How to Fill Out Form HSMV 86056: Prerequisites, Pages, and Fees

Form HSMV 86056 is the application you file with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to obtain an original license as a motor vehicle, mobile home, or recreational vehicle dealer, and the same form is used to update corporate officer information on an existing license.¹ Anyone who buys, sells, or deals in three or more motor vehicles within any 12-month period needs the license before conducting business, and you cannot make a single sale until the physical license is in your hands.²

Pick the Right License Type First

The first page of the form asks you to check a box for the license category. Your choice controls your insurance obligations, which surety bond form you use, your fee, and your renewal deadline. Check the wrong box and the regional office sends the package back.³

Franchised Motor Vehicle Dealer (VF). Sells new vehicles under an agreement with a manufacturer, importer, or distributor.
Franchised Motor Vehicle Service Facility (SF). A service and repair site separate from the main dealership, with no sales allowed there.
Independent Motor Vehicle Dealer (VI). Buys and sells used motor vehicles at retail.
Wholesale Motor Vehicle Dealer (VW). Buys and sells motor vehicles exclusively at wholesale to other licensed dealers.
Motor Vehicle Auction (VA). Sells by bid to licensed dealers. Auctions selling at retail need a VI license instead.
Salvage Vehicle Dealer (SD). Acquires wrecked or salvaged vehicles for resale or parts.
Mobile Home Dealer (DH). Can add a recreational vehicle endorsement.
Used Mobile Home Broker (BH). Acts as agent or intermediary for used mobile home sales only.
New Recreational Vehicle Dealer (RV). Buys, sells, or brokers new RVs.
Used Recreational Vehicle Dealer (RU). Buys and sells used RVs.

Finish These Steps Before You Fill In the Form

The department expects the prerequisites to be done before you submit anything. A package missing any of the items below is incomplete, and the regional office will return it.

Get the Location Approved

Contact your local FLHSMV Motorist Services Regional Office and schedule a site inspection before signing a lease. A compliance examiner visits the proposed location to confirm it meets state requirements: a permanent structure (not a residence), at least 100 square feet of interior floor space, clear separation from any other business at the same address, a display area under your exclusive control and accessible to the public, and a permanent sign with lettering visible from 50 yards away from the nearest public road.⁴ Wait for approval before committing to rent.

Get a FEIN and a Florida Sales Tax Number

You need a Federal Employer Identification Number from the IRS and a Florida sales tax number from the Florida Department of Revenue. Both are free and can be obtained online. Applications missing either number will not be processed.²

Complete the Pre-Licensing Dealer Class

Every applicant must complete a pre-licensing class from an FLHSMV-approved dealer training school. The required FLHSMV portion cannot exceed eight hours, though the school may offer up to 24 additional hours on other regulatory topics.⁵ The certificate of completion goes in your application package.

Get Fingerprinted

Every person listed on the application as an owner, partner, corporate officer, or director must be electronically fingerprinted through an FDLE-approved service provider for state and federal background checks. The provider gives you a receipt; attach a copy for each person. Fingerprint processing is at your expense and separate from the license fee.⁶

Documents to Attach

The regional office grades the package as a whole. One missing document sends the whole thing back.

The completed Form HSMV 86056 with every field filled in and every officer’s signature notarized on page 5.
Florida driver license or ID card information as entered on the form. Sole proprietors and partnerships without employees using an alternative form of ID attach a copy.
Copy of the property lease or proof of ownership for the dealership location.
Electronic fingerprint receipts for every officer and director.
Dealer training certificate of completion.
Original surety bond on the correct form: Form 86020 for motor vehicle dealers, Form 86019 for recreational vehicle dealers, Form 86018 for mobile home dealers. Motor vehicle dealers need a $25,000 bond. An irrevocable letter of credit (Form 86057 for motor vehicle dealers, Form 86058 for mobile home dealers) can substitute for the bond.⁶
Garage liability insurance certificate showing at least $25,000 in combined single-limit liability coverage (bodily injury and property damage) and $10,000 in personal injury protection. The certificate must list the number of dealer plates authorized by the insurer. Independent, auction, and wholesale dealers may instead submit a general liability policy paired with a business auto policy meeting the same minimums. Salvage dealers and mobile home dealers selling only park trailers are exempt.¹
Proof of business registration with the Florida Division of Corporations, including any fictitious name registration. Current records are available at sunbiz.org.
Corporate formation documents: articles of incorporation and meeting minutes showing election of directors (corporations); articles of organization and operating agreement (LLCs); or a partnership agreement (partnerships).

