§ 320.64 — Denial, suspension, or revocation of license; grounds

Florida § 320.64

• Jurisdiction: Florida
• Title: XXIII
• Ch. 320: MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSES

Text

A license of a licensee under s. 320.61 may be denied, suspended, or revoked within the entire state or at any specific location or locations within the state at which the applicant or licensee engages or proposes to engage in business, upon proof that the section was violated with sufficient frequency to establish a pattern of wrongdoing, and a licensee or applicant shall be liable for claims and remedies provided in ss. 320.695 and 320.697 for any violation of any of the following provisions. A licensee is prohibited from committing the following acts:

(1) The applicant or licensee is determined to be unable to carry out contractual obligations with its motor vehicle dealers.

(2) The applicant or licensee has knowingly made a material misstatement in its application for a license.

(3) The applicant or licensee willfully has failed to comply with significant provisions of ss. 320.60-320.70 or with any lawful rule or regulation adopted or promulgated by the department.

(4) The applicant or licensee has indulged in any illegal act relating to his or her business.

(5) The applicant or licensee has coerced or attempted to coerce any motor vehicle dealer into accepting delivery of any motor vehicle or vehicles or parts or accessories therefor or any other commodities which have not been ordered by the dealer.

(6) The applicant or licensee has coerced or attempted to coerce any motor vehicle dealer to enter into any agreement with the licensee.

(7) The applicant or licensee has threatened to discontinue, cancel, or not to renew a franchise agreement of a licensed motor vehicle dealer, where the threatened discontinuation, cancellation, or nonrenewal, if implemented, would be in violation of any of the provisions of s. 320.641.

(8) The applicant or licensee discontinued, canceled, or failed to renew, a franchise agreement of a licensed motor vehicle dealer in violation of any of the provisions of s. 320.641.

(9) The applicant or licensee has threatened to modify or replace, or has modified or replaced, a franchise agreement with a succeeding franchise agreement which would adversely alter the rights or obligations of a motor vehicle dealer under an existing franchise agreement or which substantially impairs the sales, service obligations, or investment of the motor vehicle dealer.

(10)(a) The applicant or licensee has attempted to enter, or has entered, into a franchise agreement with a motor vehicle dealer who does not, at the time of the franchise agreement, have proper facilities to provide the services to his or her purchasers of new motor vehicles which are covered by the new motor vehicle warranty issued by the applicant or licensee. (b) Notwithstanding any provision of a franchise, a licensee may not require a motor vehicle dealer, by agreement, program, policy, standard, or otherwise, to make substantial changes, alterations, or remodeling to, or to replace a motor vehicle dealer’s sales or service facilities unless the licensee’s requirements are reasonable and justifiable in light of the current and reasonably foreseeable projections of economic conditions, financial expectations, and the motor vehicle dealer’s market for the licensee’s motor vehicles. (c) A licensee may, however, consistent with the licensee’s allocation obligations at law and to its other same line-make motor vehicle dealers, provide to a motor vehicle dealer a commitment to supply additional vehicles or provide a loan or grant of money as an inducement for the motor vehicle dealer to expand, improve, remodel, alter, or renovate its facilities if the provisions of the commitment are contained in a writing voluntarily agreed to by the dealer and are made available, on substantially similar terms, to any of the licensee’s other same line-make dealers in this state who voluntarily agree to make a substantially similar facility expansion, improvement, remodeling, alteration, or renovation. (d) Except as provided in paragraph (c), subsection (36), or as otherwise provided by law, this subsection does not require a licensee to provide financial support for, or contribution to, the purchase or sale of the assets of or equity in a motor vehicle dealer or a relocation of a motor vehicle dealer because such support has been provided to other purchases, sales, or relocations. (e) A licensee or its common entity may not take or threaten to take any action that is unfair or adverse to a dealer who does not enter into an agreement with the licensee pursuant to paragraph (c). (f) This subsection does not affect any contract between a licensee and any of its dealers regarding relocation, expansion, improvement, remodeling, renovation, or alteration which exists on the effective date of this act. (g) A licensee may set and uniformly apply reasonable standards for a motor vehicle dealer’s sales and service facilities which are related to upkeep, repair, and cleanliness. (h) A violation of paragraphs (b) through (g) is not a violation of s. 320.70 and does not subject any licensee to any criminal penalty under s. 320.70. (i)1. If an applicant or licensee establishes a program, standard, or policy or in any manner offers a bonus, incentive, rebate, or other benefit to a motor vehicle dealer which is based, in whole or in part, on the construction of new sales or service facilities or the remodeling, improvement, renovation, expansion, replacement, or other alteration of the motor vehicle dealer’s existing sales or service facilities, including installation of signs or other image elements, a motor vehicle dealer who completes such construction, alteration, or installation in reliance upon such program, standard, policy, bonus, incentive, rebate, or other benefit is deemed to be in full compliance with the applicant’s or licensee’s requirements related to the new, remodeled, improved, renovated, expanded, replaced, or altered facilities, signs, and image elements for 10 years after such completion. 2. If, during such 10-year period, the applicant or licensee revises an existing, or establishes a new, program, standard, policy, bonus, incentive, rebate, or other benefit described in subparagraph 1., a motor vehicle dealer who completed a facility in reliance upon a prior program, standard, policy, bonus, incentive, rebate, or other benefit and elects not to comply with the applicant’s or licensee’s requirements for facilities, signs, or image elements under the revised or new program, standard, policy, bonus, incentive, rebate, or other benefit will not be eligible for any benefit under the revised or new program but shall remain entitled to all benefits under the prior program, plus any increase in benefits between the prior and revised or new programs, during the remainder of the 10-year period. This paragraph does not obviate, affect, alter, or diminish the provisions of subsection (38).

