Florida does not have vehicle inspection prior to registering a vehicle, unless the vehicle is an out-of-country export. However, if you are bringing your vehicle to the state, you will likely get stopped and ticketed if your car has problems with its tires, brake light, directional signals, brakes, steering, horn, or mirror.
Brakes:
A car's emergency or parking brake needs to be powerful enough to keep it from rolling down a hill. Your vehicle's braking system must be able to bring the vehicle to a full stop in case of a sudden stoppage ahead.
Stopping Space
The distance between your vehicle and the black automobiles when you apply the brakes is the minimum required stopping distance. Ensure your brakes are in good working order and that you can stop well inside the white cars' indicated distance.
Keep in mind that the graph below only shows the braking distance AFTER you have applied the brakes; you also need to account for the REACTION DISTANCE, which is the time it takes you to react to impending danger by putting your foot on the brake pedal. Assuming a typical reaction time of 3/4 seconds, a driver going 10 miles per hour will cover 11 feet before applying the brakes. A distance of 55 feet at 50 miles per hour!
Lights:
The following lights are required for your vehicle.
- Extremely powerful high-beam headlights that can illuminate up to 450 feet in front of the vehicle.
- Low-beam headlights illuminate a distance of 150 feet ahead.
- Rear driving lights must be visible from at least 1,000 feet away.
- The license plate must be kept clean and free of discoloration or rust enough to be easily read.
- The license plate must be illuminated by a clear light that can be seen from a distance of 50 feet
- Brake lights must light up in addition to or brighter than the rear driving lights. They have to light up when the brake is applied and be visible from 300 feet away at any time of day.
Window tinting regulations in Florida:
Florida law mandates a maximum AS-1 line of tint for car windshields. There can be no more than 28% of VLT in the front side windows, 15% in the back side windows, and 15% in the back window. Rear and side windows on multi-purpose cars can allow for 6% visible light transmission.
Tint reflection, prohibited colors, and other restrictions are also in place. Learn more about Florida's tinting laws down below.
Is it okay to drive in Florida with a damaged windshield?
Florida statutes do not refer to windshield damage. However, other laws may make it illegal to drive with a cracked, chipped, or broken windshield.
Putting anything on a car's windshield is illegal in the state of Florida. Stickers required by law, GPS devices, and electronic toll payment devices are the exceptions. This equipment or item must not impair the driver's vision of the road in any way. Cracks or chips in the windshield might obstruct your vision of the road, thus this is very important to remember.
Likewise, windshield wipers are an absolute necessity for any car. You may receive a ticket if your windshield is damaged to the point that rain wipers cannot be used.
If a crack or chip is less than three-quarters of an inch in diameter and is more than three inches from any other crack, it is legal under federal laws. These obstructions, however, can't be in the driver's line of sight; top of the steering wheel to within top edge of windshield. Most Florida auto insurance providers allow for a once-per-year windshield replacement that does not count against the insured’s deductable, so it’s like having a free windshield every year, should you need it.
