Florida Rebuilt Title Inspection Checklist: Documents, Fees, Decal

A Florida rebuilt title inspection checklist has two halves: the paperwork you assemble before you go, and the physical checks a compliance examiner performs on the vehicle. You take a salvage-branded Florida title, a completed Statement of Builder, receipts for every major component part you replaced, photographs of the vehicle in its wrecked condition, and the vehicle itself to an FLHSMV Bureau of Dealer Services regional office or an authorized Private Rebuilt Vehicle Inspection Program (PRVIP) facility, and you pay a $40 inspection fee.¹ The examiner confirms every replaced part has a legitimate paper trail and that the vehicle is safe to drive.

Which Vehicles Qualify

Only a vehicle carrying a Florida title branded “Salvage Rebuildable” can be put through this process. A Certificate of Destruction is not the same thing. Vehicles with that classification are parts or scrap only and cannot be rebuilt for road use, so check the brand on the title before you spend a dollar on repairs.¹

Out-of-state titles split two ways. If the out-of-state title is branded “Salvage” from a total loss, you still have to go through the full Florida rebuilt inspection. If it already reads “Rebuilt” or “Reconstructed,” Florida carries the brand forward on a new Florida title without another inspection or decal, and the brand stays on the title permanently.²

Documents to Assemble Before You Go

Inspectors reject incomplete applications before the vehicle is ever looked at, so start here.

Title and Statement of Builder

You need the original Florida certificate of title branded “Salvage Rebuildable,” plus a completed Statement of Builder (Form HSMV 84490). On that form you describe every repair performed and list every major component part replaced, and you sign under penalty of perjury certifying the vehicle meets Florida and federal safety standards and is road-operable.³

Receipts for Every Major Component Part

You must produce an original receipt or bill of sale for every major component part used in the rebuild. Each one needs the seller’s name, address, phone number, and signature. For used parts, the receipt should include the VIN or serial number of the vehicle the part came from so inspectors can confirm it is not stolen.³

Florida’s definition of “major component part” is broader than most rebuilders expect. For a standard motor vehicle, it covers fenders, hood, bumpers, cowl assembly, rear quarter panels, trunk lid, doors, deck lid, frame, floor pan, engine, transmission, airbags, and catalytic converters. Truck beds of most configurations are included. Electric and hybrid vehicles add the electric traction motor, electronic transmission, charge port, DC power converter, onboard charger, power electronics controller, thermal system, and traction battery pack. Motorcycles have a separate list covering body assembly, frame, fenders, gas tank, engine, cylinder block, heads, engine case, crankcase, transmission, drive train, front fork assembly, and wheels.³ If you replaced any of these and cannot produce a receipt with the required seller information, expect a rejection.

Photographs of the Wrecked Vehicle

This is the requirement rebuilders miss most often, usually because they only learn about it after the vehicle is already back together. Florida requires photographs of the vehicle in its wrecked condition, taken from at least two angles, in focus, and showing all the damage.¹ If you are buying a salvage vehicle to rebuild, photograph it thoroughly before you touch anything.

Where to Go and What It Costs

Bring the paperwork and the vehicle to an FLHSMV Bureau of Dealer Services regional office or an authorized PRVIP facility. Do not go to the Tax Collector at this stage; that office handles the final titling step later. FLHSMV publishes a searchable list of authorized PRVIP providers on its website.⁴ The initial inspection fee is $40, collected when the examiner takes your file.⁵ Gaps in the documents send you home to fix them before any physical inspection is scheduled.

What the Examiner Checks on the Vehicle

Once the paperwork clears, the examiner inspects the vehicle. Two things are being confirmed: identity and safety.

VIN and Parts Verification

The examiner compares the vehicle’s VIN against the salvage title, then checks the VIN or serial number on every replaced major component part against your receipts. This is the anti-theft half of the process. A number that has been altered or removed, or that doesn’t match the receipt, is a problem larger than a failed inspection.²

Safety Equipment

Expect a functional check of the braking system, headlights, taillights, turn signals, horn, and windshield wipers. Airbags and seat belts must be correctly installed and working. Replaced airbags need receipts like any other major component part.

Glass, Tires, and Structural Integrity

Windshield and window glass has to be free of cracks that block the driver’s view. Tires must meet minimum tread depth. The examiner also confirms that any frame damage has been properly repaired, since hidden structural problems are exactly what this process is designed to catch.

Odometer Verification

The odometer reading is documented on Form HSMV 82042, which certifies whether the mileage shown is actual, exceeds mechanical limits, or does not reflect true mileage.⁶ The examiner is looking for signs of tampering or disconnection.

If the Vehicle Fails

A failure is not the end of the road, but it costs more time and money. Each re-inspection carries a $20 fee.⁵ You fix what the examiner flagged, bring the vehicle back, and go through the relevant parts of the inspection again. Most failures involve missing or mismatched receipts rather than mechanical problems, which is why the paperwork is where careful preparation pays off.

After You Pass: The Decal and the Sealed Envelope

When the vehicle passes, the examiner affixes a “Rebuilt” decal to the vehicle. On cars and trucks it goes in the driver’s door jamb near the lower hinge. On motorcycles it goes on the right-side frame down tube. The decal has to be placed on a permanent, non-removable part of the vehicle, and removing it to conceal the vehicle’s history is a third-degree felony.²

The examiner then compiles your approved documentation into a sealed envelope stamped with the regional office or PRVIP facility’s official stamp across the seal. The envelope holds the original Forms HSMV 82040 and HSMV 84490, photocopies of your parts receipts, and NMVTIS reporting proof when applicable. Do not open it. If the Tax Collector sees a broken seal, they will refuse the package and send you back.¹

Finishing the Title at the Tax Collector

Take the sealed envelope to your local County Tax Collector’s office or license plate agency. The clerk verifies the seal, confirms the number of bills of sale matches Form HSMV 84490, and processes the title application. You can purchase or transfer a plate at the same visit.⁸ The new title carries the “Rebuilt” brand for the life of the vehicle, and that designation carries forward on every future title and registration.²

What the Brand Means Afterward

The rebuilt brand does not come off, and that has consequences worth understanding before you spend money on a rebuild. Most insurers will write liability coverage on a rebuilt vehicle, but many will not offer collision or comprehensive, because the vehicle’s post-rebuild value is difficult to establish for future claims. Resale takes a hit as well: rebuilt-title vehicles generally sell for 20 to 40 percent less than a comparable clean-title vehicle, sometimes more depending on the severity of the original damage. The math on a rebuild works when the salvage vehicle was cheap enough at the start and you plan to keep it, not when you plan to flip it quickly.

1
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Procedure TL-37 – Application for Certificate of Title for a Rebuilt Motor Vehicle
2
Florida Senate. Florida Code 319.14 – Sale of Motor Vehicles, Mobile Homes, and Recreational Vehicles
3
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Statement of Builder Form HSMV 84490
4
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Private Rebuilt Vehicle Inspection Providers
5
Legal Information Institute. Florida Code 15C-22.002 – Duties and Responsibilities; General Information; Procedures
6
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. HSMV 82042 – Vehicle Identification Number and Odometer Verification
7
8
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Procedure TL-37 – Application for Certificate of Title for a Rebuilt Motor Vehicle
Standard title and registration fees apply here. The electronic title fee for a used vehicle is $85.25, a paper title adds $2.50, a lien recording is $2, and a late title fee of $20 may apply depending on timing. Registration fees and any Florida sales tax are also collected at this stage.7Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees