Florida House Bill 5005, “Deregulations
of Professions and Occupations,” sponsored by Rep.
Esteban Bovo Jr., R-Dist. 110, includes provisions that
would repeal Florida’s law requiring the registration of
motor vehicle repair shops with the Motor Vehicle Repair
Advisory Council and the regulation of motor vehicle
repair.
The Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act, which
became a law, was created to assist consumers with
matters relating to motor vehicle repair shops. The
Motor Vehicle Repair Advisory Council was created to
advise and assist the Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer
Services in carrying out and reviewing the rules
relating to the Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act. The
law applies to dealers of new and used cars, trucks and
motorcycles; garages; service stations; self-employed
persons; truck stops; and paint, body, brake, muffler,
transmission, mobile repair and glass shops.
Registered shops must post, in a conspicuous
location in the customer service area, the registration
certificate and a sign advising consumers of their
rights under the Motor Vehicle Repair Act and give the
department’s toll-free telephone number for assistance
or information. Shops must also include in the sign a
statement advising consumers they are entitled to the
return or inspection of replaced parts, if requested at
the time the work order is placed. Finally, shops must
include their registration number in any advertisements,
announcements, or listings relating to motor vehicle
repair in any newspaper, magazine or directory.
If Bill 5005 were to be passed as currently
drafted, motor vehicle repair facilities will be
deregulated. The Motor Vehicle Repair Act is vital to
the motor vehicle repair experience for consumers in the
state of Florida. Before 1993, there were approximately
5,500 consumer complaints per year related to automotive
repair. Resolutions for these complaints went through
the state court system, which was an expensive 2- to 3-
year process. During fiscal year 2009-2010, there were
only 1,743 complaints for the year, a 70 percent
decrease since the start of the program. With the
Florida population increasing 35 percent during that
time, the effective decrease in complaints was actually
closer to 80 percent.
The Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act is self-
funded by the automotive service industry, and helps to
offset much of the cost for the call center for all of
the motor vehicle-related programs. The annual cost of
the program for 90 percent of shops is $50.
There are more than 22,000 auto repair shops in
Florida. The program created by the Florida Motor
Vehicle Repair Act is effective and successfully
arbitrates nearly 70 percent of all complaints within 60
days.
The programs in Florida are cost-effective for
consumers and the industry as a whole. It has been a
model program for other states. ASA opposes these provisions included in
House Bill 5005.
To view full text of the bill, and to send a
letter to your Florida legislators in opposition to
House Bill 5005, please visit ASA’s legislative website, www.TakingTheHill.com.
The Automotive Service Association is the
largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind
dedicated to and governed by independent automotive
service and repair professionals. ASA serves an
international membership base that includes numerous
affiliate, state and chapter groups from both the
mechanical and collision repair segments of the
automotive service industry. ASA’s headquarters is in
Bedford, Texas.
ASA advances professionalism and excellence in
the automotive repair industry through education,
representation and member services. For additional
information about ASA, including past news releases, go
to www.ASAshop.org, or visit ASA’s legislative website
at www.TakingTheHill.com.