Filling Out the Five Pages

Fill in every field. No whiteout, no correction tape, no strikethroughs. If you make an error, start a clean copy.¹

License Type and Application Type

At the top of page 1, check the license category on the left (VF, VI, VW, VA, SD, DH, BH, RV, RU, or SF). On the right, indicate whether this is an original application or a corporate officer update.

Business and Contact Information

Enter the FEIN (or Tax Identification Number) and Florida sales tax number. Sole proprietors enter their own name in the owner/partnership/corporation name field. Partnerships enter the partnership name; corporations and LLCs enter the name exactly as registered with the Florida Secretary of State. List any fictitious name (d/b/a) in the designated field. Provide the physical street address, mailing address (even if identical), phone numbers, business email, and fax number. Check the “None” box if there is no fax.¹

Franchise Line Makes (Items 1 and 2)

Franchised motor vehicle applicants (VF) and recreational vehicle applicants (RV/RU) list the line makes they are currently authorized to sell in Item 1 and any new line makes being added in Item 2. Independent, wholesale, auction, and salvage applicants leave these fields blank.

Ownership Structure (Item 3)

Check the box for sole ownership, partnership, corporation, or LLC. Section 3(A) lists owners and partners with full name, date of birth, home address, and percentage of ownership. Section 3(B) lists corporate officers and directors. Every person named in either section must be fingerprinted.

Certification (Page 5)

Page 5 is a sworn certification. Every officer listed on the application signs, and each signature must be notarized before you submit. The signer is affirming under penalty of perjury that the information is true and correct.¹

What You Pay With the Application

Motor vehicle dealers (franchised, independent, wholesale, auction, salvage): $300 for the primary location.
Mobile home and recreational vehicle dealers: $300 for the first year, or extend the initial period to two years by paying an additional $100 (total $400). These dealers also owe an annual $40 Mobile Home and Recreational Vehicle Trust Fund fee.⁷
Additional locations: $50 per supplemental location, regardless of license type.

Make checks payable to DHSMV. These fees cover the license only. Fingerprint processing, bond premiums, insurance, and dealer training are separate costs.¹

Where to File and What Comes Next

Submit the completed form and all supporting documents to the Division of Motorist Services Regional Office responsible for your dealership’s location. Do not send it to FLHSMV headquarters in Tallahassee, and do not take it to your county tax collector. To find the correct office, use the FLHSMV locations page, select your county, and scroll to the Motorist Services Regional Offices section.²

The regional office grades and processes the application. If the package is complete and fingerprint results come back clean, the office issues the license. The department may issue a license while fingerprint results are still pending, but that license is fully revocable if the background check turns up disqualifying information.⁶ You cannot buy, sell, or deal in any vehicle until the license is physically in your possession.

Reasons the Department Denies Applications

The FLHSMV can deny, suspend, or revoke a license if the applicant:

Committed fraud or made a willful misrepresentation on the application.
Has a felony conviction.
Failed to honor a check given to another dealer for a vehicle purchase within 10 days of receiving notice the check bounced.
Stopped payment on a check payable to the department, or issued a check from a closed account.

The department verifies the facts on every initial application. Misrepresenting criminal history, business background, or ownership structure can end not just this application but future eligibility to reapply.⁶

Using the Same Form to Update Corporate Officers

When a dealership adds, removes, or changes corporate officers or directors, file a new Form HSMV 86056 rather than a separate update form. Complete the entire application as if it were an original, check “corporate officer update” as the application type, and attach:

Meeting minutes documenting the officer change.
Electronic fingerprint receipts for every new officer.
Updated corporate registration from the Division of Corporations.

Every new officer and director registered with the Division of Corporations must appear on the application and must be fingerprinted, even in a minor role. Page 5 is completed and notarized by all incoming officers.¹

1
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Application for a License as a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, or Recreational Vehicle Dealer
2
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Motor Vehicle, Recreational Vehicle and Mobile Home Dealer and Broker Licenses
3
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Types of Licenses Available
4
Florida Administrative Code. Florida Administrative Code 15C-7.003 – Application for License; Requirements
5
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Motor Vehicle Dealer Training School Requirements
6
The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 320.27 – Motor Vehicle Dealers
7
The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 320.77 – Mobile Home Dealers