Paper title vs electronic title for a car in Florida and what is needed to sell a car.

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Attorney Tom Olsen is host of the Olsen on Law Radio Show on in Orlando. You can reach Tom at 407-423-5561 or [email protected]. Tom has been answering legal questions on his radio show for over 35 years and has been practicing law in Orlando for 40 years.
The Olsen on Law Radio Show is America’s longest running legal radio show.
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Transcript:
Winston: I have a question about vehicle titles. Back in the day, when you bought a vehicle and paid it off, the state would send you your title, but nowadays, when you buy a car-- Now, both of our cars we bought with cash, so they're paid off immediately, but the salesman said, "All the titles are recorded online now." We never got a paper copy of a title. Now, what happens if I trade that car in or if I sell it to a private person and they want a title, what happens?
Attorney Tom Olsen: Winston, I'm like you. I was talking about selling my car a few months ago, and I was looking for the title and couldn't find it. I go, "What? Where's my title? I'm so good about keeping up with that stuff," and Googled it and went online to the Florida website. I don't know what it was offhand, but sure enough, it said my car title was electronic, and via credit card, I paid them like $5 and they mailed me the title. Do you know what I'm talking about, Holley?
Attorney Holley Knapik: I do. That website is the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles website. Typically, you can type in the VIN number or the tag number, and a record of your vehicle will show up with an electronic title, and if you need a copy, that's how you get it.
Attorney Tom Olsen: Winston, if you were selling this to a car dealership, I'm sure that electronic title would be no problem. If you were selling this to a private seller, like you're speaking about doing it, yes, that seller would expect to have a paper title to your car. Winston, if it makes you feel better, it is easy to get one. Holley, say the website.
Attorney Holley Knapik: Yes, that is the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles.com so fldmv.com.
Attorney Tom Olsen: Winston, it really was as inexpensive as maybe $5 get a paper title mailed to me. Winston, if you're going to sell it to a private seller, let's talk about what normally would go along with that. First of all, you want to make sure that you get paid in a legitimate way. Wire transfer, cashier's checks are not necessarily secure, but let's assume you're going to get a legitimate buyer who's not going to give you some kind of false check or something.
What you would do is you would turn that title over and fill in the name of your buyer and then, typically, you would also give them a bill of sale, a separate piece of property, and then, typically, you'd also give them what's called a limited power of attorney that would authorize your buyer to sign any documents necessary to transfer that title over into their name so those are the three things you would typically give your private buyer, the title that you've signed, a bill of sale, and a limited power of attorney, limited to dealing with that car.