Florida Form HSMV 86020:The $25,000 Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond Form
If you need the broader licensing picture, see how to get licensed as a Florida dealer. For the bond product itself, premium ranges, and credit-tier rates, the Florida motor vehicle dealer bond page covers it. This page is about the form fields, nothing else.
What Form HSMV 86020 Actually Is
HSMV 86020 is the official surety bond form prescribed by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for any applicant seeking a Motor Vehicle Dealer license. The form is authorized under the §320.27 statutory framework, which requires every licensed motor vehicle dealer to post a $25,000 surety bond running in favor of the State of Florida — a structure verified by our NV-licensed producer Eric Drummond for every Florida submission.
The bond protects retail consumers and the State against violations of Florida motor vehicle dealer law — including failure to deliver clean title, odometer fraud, misrepresentation of vehicle condition, and unpaid sales tax owed by the dealer. The bond is not insurance for the dealer; it is a financial guarantee that customers and the State can collect against if the dealer misbehaves.
HSMV 86020 covers all five Motor Vehicle Dealer license classes issued by FLHSMV:
The $25,000 bond amount is fixed. Unlike some states where the bond amount scales with sales volume, Florida Motor Vehicle Dealers all post the same $25,000 face value regardless of class or volume. Mobile home and RV dealers are different — see the related forms table below.
Form HSMV 86020 vs Form HSMV 86056
More than half the pages on the internet that mention "HSMV 86020" confuse it with HSMV 86056. They are not the same form. They are not interchangeable. Mixing them up is the single most common source of confusion during a Florida dealer application, particularly for first-time filers in the Caribbean export market in Fort Lauderdale. The April 30 renewal deadline mechanics don't solve the confusion — only field-level discipline does.
The Surety Bond
- Issued by: Your surety carrier (not by FLHSMV, not by you)
- Signed by: Principal (dealer) + attorney-in-fact (carrier)
- Purpose: Posts the $25,000 financial guarantee
- Notarization: Required on both signatures
- Attachments: Power of Attorney from the carrier
- Where to find it: Your bond agency provides the executed form
The License Application
- Issued by: FLHSMV (you download from flhsmv.gov)
- Signed by: Dealer applicant
- Purpose: Applies for the dealer license itself
- Notarization: Required on applicant signatures
- Attachments: The executed 86020 bond, garage liability proof, fingerprints, prelicensing certificate, lease, photos, FEIN, sales tax number
- Where to find it: flhsmv.gov > Motor Vehicle > Dealer Licensing
Simple test: If you are typing answers about your business into the document, you are looking at Form 86056 (the license application). If the carrier's name is pre-printed and the document refers to a "Principal" and a "Surety," you are looking at Form 86020 (the bond). The two arrive at FLHSMV stapled together but they originate from different places and serve different functions.
Form HSMV 86020 Field-by-Field Walkthrough
HSMV 86020 is a single-page form with twelve identifiable sections. Most of the language is pre-printed statutory text — the typed fields are limited to names, addresses, and dates. Below is what each section contains and what to check before you sign.
Header / FLHSMV Bureau of Issuance Address
The top of the form identifies the issuing authority as the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Dealer Services. The bond is being given to the State of Florida through this Bureau. This block is pre-printed by the carrier — no entry required.
Confirm the form says "HSMV 86020" in the form-ID corner. If it says 86018, 86019, or 86056, you are holding the wrong document.
Principal (Dealer) Information
The full legal business name of the dealer entity exactly as it appears on Sunbiz (Florida Division of Corporations), the DBA if any, the FEIN, and the physical address of the dealership location. This is where the carrier types your information — it must be reviewed character by character before you sign.
Legal name must match the Sunbiz record and Form 86056 exactly. "Sunshine Auto LLC" and "Sunshine Auto, LLC" are treated as different entities by FLHSMV.
Surety (Carrier) Information
Full carrier name, NAIC code, and state of domicile. This is pre-printed by the carrier. You do not edit this block.
Verify the carrier is licensed in Florida by FLDFS. Reputable bond agencies only place FL bonds with FLDFS-licensed carriers, but a 30-second check on the FLDFS licensed company search avoids surprises.