(11) The applicant or licensee has coerced a motor vehicle dealer to provide installment financing for the motor vehicle dealer’s purchasers with a specified financial institution.

(12) The applicant or licensee has advertised, printed, displayed, published, distributed, broadcast, or televised, or caused or permitted to be advertised, printed, displayed, published, distributed, broadcast, or televised, in any manner whatsoever, any statement or representation with regard to the sale or financing of motor vehicles which is false, deceptive, or misleading.

(13) The applicant or licensee has sold, exchanged, or rented a motorcycle which produces in excess of 5 brake horsepower, knowing the use thereof to be by, or intended for, the holder of a restricted Florida driver license.

(14) The applicant or licensee has engaged in previous conduct which would have been a ground for revocation or suspension of a license if the applicant or licensee had been licensed.

(15) The applicant or licensee, directly or indirectly, through the actions of any parent of the licensee, subsidiary of the licensee, or common entity causes a termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal of a franchise agreement by a present or previous distributor or importer unless, by the effective date of such action, the applicant or licensee offers the motor vehicle dealer whose franchise agreement is terminated, canceled, or not renewed a franchise agreement containing substantially the same provisions contained in the previous franchise agreement or files an affidavit with the department acknowledging its undertaking to assume and fulfill the rights, duties, and obligations of its predecessor distributor or importer under the terminated, canceled, or nonrenewed franchise agreement and the same is reinstated.

(16) Notwithstanding the terms of any franchise agreement, the applicant or licensee prevents or refuses to accept the succession to any interest in a franchise agreement by any legal heir or devisee under the will of a motor vehicle dealer or under the laws of descent and distribution of this state; provided, the applicant or licensee is not required to accept a succession where such heir or devisee does not meet licensee’s written, reasonable, and uniformly applied minimal standard qualifications for dealer applicants or which, after notice and administrative hearing pursuant to chapter 120, is demonstrated to be detrimental to the public interest or to the representation of the applicant or licensee. Nothing contained herein, however, shall prevent a motor vehicle dealer, during his or her lifetime, from designating any person as his or her successor in interest by written instrument filed with and accepted by the applicant or licensee. A licensee who rejects the successor transferee under this subsection shall have the burden of establishing in any proceeding where such rejection is in issue that the rejection of the successor transferee complies with this subsection.

