Florida Warranty Reimbursement
Florida Dealers: Your State Law Guarantees Higher Warranty Rates
Fla. Stat. § 320.696 · 21-29% typical uplift
Florida has some of the strongest warranty reimbursement laws in the country. Don't leave money on the table.
Florida Warranty Reimbursement Law
Florida Statute 320.696 provides strong dealer protections with anti-retaliation provisions. Manufacturers must reimburse at retail rates and cannot penalize dealers for filing.
Fla. Stat. § 320.696
State Tier
strong
Submission Deadline
15-day submission window
OEM Response Window
30 days — anti-retaliation protections apply
What This Means for Your Dealership
Florida has one of the strongest warranty reimbursement statutes in the nation, and here's what makes it special: the anti-retaliation provision. Many dealers hesitate to file for higher warranty rates because they fear manufacturer blowback — reduced allocation, worse treatment, or other subtle retaliation. Florida law explicitly prohibits all of that.
The process is straightforward: gather your 50 most recent consecutive customer-pay repair orders from within the last 3 months, calculate the arithmetical mean of your parts markup and labor rate, and submit to the manufacturer. You need to give them 10 days' written notice before submitting, and they have 30 days to respond. If they deny your request, they must provide a written explanation.
Florida allows semiannual submissions, meaning you can file twice per year. This is particularly useful if your retail rates are trending upward — you can capture increases more frequently than in states that limit you to annual submissions.
Key Provisions
- Rate based on arithmetical mean markup from 50 consecutive retail customer ROs within 3 months
- If fewer than 50 ROs in 3 months, all ROs from that period are used
- Dealer must give manufacturer 10 days' written notice before submitting rate request
- Manufacturer has 30 days to approve, deny with written explanation, or request more information
- Strong anti-retaliation provisions — OEM cannot penalize, threaten, or discriminate against dealers who file
- Dealers can submit for changes no more than semiannually (twice per year)
What's Excluded from Calculations
The following repair types and transactions are typically excluded when calculating your retail warranty reimbursement rate:
- Manufacturer recall campaigns
- Goodwill and policy adjustments
- Internal and employee vehicle repairs
- Wholesale and fleet transactions
- Repairs not performed by the dealer's own service department
Full Statute Text
Fla. Stat. § 320.696 — Florida Warranty Reimbursement Law
Source: Florida State Legislature — This text is provided for informational purposes. Always consult the official state legislature website for the most current version.
Example: How Much Could You Recover?
A Florida dealership processing 220 warranty ROs per month at $250 average generates $660,000 in annual warranty revenue. With Florida's typical 21-29% uplift, that's $139,000-$191,000 in additional annual revenue. If your current warranty labor rate is $130/hour and your retail rate calculates to $168/hour, that $38/hour difference is pure recovered profit.
Pro Tips for Florida Dealers
Use the 10-day notice requirement strategically — it signals to the OEM that you're serious and gives them time to prepare, leading to smoother processing
File twice yearly to capture any retail rate increases, especially if you've raised your posted labor rate or parts markup
Keep the anti-retaliation statute in your back pocket — if you experience any negative treatment after filing, document it and consult your attorney
Florida Warranty Reimbursement FAQ
Can my manufacturer retaliate against me for filing in Florida?
No. Florida Statute § 320.696 includes explicit anti-retaliation provisions. Manufacturers cannot penalize, threaten, or discriminate against dealers who file for warranty reimbursement rate increases.
How many repair orders do I need for a Florida submission?
You need 50 consecutive retail customer repair orders from within the last 3 months. If you have fewer than 50 ROs in that period, you can use all available ROs.
How often can I submit in Florida?
Florida allows semiannual submissions — you can file for rate changes up to twice per year.
What if the manufacturer denies my Florida submission?
If the manufacturer denies your request, they must provide a written explanation of the denial. You can address their concerns and resubmit, or escalate through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Estimate Your Annual Uplift
See what your dealership could be earning in additional warranty reimbursement.
Estimated Annual Uplift
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