Bond Amount
Pre-printed as $25,000. The penal sum is fixed by Fla. Stat. §320.27(10) for all Motor Vehicle Dealer classes and cannot be changed.
If your bond reads $10,000 or $20,000, you have an RV dealer bond (HSMV 86019), not a motor vehicle dealer bond. Stop and contact the carrier.
Statutory Authority
Pre-printed citation to Fla. Stat. §320.27 confirming this is the Motor Vehicle Dealer bond. Statutory pre-printed text — no entry.
Read it once so you understand what the bond actually guarantees. It is the dealer's compliance with all provisions of §320.27 and related sections.
Effective Date
The date the bond becomes active. Must be either today's date or a future date. It must align with the start date of the license you are applying for. Bonds with effective dates in the past are rejected.
If FLHSMV review is delayed and the effective date passes without the license being issued, the bond is still valid — but the carrier may need to issue a fresh dated copy if FLHSMV requests one. Coordinate with the carrier on dating.
Obligee
Pre-printed as "The State of Florida" with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles named as the agency receiving the bond. The obligee is the party that benefits from the bond — not the dealer, not the customer, but the State acting on behalf of the public.
If "The State of Florida" is missing or replaced with anything else, the bond is not a valid §320.27(10) bond. Reject and request a new copy.
Conditions of Bond
Three paragraphs of pre-printed statutory language describing what the bond guarantees: faithful performance of the dealer's obligations under §320.27, compliance with all related motor vehicle laws, and indemnification of any person harmed by violation. This text cannot be altered.
Any handwritten edits, crossed-out language, or initials in this block void the bond. The form must arrive at FLHSMV with this section perfectly clean.
Continuous Obligation Clause
The bond remains in force continuously until cancelled by either party with 30 days written notice to FLHSMV. Pre-printed language; no entry required, but understand that the bond does not have a fixed expiration — it auto-continues.
Renewal premiums are billed annually by the carrier even though the bond itself is continuous. Non-payment of renewal triggers the 30-day cancellation notice.
Principal Signature, Date, Notarization
Wet ink signature by the dealer principal (owner, officer, or managing member). The signature is notarized by a Florida-commissioned notary. The principal's printed name and title appear below the signature.
Sign in front of the notary. Signing first and walking it to a notary later does not work — the notarial certificate certifies that the signer appeared. Bring government-issued photo ID.
Surety Signature (Attorney-in-Fact), Date, Notarization
Wet ink signature by the carrier's authorized attorney-in-fact. The carrier's seal is affixed (embossed or pre-printed). The attorney-in-fact's signature is also notarized.
The attorney-in-fact name on the signature line must match the name on the attached Power of Attorney exactly. Mismatch invalidates the surety signature.
Power of Attorney Attached
A notarized Power of Attorney document from the carrier authorizing the named attorney-in-fact to bind the surety. The POA is on carrier letterhead, dated, and notarized. It must accompany the bond when filed.
Confirm the POA is attached before mailing. POAs older than 12 months are sometimes flagged — ask the carrier for a fresh-dated POA if yours is approaching a year old.
The Power of Attorney Requirement
The Power of Attorney (POA) is the single most overlooked document in a Florida dealer bond filing. Without it, the surety signature on Form 86020 is functionally unverifiable, and FLHSMV will reject the bond as defective.
A surety carrier does not sign bonds directly. Instead, the carrier executes a Power of Attorney that names a specific attorney-in-fact (usually a producer or bond manager) and grants that person authority to sign bonds binding the surety up to a stated penal sum. When you receive your executed Form 86020 from the carrier, the POA is attached. It must travel with the bond to Tallahassee.
POA requirements checklist
- On carrier letterhead
- Names the attorney-in-fact who signed Form 86020
- Notarized by the carrier's notary
- States authority up to at least $25,000
- Dated within the last 12 months (general best practice)
- Carrier seal affixed
Wet Signatures Required — No E-Signatures on Form 86020
As of 2026, FLHSMV Bureau of Dealer Services requires wet ink signatures and original notarial seals on Form HSMV 86020. This is the exception to an otherwise increasingly digital licensing process — the license application itself (Form 86056) and many supporting documents can be submitted electronically, but the bond cannot.
