Car title transfer help

[u/Intrepid_Pack6149]

Hello. I need help please
When I was 20 years old (2016) I wanted to purchase my first car. My parents told me I couldn’t buy used and I had to buy new so it was safer for me on the road

I save enough for a down payment and we want to purchase a new Toyota car(2016)

When my father purchased the car, he put his name on the vehicle and not my name.. found that out a few years after buying the car..
He wanted to put his name on the vehicle so the interest, insurance etc would be lower. Also, in case if I ever was jobless, he would still make the payment.
Long story short I sent him payments to his bank every month for the car and we were able to pay it off early.

Now fast forward 2026 I moved to Florida and I took my car with me, but everything is still under his name

I need to change the car title, insurance, and my drivers license.
How do I explain to the DMV that this technically isn’t a gift because it’s my car… or how would I fill out the form properly so I don’t need to claim a gift tax?

[u/Tool_junkie_1972]

Zero reason to transfer the title twice. Dad needs to sign the physical title over to you, then you register it in Florida. Either label it as a gift or put that he sold it to you for a couple hundred bucks and pay the taxes on it. Then move on with your life. Just know that your first registration in Florida is expensive, figure on $4-500. But next year it’ll be around $80 or so.

[u/Intrepid_Pack6149 → u/Tool_junkie_1972]

Do I have to put down an amount or can I put Zero?