(17) The applicant or licensee has included in any franchise agreement with a motor vehicle dealer terms or provisions that are contrary to, prohibited by, or otherwise inconsistent with the provisions contained in ss. 320.60-320.70, or has failed to include in such franchise agreement a provision conforming to the requirements of s. 320.63(3).

(18) The applicant or licensee has established a system of motor vehicle allocation or distribution or has implemented a system of allocation or distribution of motor vehicles to one or more of its franchised motor vehicle dealers which: (a) Reduces or alters allocations or supplies of new motor vehicles to the dealer to achieve, directly or indirectly, a purpose that is prohibited by ss. 320.60-320.70; (b) Conditionally or unconditionally reserves a specific motor vehicle identified by vehicle identification number or other unique identifier for a specifically named person, except for purposes of replacing a consumer’s vehicle pursuant to chapter 681; (c) Requires or incentivizes motor vehicle dealers to sell or lease, or to negotiate the sale or lease of, a specific motor vehicle identified by vehicle identification number or other unique identifier to a specifically named person; (d) Requires or incentivizes motor vehicle dealers to sell or lease a motor vehicle at a specified price or profit margin or restricts the price at which a motor vehicle dealer may sell or lease a motor vehicle; or (e) Is otherwise unfair, inequitable, unreasonably discriminatory, or not supportable by reason and good cause after considering the equities of the affected motor vehicles dealer or dealers. As used in this paragraph, the term “unfair” includes, but is not limited to, refusing or failing to offer to any dealer an equitable supply of new vehicles under its franchise, by model, mix, or color, as the licensee offers or allocates to its other same line-make dealers in this state or using the number of motor vehicles preordered or reserved by consumers as a factor in determining the allocation of motor vehicles to motor vehicle dealers. An applicant or licensee shall maintain for 3 years records that describe its methods or formula of allocation and distribution of its motor vehicles and records of its actual allocation and distribution of motor vehicles to its motor vehicle dealers in this state.

(19) The applicant or licensee, without good and fair cause, has delayed, refused, or failed to provide a supply of motor vehicles by series in reasonable quantities, including the models publicly advertised by the applicant or licensee as being available, or has delayed, refused, or failed to deliver motor vehicle parts and accessories within a reasonable time after receipt of an order by a franchised dealer. However, this subsection is not violated if such failure is caused by acts or causes beyond the control of the applicant or licensee.

(20) The applicant or licensee has required, or threatened to require, a motor vehicle dealer to prospectively assent to a release, assignment, novation, waiver, or estoppel, which instrument or document operates, or is intended by the applicant or licensee to operate, to relieve any person from any liability or obligation under the provisions of ss. 320.60-320.70.

(21) The applicant or licensee has threatened or coerced a motor vehicle dealer toward conduct or action whereby the dealer would waive or forego its right to protest the establishment or relocation of a motor vehicle dealer in the community or territory serviced by the threatened or coerced dealer.

(22) The applicant or licensee has refused to deliver, in reasonable quantities and within a reasonable time, to any duly licensed motor vehicle dealer who has an agreement with such applicant or licensee for the retail sale of new motor vehicles and parts for motor vehicles sold or distributed by the applicant or licensee, any such motor vehicles or parts as are covered by such agreement. Such refusal includes the failure to offer to its same line-make franchised motor vehicle dealers all models manufactured for that line-make, or requiring a dealer to pay any extra fee, require a dealer to execute a separate franchise agreement, purchase unreasonable advertising displays or other materials, or relocate, expand, improve, remodel, renovate, recondition, or alter the dealer’s existing facilities, or provide exclusive facilities as a prerequisite to receiving a model or series of vehicles. However, the failure to deliver any motor vehicle or part will not be considered a violation of this section if the failure is due to an act of God, work stoppage, or delay due to a strike or labor difficulty, a freight embargo, product shortage, or other cause over which the applicant or licensee has no control. An applicant or licensee may impose reasonable requirements on the motor vehicle dealer, other than the items listed above, including, but not limited to, the purchase of special tools required to properly service a motor vehicle and the undertaking of sales person or service person training related to the motor vehicle.

