Under Florida law, hitting a parked car and driving off is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, and 6 points on your driver’s license. A Florida hit-and-run involving a parked car triggers these penalties even when the damage is cosmetic, because the statute turns on whether you stopped and identified yourself, not on how bad the dent is.
What a Driver Must Do After Hitting a Parked Car
Florida Statute 316.063 imposes three duties on any driver who strikes an unattended vehicle or other property. Stop immediately. Locate the owner and provide your name, address, and vehicle registration number, or, if the owner isn’t around, leave that information in writing attached in a visible spot on the damaged vehicle. Report the crash to the nearest police authority without delay.1Justia Law. Florida Code 316.063 – Duty Upon Damaging Unattended Vehicle or Other Property
All three steps are required. Leaving a note without calling police still violates the statute. Calling police without leaving a note also violates it. Partial compliance doesn’t protect you from a hit-and-run charge.
Separately, if no law enforcement officer investigates the crash at the scene, Florida requires the driver to submit a written crash report to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles within 10 days.2The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 316.066 – Written Reports of Crashes That’s a separate filing from anything an officer takes at the scene.
Criminal Penalties for Leaving the Scene
Leaving the scene after striking a parked car is a second-degree misdemeanor.1Justia Law. Florida Code 316.063 – Duty Upon Damaging Unattended Vehicle or Other Property That carries a maximum of 60 days in jail3Justia Law. Florida Code 775.082 – Penalties; Applicability of Sentencing Structures;டrequests for Departure and a fine of up to $500.4Justia Law. Florida Code 775.083 – Fines First-offense cases often resolve with fines, probation, or community service rather than jail, but the conviction still goes on your record.
These penalties apply when the only damage is to property. If someone was inside the parked car and was injured, separate statutes with harsher penalties apply, including possible felony charges.
Points on Your License
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles assesses 6 points against your driving record for leaving the scene of a crash involving an unattended vehicle.5Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Points and Point Suspensions Florida suspends licenses on a sliding scale:
- 12 points within 12 months: 30-day suspension
- 18 points within 18 months: 3-month suspension
- 24 points within 36 months: 1-year suspension
A driver who already has points on record can be pushed into an automatic suspension by this single offense.6Florida Senate. Florida Code 322.27 – Authority of Department to Suspend or Revoke Driver License Points also tend to raise insurance premiums for years afterward.
What to Do If Your Parked Car Was Hit
Check for a Note
Look on the windshield, under the wipers, and on the dashboard. Florida law requires the other driver to leave their name, address, and vehicle registration in a visible place.1Justia Law. Florida Code 316.063 – Duty Upon Damaging Unattended Vehicle or Other Property If you find a note, photograph it immediately.
Gather Evidence
If there’s no note, look for security cameras on nearby buildings and dashcams in neighboring cars. Photograph the damage from several angles, along with any paint transfer, debris, or tire marks around your vehicle. Note anyone who might have seen the impact. This material helps police identify the other driver and supports your insurance claim.
File a Police Report
Call local police. Most insurers require a police report before paying out on a hit-and-run claim, and the report protects you if the other driver is identified later or if hidden damage pushes repair costs higher than you first thought.
Contact Your Insurer
Report the incident to your insurance company promptly. Have your police report number, photos, and any witness information ready.
Who Pays for the Damage
Florida’s minimum auto insurance will not pay to fix your own parked car. The state requires only $10,000 in personal injury protection and $10,000 in property damage liability, and property damage liability pays for damage you cause to someone else’s property, not your own.7The Florida Bar. Consumer Pamphlet: Automobile Insurance Collision coverage, which is optional in Florida, pays to repair your car after a hit-and-run minus your deductible, whether or not the other driver is found.
Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage can also apply when the at-fault driver is uninsured or unidentified. Policies vary, and some include conditions or exclusions for hit-and-run situations, so check your specific policy or call your agent. If you carry both collision and UMPD, compare the deductibles; UMPD sometimes has the lower one.
If the other driver is eventually identified, their property damage liability insurance becomes responsible for your repair costs, and your insurer may pursue them through subrogation to recover what it paid, including your deductible.
How Long You Have to Sue
Under Florida Statute 95.11, the statute of limitations for property damage claims is four years from the date of the incident for causes of action that accrued before March 2023, and two years for those accruing afterward. The clock applies whether you knew who hit your car from day one or identified them months later, so don’t delay if you plan to pursue repair costs that insurance didn’t cover.