Registering Atom in Florida

[rijowysock]

looking to buy a new Atom direct from T.M.I. and curious the process to register in florida? also if i wanted to drive from VA to FL how would i go about that (just have paperwork in vehicle showing it's a new purchase? w/ temp tag?)


currently when i buy cars out of state i just bring them:


Title
Vin #
Mileage
Proof of Insurance


and they register the vehicle for me.


not sure how this would work on Atom, because it does have title/vin/mileage/insurance... but i assume some other stuff in there since it's not "in the system" or would have to be as "kit car"


thank you.

[rijowysock]

this is the only link i have found for "kit cars" in florida.

Florida Registration of Kit Car - FFCars.com : Factory Five Racing Discussion Forum

shows he needed MCO (i assume TMI provides this), proof of insurance, bill of sale. (title w/ vin, im sure TMI provides this as well?). and simply go to DMV and get a new plate or use existing plate and title comes in mail a week later.

[AtomJohnny]

At one stage there were five cars (Atoms) in Florida. Local US owners might be able to put you in touch with one of them.

[bolus]

Its been a while but the Florida owners who have registered have said it was an easy process. One of the easier states to register.

[rijowysock]

Its been a while but the Florida owners who have registered have said it was an easy process. One of the easier states to register.

i guess we'll find out next week, the last record i have of a registration is 2007.. luckily the tax collector where i have to take it is only 2 blocks away and there are private roads the whole way so if i hit any problems i can push it back. LOL

i'm hoping that the DOT inspection goes over well, it does have the following which i think is all a car needs in florida..

-Headlights.
-Taillights.
-Permanently fixed brackets for license plates both front and rear.
-Permanent illumination for rear license plate.
-Side mirrors or a rearview mirror, or all three.
-Seatbelts.
-Windshield glass if applicable, or if no windshield, a helmet must be worn.
-Permanently fixed fuel tank that is not fully exposed.
-Tires that are approved by the DOT to be used on public roads (no racing slicks).
-Must be in good working order.


insurance is 95% done.. just waiting for my temp ID card... and then... finally


now i see why buying a used atom is the same price as buying new, $5k of hassle is already done for you.

[atom ant]

It's going to be a chilly ride back down. I started looking into the reg/ins procedures in GA and boy is it a pain in the @ss.I have to get an inspection done (by a 3rd party state authorized inspector), fill out 3 forms (same forms used for repaired/restored vehicle), provide all necessary supporting documents (mco, bill of sales, etc..)Mail it all in and wait for 6 weeks (or more) before the title is issued, then I can take everything to the tag office to get a plate.On the bright side, TMI did say my chassis should be beck from the powder coaters this week, waiting to pics is killing me.

[rijowysock]

It's going to be a chilly ride back down. I started looking into the reg/ins procedures in GA and boy is it a pain in the @ss.I have to get an inspection done (by a 3rd party state authorized inspector), fill out 3 forms (same forms used for repaired/restored vehicle), provide all necessary supporting documents (mco, bill of sales, etc..)Mail it all in and wait for 6 weeks (or more) before the title is issued, then I can take everything to the tag office to get a plate.On the bright side, TMI did say my chassis should be beck from the powder coaters this week, waiting to pics is killing me.

FL is "easier" but still a pain.

i have to bring for inspection, good news is no emission or helmet rules here...

once inspected i bring a form to tax collector and register as kit car, i can leave that day with plate on the car... and wait 10 days for a title labeled "used" and "kit car" with the AA30168 somewhere in their self assigned 17 digit vin.

if it doesn't work out, i have a backup Montana LLC setup where they require no inspections, no car present, and tons of other loopholes... no sales tax either just $435 and done for life


all that being said, i have a IL dealer tag coming friday to drive the car back to florida.. LOL


again, now i see why used atom's are just as much if not more than new atoms... it's been 3 months of lining stuff up to register the car and be good... when i sell the car eventually i can easily play hardball w/ buyers because nobody should ever have to go thru all this work.

as far as driving back, i think ima do a 3 hour to my beach house journey and ship it the rest of the way