The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle’s Bureau of Dealer Services has issued a memo regarding the dealership’s responsibility to process transactions promptly in the electronic filing system (EFS). Please read the memo in its entirety here.

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TO: Electronic Filing System (EFS) Participant Dealer

FROM: Bureau of Dealer Services

DATE: February 4, 2020

SUBJECT: Pending Transactions in EFS

This important message is regarding your dealership’s responsibility to process transactions promptly.

Section 319.23(6)(a), Florida Statutes, provides that in the case of the sale of a motor vehicle or mobile home by a licensed dealer to a general purchaser, the certificate of title must be obtained in the name of the purchaser by the dealer upon application signed by the purchaser, and in each other case such certificate must be obtained by the purchaser. In each case of transfer of a motor vehicle or mobile home, the application for a certificate of title, a corrected certificate, or an assignment or reassignment must be filed within 30 days after the delivery of
the motor vehicle or mobile home to the purchaser. An applicant must pay a fee, in addition to all other fees and penalties required by law, for failing to file such application within the specified time.

In reviewing pending dealer transactions in EFS it has come to the Department’s attention that many dealers have pending title and registration transactions well over the 30-day filing issuance requirement. These title and registration transactions need to be submitted electronically through the EFS provider system to the tax collector so that they can approve the credential issuance. If the transactions are not valid, they need to be removed by the dealer from the system.

Please take this opportunity to review your EFS records for pending transactions and resolve these transactions immediately. Depending on your EFS provider’s notification method you may refer to your EFS notification screen or notification e-mail for the transactions that require your attention. Failure to resolve these transactions may result in fines or other penalties against your dealer license.

If you have any questions regarding the resolution of these transactions, please contact your EFS provider for assistance.