AD Buys Junk Cars Advises Florida Vehicle Owners to Verify Dealer Licensing Before Selling a Junk or Salvage Vehicle
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Under Florida law, regularly buying and selling motor vehicles requires a state-issued dealer license.
LAKE WORTH, FL, UNITED STATES, July 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- AD Buys Junk Cars, a Florida-licensed used motor vehicle dealer and salvage dealer based in Lake Worth Beach, has issued guidance for vehicle owners in Palm Beach County and surrounding South Florida communities who are considering selling a junk, damaged, or end-of-life vehicle. The guidance addresses a growing consumer issue in the region: advertisements offering "cash for junk cars" placed by operators who are not licensed to purchase vehicles under Florida law.
Many of these advertisements are placed by towing companies. A towing company is licensed to tow vehicles, not to purchase them. Under Section 320.27, Florida Statutes, any person or business that regularly buys, sells, or deals in motor vehicles must hold a motor vehicle dealer license issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). Businesses that purchase wrecked or dismantled vehicles for parts or scrap are subject to separate salvage dealer licensing requirements.
Why Licensing Matters When Selling a Vehicle
When a vehicle is sold to a licensed dealer, the dealer is authorized to process the ownership transfer, complete the required title paperwork, and report the transaction to Florida motor vehicle authorities. When a vehicle is handed over to an unlicensed buyer, that paperwork is frequently left incomplete, and the consequences fall on the seller.
Until ownership is properly transferred, the vehicle remains registered to the seller. Sellers in that situation have later been held responsible for toll violations, parking citations, abandoned vehicle removal costs, and, in some cases, civil liability arising from a vehicle they believed they no longer owned.
"Most people assume that once the car is on the truck and they have money in hand, the sale is finished," said Adrian Hilario, owner of AD Buys Junk Cars. "Under Florida law, that is not the case. If the title is never transferred, the vehicle is still yours in the eyes of the state. That is the risk we want vehicle owners in Palm Beach County to understand before they respond to a cash-for-cars advertisement."
How Vehicle Owners Can Protect Themselves
AD Buys Junk Cars recommends that vehicle owners take the following steps before selling any vehicle, regardless of its condition or which buyer they choose:
• Ask whether the buyer holds a Florida motor vehicle dealer license or salvage dealer license. A licensed buyer can provide a license number.
• Verify the license. Florida dealer licenses can be confirmed through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
• Complete the title transfer at the time of sale. The seller should sign the title over to the buyer and record the odometer reading and sale price where required.
• File a Notice of Sale. Submitting form HSMV 82050 to a Florida motor vehicle service center documents the date the seller gave up ownership and helps protect the seller from liability for the vehicle after the sale.
• Remove the license plate. In Florida, the plate belongs to the seller, not the vehicle, and should be transferred to another vehicle or surrendered.
Vehicles With Title Problems
The company also noted that title complications are one of the most common reasons vehicle owners turn to unlicensed buyers, who may offer to take a vehicle "no questions asked." Florida law provides established procedures for many of these situations, including lost titles and deceased-owner transfers. A licensed dealer can explain what documentation the state requires for a lawful transfer, which in many cases allows a vehicle with title issues to be sold properly rather than handed off without any paperwork at all.
About the Company's Licensing
AD Buys Junk Cars holds two licenses issued by the State of Florida: a Used Motor Vehicle Dealer license and a Salvage Dealer license. Together, these licenses authorize the company to purchase running and non-running vehicles, salvage and rebuildable vehicles, and vehicles damaged by collision, flood, or fire, and to lawfully process the associated title and ownership transfers. The company provides this guidance in both English and Spanish, reflecting the population it serves in Palm Beach County.
About AD Buys Junk Cars
AD Buys Junk Cars is a licensed vehicle buyer based in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, serving Palm Beach County and surrounding South Florida communities. The company is licensed by the State of Florida as both a Used Motor Vehicle Dealer and a Salvage Dealer, and purchases cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs in a wide range of conditions, including non-running, damaged, and salvage vehicles. Additional information about the company and Florida vehicle-sale requirements is available at adbuysjunkcars.com.
Adrian Hilario
AD Buys Junk CArs
+1 561-203-8970
email us here
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