Florida RV sales tax is a flat 6% of the purchase price at the state level, plus a county discretionary surtax that only applies to the first $5,000 of the price.1The Florida Statutes. Florida Code 212 – Tax on Sales, Use, and Other Transactions – Section 212.052Florida Senate. Florida Code 212 – Section 212.054 That cap is the detail worth memorizing before you shop: the county piece on a $150,000 motorhome is identical to the county piece on a $5,000 used camper. The tax is due when you title and register the RV, whether the seller is a dealer or a private party.
What Counts as the Taxable Price
The tax is applied to the “sales price,” meaning the total amount paid for the RV including dealer-added charges that are part of the sale. Documentation fees and mandatory preparation charges are generally rolled into that figure, as are optional accessories installed at the time of sale such as solar panels, awnings, or satellite systems. Extended warranties or service contracts that are separately itemized on the invoice are typically not taxed, because they are service agreements rather than tangible property.3Florida Department of Revenue. Technical Assistance Advisement 03A-018
Trading in another vehicle reduces the taxable base. If you buy an RV listed at $100,000 and trade in a vehicle valued at $30,000, tax is calculated on $70,000, not the full sticker.
The 6% State Rate and the Capped County Surtax
The 6% state rate applies to every dollar of the taxable price with no ceiling.4Florida Dept. of Revenue. Florida Sales and Use Tax On top of that, most counties add a discretionary sales surtax. For 2026, county surtax rates range from 0% in a handful of counties to 1.5% in the highest-taxing ones.5Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research. 2026 Local Discretionary Sales Surtax Rates
The county piece stops at $5,000. Florida law caps the discretionary surtax at the first $5,000 of any single item of tangible personal property, and an RV counts as one item.2Florida Senate. Florida Code 212 – Section 212.054 Whether you spend $50,000 or $500,000, the county surtax is figured on $5,000 flat.
A Worked Example
Say you buy a motorhome with a taxable price of $90,000 in a county that charges a 1% surtax:
- State tax: $90,000 × 6% = $5,400
- County surtax: $5,000 × 1% = $50
- Total: $5,450
In that same county, a $200,000 motorhome still owes only $50 in surtax. The state tax on it climbs to $12,000, because the 6% never stops.
Buying Out of State or Moving to Florida
If you buy the RV in another state and then title or register it in Florida, you owe Florida use tax instead of sales tax. The rate is identical: 6% state plus the capped county surtax based on your Florida county of residence.6Florida Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Rates by State
Florida gives you a dollar-for-dollar credit for sales tax already paid to the other state, with proof. If Georgia collected $3,500 and your Florida liability comes to $5,450, you pay Florida the $1,950 difference. If the other state’s tax equals or exceeds the Florida number, nothing more is due.
The Six-Month Rule
Florida presumes that any vehicle used in another state for six months or longer before entering Florida was not purchased for Florida use.7Florida Senate. Florida Code 212 – Section 212.06 Document six months of out-of-state registration, insurance, and actual use, and no Florida use tax is due. This matters most for people relocating with an RV they already own. Hold on to out-of-state registration records, insurance statements, and dated maintenance receipts showing locations outside Florida.
Non-Residents Buying in Florida
If you live in another state and buy an RV from a Florida seller, you don’t necessarily owe the full 6%. Under Florida’s partial exemption, a non-resident buyer pays Florida sales tax at the rate charged by their home state, capped at 6%.8Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Title Procedure TL-08 No county surtax applies on these sales at all.
To claim it, complete Form DR-123, the Affidavit for Partial Exemption of a Motor Vehicle Sold for Licensing in Another State, and commit to licensing the RV in your home state within 45 days of purchase. If your home state charges a usage or excise tax rather than a sales tax, Florida may not collect anything. The exemption works for both dealer and private-party sales; the paperwork is handled by the dealer or by the county tax collector, depending on the transaction.
Where and How You Pay
A licensed Florida dealer collects the full sales tax at the point of sale, forwards it to the Department of Revenue, and handles your title and registration.9The Florida Statutes. Florida Code 212 – Tax on Sales, Use, and Other Transactions – Section 212.06
For a private-party sale or an out-of-state purchase, you pay the tax yourself when you apply for a Florida title, either at your county tax collector’s office or at a licensed private tag agent.10Florida Department of Revenue. Consumer Information Bring the signed-over title, a bill of sale showing the purchase price, proof of Florida insurance, and a completed Application for Certificate of Title (HSMV form 82040).11Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Motor Vehicle Registrations The tax must be paid in full before the state will issue a title or permanent registration. Title fees, a possible lien recording fee, and, for first-time Florida registrants, a one-time $225 initial registration fee are separate charges added at the counter.12Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
Penalties for Paying Late
Delaying doesn’t work. Florida imposes a penalty of 10% of the tax owed, with a $50 minimum even if 10% would be less. A floating interest rate accrues on the unpaid balance until it is settled.13Florida Department of Revenue. Discretionary Sales Surtax And you cannot get a permanent Florida title or registration until the tax is paid, which means the RV cannot legally operate on Florida roads.