Not accepted on 86020
- DocuSign / Adobe Sign electronic signatures
- Remote online notarization (RON) on the bond itself
- Scanned signatures pasted into the PDF
- Printed signatures (typed in a script font)
- Photocopies of an original signed bond
Accepted on 86020
- Wet ink signature, blue or black ink
- Original embossed or inked carrier seal
- Original notary stamp with commission expiration
- Original POA attached
- Carrier mails original directly when feasible
Practical workflow: the carrier emails a PDF of the bond for your review, you confirm the typed information is correct, the carrier then prints, signs, notarizes, and mails the original to you (or directly to FLHSMV with your authorization). You sign and notarize your section, then forward the complete original to FLHSMV.
Eight Common Reasons FLHSMV Rejects Form 86020
Every one of these is avoidable with a five-minute review before the bond leaves your desk. Rejected bonds add 2-4 weeks to the license timeline because the carrier must reissue, you must re-notarize, and FLHSMV must re-intake.
Principal name does not match Form 86056
Spacing, punctuation, or entity-suffix differences between the bond and the license application cause an automatic deficiency. "Sunshine Auto LLC" on the bond and "Sunshine Auto, LLC" on the application are treated as two different entities.
DBA on bond does not match DBA on application
If the dealer operates under an assumed name, the DBA must be listed identically on both forms. Listing a DBA on the application but not on the bond — or vice versa — is rejected.
Missing or expired notarization
A notary stamp without an expiration date, an expired commission, or a notary jurat that does not certify personal appearance all trigger rejection.
Power of Attorney not attached or stale
If the POA is missing, FLHSMV cannot confirm the attorney-in-fact had authority to bind the surety. POAs older than about 12 months are sometimes flagged for confirmation.
Effective date in the past
A bond cannot begin retroactively. If the effective date has already passed when the bond reaches FLHSMV intake, the carrier must reissue with a current or future date.
Surety carrier not licensed in Florida
The carrier on Form 86020 must be authorized to write surety bonds in Florida by FLDFS. Out-of-state-only carriers are rejected. Verify the carrier on the FLDFS licensed company search.
Crossed-out or altered text
Any manual edits, strikethroughs, whited-out text, or initial-marked corrections in the pre-printed statutory language void the bond. The form must arrive at FLHSMV without any alterations.
Electronic signature on the bond itself
DocuSign, Adobe Sign, scanned signatures, or signature-font signatures on 86020 are not accepted in 2026. Wet ink is required. This is the most common rejection cause for newer dealers used to digital workflows.
Where to File Form HSMV 86020
The original signed and notarized bond, with the Power of Attorney attached, is mailed to the FLHSMV Bureau of Dealer Services in Tallahassee together with Form 86056 (license application) and the other required documents.
Mailing address
Department of Highway Safety and Motor VehiclesBureau of Dealer Services
2900 Apalachee Parkway
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Keep a certified copy for your records. Once the original is mailed, you no longer have a fully executed copy in your file. Have the carrier produce a certified true copy at the time the original is issued, or make a high-resolution scan before mailing. You will need a copy for your dealer file, for the floorplan lender, and potentially for renewals.
Related FLHSMV Bond and Letter-of-Credit Forms
HSMV 86020 is one of several related forms. If you are licensing in an adjacent dealer category or evaluating a letter of credit as a bond alternative, you may need a different number. Dealers running JAXPORT military vehicle redistribution sometimes hold MV plus RV credentials simultaneously and need two distinct bond forms.
| Form | Used for | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSMV 86020 | Motor Vehicle Dealer | $25,000 | Surety bond |
| HSMV 86018 | Mobile Home Dealer | $25,000 – $50,000 | Surety bond |
| HSMV 86019 | Recreational Vehicle Dealer | $10,000 – $20,000 | Surety bond |
| HSMV 86057 | Motor Vehicle Dealer (bond alternative) | $25,000 | Irrevocable Letter of Credit |
| HSMV 86058 | Mobile Home Dealer (bond alternative) | $25,000 – $50,000 | Irrevocable Letter of Credit |
Surety bonds are dramatically less expensive than letters of credit for most dealers because an LOC ties up bank collateral equal to the face value, while a bond requires only an annual premium. The LOC route (86057 / 86058) exists mostly for dealers with strong banking relationships and idle collateral.
