Florida Vehicle Power of Attorney

Introduction

Key Things to Know

1. 1

   HSMV 82053, titled Power of Attorney for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Vessel or Vessel with Trailer, is the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles form that names one attorney in fact to apply for an original or duplicate certificate of title, register, transfer title or record a lien on the single item described on it.

2. 2

   No notary is required. HSMV 82053 prints no notary acknowledgment block. The owner and any co-owner instead declare, under penalties of perjury, that they have read the document and that the facts stated in it are true.

3. 3

   The form tells the owner to complete it in its entirety prior to signing, so a blank or partly filled appointment should not be signed and handed over.

4. 4

   Only one attorney in fact is named, and the form requires that person's full name to be printed legibly. The appointment is dated as of the day it is signed.

5. 5

   The description block asks the signer to check only one of motor vehicle, mobile home, vessel, vessel with an untitled trailer or vessel with a titled trailer, then give year, make or manufacturer, body type, title number and the vehicle identification number or hull identification number. Where more than one item is listed, the owner and co-owner must be the same for all of them.

6. 6

   Each grantor block takes a legibly printed name, a signature, a driver license, identification card or FEID number, a date of birth if applicable, and an address with city, state and zip code. There is a block for the owner and a second for the co-owner.

7. 7

   HSMV 82053 is the non-secure power of attorney. It works where the appointed person or entity completes the odometer disclosure statement as the buyer only or the seller only, but it cannot be used to let one entity, such as a dealership, sign as both buyer and seller for the odometer reading. That needs the secure power of attorney HSMV 82995, and only when the title is physically being held by the lienholder or the title is lost.

Florida Requirements for Vehicle Power of Attorney

• HSMV 82053, Power of Attorney for a Motor Vehicle, Mobile Home, Vessel or Vessel with Trailer

  Florida uses form HSMV 82053, published by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles under that full title. The posted revision is marked Rev. 06/16/22. It is a single page covering a motor vehicle, a mobile home, a vessel, or a vessel with a trailer.

• No Notarization, Penalties of Perjury Declaration Instead

  HSMV 82053 prints no notary acknowledgment block. Above the signature lines the owner and any co-owner declare, under penalties of perjury, that they have read the foregoing document and that the facts stated in it are true. No notary appointment is needed.

• Complete the Form in Its Entirety Prior to Signing

  A notice to owners sits at the head of the signature area and reads: please complete this form in its entirety prior to signing. A blank or partly completed appointment should not be signed, so gather the vehicle details and the appointee's full name before anyone signs.

• One Attorney in Fact, Full Name Printed Legibly, Appointment Dated

  The appointment line runs: as of today, date, I or we hereby name and appoint, followed by the appointee's name, with the note that a full legibly printed name is required. The authority covers applying for an original or duplicate certificate of title, registering, transferring title, or recording a lien.

• Check Only One Property Type, Then Describe the Item

  The signer checks only one of motor vehicle, mobile home, vessel, vessel with an untitled trailer or vessel with a titled trailer, then enters year, make or manufacturer, body type, title number and the vehicle identification number or hull identification number.

• Owner and Co-Owner Grantor Blocks

  Each grantor block asks for a legibly printed name, a signature, a driver license, identification card or FEID number, a date of birth if applicable, and an address with city, state and zip code. One block is for the owner and a second is for the co-owner, if applicable.

• Same Owner and Co-Owner for Every Item Listed

  More than one item can be listed on one form, but the form states that the owner and co-owner must be the same for all vehicles, mobile homes, vessels or vessels with a trailer listed. Items in different ownership need separate appointments.

• Non-Secure Form, So Not for a Both-Sides Odometer Disclosure

  HSMV 82053 is the non-secure power of attorney and works where the appointee discloses the odometer as the buyer only or the seller only. Signing as both needs the secure form HSMV 82995, and only when the lienholder holds the title or the title is lost. A licensed dealer and that dealer's employees count as one entity. Submit the completed form to your local tax collector office or license plate agent.