 707 So. 2d 791 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998).
In Re Forfeiture of 1994 Honda Prelude, 730 So. 2d 334 (Fla. 5th DCA 1999).
Webb v. Dep't of High. Saf., 730 So. 2d 334 (Fla. 5th DCA 1999).
— 319.33(d) — 1 case
Evans v. State, 737 So. 2d 1167 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999). “…part, and remanded. BLUE, A.C.J., and GREEN and CASANUEVA, JJ., Concur. NOTES [1] § 812.13(b), Fla. Stat. (1995). [2] § 319.33(d), Fla. Stat. (1995).”
— 319.33(l)(d) — 4 cases
Cooper v. State, 585 So. 2d 489 (Fla. 5th DCA 1991).
Rogers v. State, 656 So. 2d 245 (Fla. 5th DCA 1995).
K.D.T. v. State, 128 So. 3d 254 (Fla. 2d DCA 2013).
State v. Kennedy, 390 So. 2d 456 (Fla. 2d DCA 1980).
— 319.33(l)(e) — 5 cases
Roberts v. Auto Plan, Inc., 632 So. 2d 642 (Fla. 2d DCA 1994).
City of Sweetwater v. Zaldivar, 559 So. 2d 660 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990). “The City then filed a complaint for forfeiture alleging that Zaldi-var had sought title to the car using the false name Florido Mendez in violation of section 319.33 and that, pursuant to section 319.”
Elliott v. State, 414 So. 2d 649 (Fla. 2d DCA 1982).
Adkins v. State, 576 So. 2d 392 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991).
State v. Nuckolls, 617 So. 2d 724 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.