Disabled Parking Permits
You must submit application form HSMV 83039, signed by a physician, to your local tax collector's office with appropriate payment. In addition to the completed form, be sure to bring:

• A copy of your Florida driver license or Florida identification card.
• Fees based on the fee chart on the application form.

After you have been issued a parking placard, you will receive a renewal notice before your next expiration date.

If you have any questions concerning the parking permit program, you may call your local county tax collector's office or Customer Service Center at (850) 922-9000.

Insurance:
If you own a vehicle with at least four wheels and are registering it, you must have insurance.

Florida's minimum coverage is $10,000 personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 property damage liability (PDL) as long as you have a valid Florida tag, even if the vehicle is in another state or inoperative. There are no exemptions in the law. However, if you have been involved in a crash, or been convicted of certain offenses, you may be required to purchase bodily injury liability coverage (BIL).

In the event of an accident
Always insist that the crash be reported to law enforcement so that a law enforcement officer can complete the appropriate forms. We advise you not to negotiate a payment agreement with the other parties to settle damages. Doing it on your own without a crash report from a law enforcement officer could result in your not being fully compensated for damages and can expose you to personal liability since no official report of the accident exists and circumstances become your word against theirs. Our department will be unable to assist you if there is no crash report filled out by a law enforcement officer. Other suggestions include:

• Make sure the investigating officer records complete insurance information on the accident report.
• Report the accident to your insurance company immediately or within the time specified by your policy.
• If you determine that the other party is insured or uninsured, you should report the information to your insurance company so that they can pursue compensation since they have more information resources at their disposal.
• Never personally confront an at-fault party with demands as you may be dealing with a violent person. Allow your insurance company to handle that.

Specialised tags
When you renew your registration at your local tax collector's office, simply let them know you wish to replace your current tag with a specialty license plate. If it is not time in your tag's cycle to replace the metal plate, you will pay a few additional dollars to switch to a specialty plate, so the best time to switch is when you're going to have to replace your metal plate (every five years). Specialty tags cost a set fee (annually) above the standard Florida tag, and the fees vary based on the tag. These additional funds go to support the cause for which the tag was designed.
Plates such as the basic Florida plate, Challenger or Manatee, which all have centered artwork may contain 7 characters plus either a space or a hyphen. License plates with the graphic to the left, such as collegiate and sports plates, may have only 5 characters with no additional space or hyphen.

Speed
Florida speed limits are generally much lower than those in the UK. Many new residents have been caught out by the 15mph speed limit imposed at school zones at various times of the day.