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Florida Statute 320.38 - Full Text and Legal Analysis Florida Statute 320.38 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Fla. Stat. § 320.38 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
320.38 When nonresident exemption not allowed.The provisions of s. 320.37 authorizing the operation of motor vehicles over the roads of this state by nonresidents of this state when such vehicles are duly registered or licensed under the laws of some other state or foreign country do not apply to any nonresident who accepts employment or engages in any trade, profession, or occupation in this state, except a nonresident migrant or seasonal farm worker as defined in s. 316.003. In every case in which a nonresident, except a nonresident migrant or seasonal farm worker as defined in s. 316.003, accepts employment or engages in any trade, profession, or occupation in this state or enters his or her children to be educated in the public schools of this state, such nonresident shall, within 10 days after the commencement of such employment or education, register his or her motor vehicles in this state if such motor vehicles are proposed to be operated on the roads of this state. Any person who is enrolled as a student in a college or university and who is a nonresident but who is in this state for a period of up to 6 months engaged in a work-study program for which academic credits are earned from a college whose credits or degrees are accepted for credit by at least three accredited institutions of higher learning, as defined in s. 1005.02, is not required to have a Florida registration for the duration of the work-study program if the person’s vehicle is properly registered in another jurisdiction. Any nonresident who is enrolled as a full-time student in such institution of higher learning is also exempt for the duration of such enrollment.
History.s. 6, ch. 7275, 1917; s. 1, ch. 7737, 1918; RGS 1011; s. 5, ch. 8410, 1921; s. 3, ch. 10182, 1925; CGL 1285; s. 3, ch. 15625, 1931; s. 3, ch. 16085, 1933; s. 1, ch. 19252, 1939; s. 1, ch. 69-153; s. 1, ch. 69-156; s. 2, ch. 82-112; s. 51, ch. 83-318; s. 28, ch. 91-221; s. 363, ch. 95-148; s. 6, ch. 97-218; s. 966, ch. 2002-387; s. 5, ch. 2006-81; s. 75, ch. 2016-239.

Civil Citations under F.S. 320.38

Driver's license points · R = revocation · S = suspension
§320.38NONRESIDENT TAG EXEMPTION not allowed.

Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 320.38

M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd
§320.38PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESVIOL NONRESIDENT EXEMPTION FROM REGISM · 2nd

Cases Citing F.S. 320.38

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·State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. v. Duckworth, 648 F.3d 1216 (11th Cir. 2011).

Cited 8 times | Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 16808, 2011 WL 3505267

...vehicles in Florida, State Farm could have logically viewed that act as one of convenience rather than a declaration of their intent to become permanent Florida citizens.15 15 That conclusion jibes with the thrust of Fla. Stat. § 320.38, which requires that any individual who accepts employment in Florida register his vehicles with the State motor vehicles department within ten days of beginning work. Because the Duckworths did not register their motor vehicles with Florida in accordance with § 320.38, a reasonable observer might have 27 Moreover, are more importantly, the Duckworths had rejected an opportunity to purchase Florida coverage when it was offered to them by Banks and instead chose to renew their Maryland policies with Whiting....
0 red0 yellow19 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2025)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2024)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2024)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Epperson v. Dixie Ins. Co., 461 So. 2d 172 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984).

Cited 5 times | Published | Florida 1st District Court of Appeal

...cient period of time to subject its owner to the security requirements of section 627.733. Accordingly, the court below did not err in the construction and application of the statute. *175 Dixie contends, alternatively, that Epperson was required by section 320.38(1), [2] to register and license his pickup truck in Florida within ten days after he had begun work here and that Epperson was, therefore, required by section 627.733(1) [3] to obtain no-fault insurance, including PIP coverage, regardless of the application of section 627.733(2)....
...Since Epperson failed to have the required insurance, Dixie argues, he is precluded from recovering PIP benefits from Dixie. Epperson responds to this argument by citing section 320.39, Florida Statutes (1981), [4] which authorizes reciprocal agreements for nonresident exemption from the provisions of section 320.38....
...above because it was not presented to the trial court below. We note, however, that Dixie's motion for summary judgment did not specify, as one of the grounds supporting relief, Epperson's failure to register the pickup truck in Florida pursuant to section 320.38....
...mmary judgment for appellee is AFFIRMED. SMITH and BARFIELD, JJ., concur. NOTES [1] Section 627.730, et seq., Florida Statutes (1983). This act was formerly known as the "Florida Automobile Reparations Reform Act." § 627.730, Fla. Stat. (1981). [2] Section 320.38(1), Florida Statutes (1981), reads as follows: The provisions of law authorizing the operation of motor vehicles over the highways of the state by nonresidents of this state, when such vehicles are duly registered or licensed under the...
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Review deniedIn Re Naturally Beautiful Nails, Inc. (2001)
phrase: "review denied"
Review deniedSeymour (1994)
phrase: "review denied"
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Progressive Specialty Ins. Co. v. Florida Hosp. Ocala, Inc. D/B/A Adventhealth Ocala A/A/O Sandra Thomas (Fla. 6th DCA 2024).

Published | Florida 6th District Court of Appeal

...Thus, nonresident visitors who drive their cars in the state do not immediately become subject to Florida car registration requirements. But a nonresident car owner who works in Florida or enrolls a child in a Florida public school loses the nonresident exemption and must register any car used in Florida. § 320.38, Fla....
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Albritton v. Hoyt, 11 So. 2d 474 (Fla. 1943).

Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 152 Fla. 332, 1943 Fla. LEXIS 906

vehicle without having the proper license plate. Section 320.38 requires a non resident operator to procure
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State Farm Mut. v. Anna N. Duckworth (11th Cir. 2011).

Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

...vehicles in Florida, State Farm could have logically viewed that act as one of convenience rather than a declaration of their intent to become permanent Florida citizens.15 15 That conclusion jibes with the thrust of Fla. Stat. § 320.38, which requires that any individual who accepts employment in Florida register his vehicles with the State motor vehicles department within ten days of beginning work. Because the Duckworths did not register their motor vehicles with Florida in accordance with § 320.38, a reasonable observer might have 27 Moreover, and more importantly, the Duckworths had rejected an opportunity to purchase Florida coverage when it was offered to them by Banks and instead chose to renew their Maryland policies with Whiting....
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State Farm Mut. v. Anna N. Duckworth (11th Cir. 2011).

Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

...vehicles in Florida, State Farm could have logically viewed that act as one of convenience rather than a declaration of their intent to become permanent Florida citizens.15 15 That conclusion jibes with the thrust of Fla. Stat. § 320.38, which requires that any individual who accepts employment in Florida register his vehicles with the State motor vehicles department within ten days of beginning work. Because the Duckworths did not register their motor vehicles with Florida in accordance with § 320.38, a reasonable observer might have 27 Moreover, are more importantly, the Duckworths had rejected an opportunity to purchase Florida coverage when it was offered to them by Banks and instead chose to renew their Maryland policies with Whiting....

This Florida statute resource is curated by Florida Bar member Graham W. Syfert, a Jacksonville, Florida personal injury and workers' compensation attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.