Application for and issuance of certificate of title.

(1) The owner of an off-highway vehicle that is required to be titled must apply to the county tax collector for a certificate of title. The application must include the true name of the owner, the residence or business address of the owner, and a complete description of the off-highway vehicle. The application must be signed by the owner and must be accompanied by a fee of $29.

(2) The owner must establish proof of ownership by submitting with the application an executed bill of sale, a manufacturer’s statement of origin, an affidavit of ownership for off-highway vehicles purchased before the effective date of this act, or any other document acceptable to the department.

(3) To apply for a certificate of title upon transfer of ownership of an off-highway vehicle, the new owner must surrender to the department the last title document issued for that vehicle. The document must be properly executed. Proper execution includes the previous owner’s signature and certification that the off-highway vehicle to be transferred is debt-free or is subject to a lien. If a lien exists, the previous owner must furnish the new owner, on forms supplied by the department, the names and addresses of all lienholders and the dates of all liens, with a statement from each lienholder that the lienholder has knowledge of and consents to the transfer of title to the new owner.

(4) An application for an initial certificate of title or a title transfer must include payment of the applicable state sales tax or proof of payment of such tax, except for off-highway vehicles purchased or transferred before the effective date of this act.

(5) If the owner submits a complete application and complies with all other requirements of this section, the department shall issue a certificate of title that states that the title is for an off-highway vehicle that is not suitable for highway use. After October 1, 2003, the department shall also issue a copy of the guidebook prepared by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services pursuant to s. 261.07.

(6) In addition to a certificate of title, the department may issue a validation sticker to be placed on the off-highway vehicle as proof of the issuance of title required pursuant to s. 317.0006(1). A validation sticker that is lost or destroyed may, upon application, be replaced by the department or county tax collector. The department and county tax collector may charge and deposit the fees established in ss. 320.03(5), 320.031, and 320.04 for all original and replacement decals.