What a Properly Completed HSMV 86020 Looks Like
We are not showing a fabricated form here — putting fake names and addresses on a sample document would be both unhelpful and potentially misleading. Instead, here is the visual checklist for what FLHSMV intake sees when a clean bond arrives:
If all twelve items are present and nothing is crossed out, the bond intake at FLHSMV typically clears within 2-3 business days and the bond is matched to your Form 86056 application for further review.
HSMV 86020 Frequently Asked Questions
Is HSMV 86020 the same as HSMV 86056?
No. HSMV 86020 is the surety bond form — the $25,000 bond your carrier issues and the principal signs. HSMV 86056 is the license application form you submit to FLHSMV to apply for a Motor Vehicle Dealer license. They are filed together but they are completely different documents. Many competitor pages conflate the two. If a webpage tells you to "fill out 86056 for your bond," that page is wrong.
How much is the bond on Form HSMV 86020?
Always $25,000. The penal sum is pre-printed on the form by the carrier and is fixed by Fla. Stat. §320.27(10) for all Motor Vehicle Dealer license classes (VF, VI, VW, VA, and SD). You do not choose the amount. The premium you pay is a small percentage of the $25,000 face value, set by underwriting based on personal credit.
Does FLHSMV accept e-signatures on Form 86020?
As of 2026, FLHSMV Bureau of Dealer Services requires a wet ink signature and original notarization on Form HSMV 86020. Electronic signatures and digital notarizations are not accepted on the bond form itself. The license application (Form 86056) and many supporting documents can be submitted electronically through the FLHSMV portal, but the bond is the exception. Mail the original signed and notarized bond to Tallahassee.
What does the Power of Attorney attached to Form 86020 do?
The Power of Attorney (POA) is the carrier-issued document that authorizes a specific attorney-in-fact to sign Form 86020 on behalf of the surety company. Without an attached POA, the surety signature on 86020 is unverifiable and FLHSMV will reject the filing. The POA must be on the carrier letterhead, notarized, and typically dated within the last 12 months. The carrier sends the POA stapled or paper-clipped to the bond — keep them together.
What happens if a name on Form 86020 does not match Form 86056?
FLHSMV will issue a deficiency and reject the bond filing. The principal name on Form 86020 must match the legal business name on the license application Form 86056 exactly — including punctuation, spacing, and entity suffix (LLC, Inc., Corp.). If "Sunshine Auto Sales LLC" is on the application but the bond reads "Sunshine Auto Sales, LLC," you will need a corrected bond or a bond rider before the license can be issued. Lock the legal name before the carrier types the bond.
How do I cancel a Florida dealer bond on Form 86020?
Cancellation requires written notice to FLHSMV. Form HSMV 86020 contains a continuous obligation clause: the bond remains in force until either the carrier or the principal provides 30 days written notice of cancellation to the Bureau of Dealer Services. Cancellation does not release the surety from claims that arose during the active bond period — those claims can still be pursued for up to one year after the cancellation effective date.
Can I file Form HSMV 86020 if my carrier is not licensed in Florida?
No. The surety company executing Form 86020 must be authorized to write surety bonds in Florida by the Florida Department of Financial Services (FLDFS). Bonds from unauthorized carriers are rejected on intake. Reputable bond agencies only place Florida dealer bonds with FLDFS-licensed carriers, but it is worth confirming. The carrier name on the bond can be cross-checked against the FLDFS licensed company search.
Are there different bond forms for mobile home and RV dealers in Florida?
Yes. HSMV 86020 is only for Motor Vehicle Dealers. Mobile Home Dealers use Form HSMV 86018 (bond amounts $25,000 to $50,000 depending on volume), and Recreational Vehicle Dealers use Form HSMV 86019 (bond amounts $10,000 to $20,000). Dealers who qualify can also substitute an Irrevocable Letter of Credit using Form HSMV 86057 (motor vehicle) or HSMV 86058 (mobile home) instead of a bond.
Keep Going on Your Florida Dealer License
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We issue Florida $25,000 Motor Vehicle Dealer bonds on Form HSMV 86020 with the Power of Attorney attached and wet-ink originals overnighted — ready for direct submission with your Form 86056 application.