What should I know before moving to Florida?

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles counts you as a resident once you start work here, enroll children in public school, register to vote, file for a homestead exemption, or live here more than six consecutive months. Driver license applications are made in person at a local office. An initial Class E license costs $48, and most county tax collector offices add a $6.25 service fee.

To title and register a car, you need insurance from an agent licensed to sell insurance in Florida. The vehicle identification number (VIN) must be inspected in person by a law enforcement officer, a military police officer, a licensed Florida dealer, a county tax collector employee or a Division of Motorist Services compliance examiner.

If you buy a home, make it your permanent residence by January 1 and file for the homestead exemption with your county property appraiser by March 1. In 2026 the exemption can take as much as $51,411 off the home's assessed value. The Florida Department of Revenue says Florida does not impose a personal income tax, so there is no state income tax return to file.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October, according to the National Hurricane Center. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says homeowners and renters policies do not typically cover flood damage, and most flood policies take 30 days to start. The National Flood Insurance Program referral line is 800-427-4661. For questions about a homeowners policy, the Florida Department of Financial Services runs a toll-free insurance helpline, 1-877-693-5236, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern.

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