The Florida Senate

320.60  Definitions for ss. 320.61-320.70.--Whenever used in ss. 320.61-320.70, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and terms have the following meanings:

(1)  "Agreement" or "franchise agreement" means a contract, franchise, new motor vehicle franchise, sales and service agreement, or dealer agreement or any other terminology used to describe the contractual relationship between a manufacturer, factory branch, distributor, or importer, and a motor vehicle dealer, pursuant to which the motor vehicle dealer is authorized to transact business pertaining to motor vehicles of a particular line-make.

(2)  "Common entity" means a person:

(a)  Who is either controlled or owned, beneficially or of record, by one or more persons who also control or own more than 40 percent of the voting equity interests of a manufacturer; or

(b)  Who shares directors or officers or partners with a manufacturer.

(3)  "Demonstrator" means any new motor vehicle which is carried on the records of the dealer as a demonstrator and is used by, being inspected or driven by the dealer or his or her employees or prospective customers for the purpose of demonstrating vehicle characteristics in the sale or display of motor vehicles sold by the dealer.

(4)  "Department" means the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

(5)  "Distributor" means a person, resident or nonresident, who, in whole or in part, sells or distributes motor vehicles to motor vehicle dealers or who maintains distributor representatives.

(6)  "Factory branch" means a branch office maintained by a manufacturer, distributor, or importer for the sale of motor vehicles to distributors or to motor vehicle dealers, or for directing or supervising, in whole or in part, its representatives in this state.

(7)  "Importer" means any person who imports vehicles from a foreign country into the United States or into this state for the purpose of sale or lease.

(8)  "Licensee" means any person licensed or required to be licensed under s. 320.61.

(9)  "Manufacturer" means any person, whether a resident or nonresident of this state, who manufactures or assembles motor vehicles or who manufactures or installs on previously assembled truck chassis special bodies or equipment which, when installed, form an integral part of the motor vehicle and which constitute a major manufacturing alteration. The term "manufacturer" includes a central or principal sales corporation or other entity through which, by contractual agreement or otherwise, it distributes its products.

(10)  "Motor vehicle" means any new automobile, motorcycle, or truck the equitable or legal title to which has never been transferred by a manufacturer, distributor, importer, or dealer to an ultimate purchaser; however, when legal title is not transferred but possession of a motor vehicle is transferred pursuant to a conditional sales contract or lease and the conditions are not satisfied and the vehicle is returned to the motor vehicle dealer, the motor vehicle may be resold by the motor vehicle dealer as a new motor vehicle, provided the selling motor vehicle dealer gives the following written notice to the purchaser: "THIS VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO A PREVIOUS PURCHASER." The purchaser shall sign an acknowledgment, a copy of which is kept in the selling dealer's file.

(11)(a)  "Motor vehicle dealer" means any person, firm, or corporation who, for commission, money or other things of value, repairs or services motor vehicles or used motor vehicles pursuant to an agreement as defined in subsection (1), or sells, exchanges, buys, or rents, or offers, or attempts to negotiate a sale or exchange of any interest in, motor vehicles or who is engaged wholly or in part in the business of selling motor vehicles, whether or not such motor vehicles are owned by such person, firm, or corporation.

(b)  Any person who repairs or services three or more motor vehicles or used motor vehicles as set forth in paragraph (a), or who buys, sells, or deals in three or more motor vehicles in any 12-month period or who offers or displays for sale three or more motor vehicles in any 12-month period shall be prima facie presumed to be a motor vehicle dealer. The terms "selling" and "sale" include lease-purchase transactions.

(c)  The term "motor vehicle dealer" does not include:

1.  Public officers while performing their official duties;

2.  Receivers, trustees, administrators, executors, guardians, or other persons appointed by, or acting under the judgment or order of, any court;

3.  Banks, finance companies, or other loan agencies that acquire motor vehicles as an incident to their regular business; or

4.  Motor vehicle rental and leasing companies that sell motor vehicles to motor vehicle dealers licensed under s. 320.27.

(12)  "Person" means any natural person, partnership, firm, corporation, association, joint venture, trust, or other legal entity.

(13)  "Used motor vehicle" means any motor vehicle title to or possession of which has been transferred from the person who first acquired it from the manufacturer, distributor, importer, or dealer and which is commonly known as "secondhand" within the ordinary meaning thereof.

(14)  "Line-make vehicles" are those motor vehicles which are offered for sale, lease, or distribution under a common name, trademark, service mark, or brand name of the manufacturer of same.

History.--s. 1, ch. 20236, 1941; s. 7, ch. 22858, 1945; s. 6, ch. 65-190; ss. 24, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 4, ch. 70-424; s. 1, ch. 70-439; s. 95, ch. 71-377; s. 1, ch. 72-112; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 28, ch. 77-357; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 129, ch. 79-400; ss. 16, 17, 18, ch. 80-217; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; s. 1, ch. 84-69; ss. 3, 20, 21, ch. 88-395; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 17, ch. 93-219; s. 368, ch. 95-148; s. 32, ch. 2000-313.