(23) The applicant or licensee has engaged in any of the activities of a motor vehicle dealer as defined in s. 320.60(13)(a) or any of the activities described in s. 320.60(16) or has competed or is competing with respect to any activity covered by the franchise agreement with a motor vehicle dealer of the same line-make located in this state with whom the applicant or licensee has entered into a franchise agreement, except as permitted in s. 320.645 or in subsection (24) with respect to the remote electronic transmission of a permanent or temporary feature or improvement of a motor vehicle.

(24) The applicant or licensee, or a common entity thereof, has sold or leased a motor vehicle to any retail consumer in this state, or has sold or activated for a fee to any retail consumer in this state any permanent or temporary motor vehicle feature or improvement that functions through hardware or components installed on the motor vehicle, except through a motor vehicle dealer properly licensed pursuant to s. 320.27 and holding a franchise agreement for the line-make that includes the motor vehicle. Notwithstanding this subsection, an applicant, a licensee, or their common entity may sell or activate for a fee a permanent or temporary feature or improvement for a motor vehicle of a line-make manufactured, imported, or distributed by the applicant or licensee and registered in Florida if and only if the feature or improvement is provided directly to the motor vehicle through remote electronic transmission. However, if such motor vehicle was new when sold or leased by a Florida franchised motor vehicle dealer within the 2-year period preceding such remote electronic transmission and the ownership of the vehicle was not changed, then the applicant or licensee must pay a percentage of the payment received for the feature or improvement to the Florida franchised motor vehicle dealer. Payment from the applicant or licensee to the Florida franchised motor vehicle dealer shall be at least 8 percent of the gross payment received by the applicant, licensee, or common entity for the sale of the feature or improvement that was remotely transmitted. As used in this subsection, the term “feature or improvement” includes the activation or use of motor vehicle components or hardware but does not include services that require the transmission of data or information to or from the motor vehicle while the service is being used. Payments required under this subsection must be made within 60 days after the date of sale of the feature or improvement. This subsection does not apply to sales by the applicant or licensee of motor vehicles to its current employees, employees of companies affiliated by common ownership, charitable not-for-profit organizations, and the Federal Government.

(25) The applicant or licensee has undertaken or engaged in an audit of warranty, maintenance, and other service-related payments or incentive payments, including payments to a motor vehicle dealer under any licensee-issued program, policy, or other benefit, which were previously paid to a motor vehicle dealer in violation of this section or has failed to comply with any of its obligations under s. 320.696. An applicant or licensee may reasonably and periodically audit a motor vehicle dealer to determine the validity of paid claims as provided in s. 320.696. Audits of warranty, maintenance, and other service-related payments shall be performed by an applicant or licensee only during the 12-month period immediately following the date the claim was paid. Audits of incentive payments shall be performed only during the 12-month period immediately following the date the incentive was paid. As used in this section, the term “incentive” includes any bonus, incentive, or other monetary or nonmonetary consideration. After such time periods have elapsed, all warranty, maintenance, and other service-related payments and incentive payments shall be deemed final and incontrovertible for any reason notwithstanding any otherwise applicable law, and the motor vehicle dealer shall not be subject to any chargeback or repayment. An applicant or licensee may deny a claim or, as a result of a timely conducted audit, impose a chargeback against a motor vehicle dealer for warranty, maintenance, or other service-related payments or incentive payments only if the applicant or licensee can show that the warranty, maintenance, or other service-related claim or incentive claim was false or fraudulent or that the motor vehicle dealer failed to substantially comply with the reasonable written and uniformly applied procedures of the applicant or licensee for such repairs or incentives, but only for that portion of the claim so shown. Notwithstanding the terms of any franchise agreement, guideline, program, policy, or procedure, an applicant or licensee may deny or charge back only that portion of a warranty, maintenance, or other service-related claim or incentive claim which the applicant or licensee has proven to be false or fraudulent or for which the dealer failed to substantially comply with the reasonable written and uniformly applied procedures of the applicant or licensee for such repairs or incentives, as set forth in this subsection. An applicant or licensee may not charge back a motor vehicle dealer subsequent to the payment of a warranty, maintenance, or service-related claim or incentive claim unless, within 30 days after a timely conducted audit, a representative of the applicant or licensee first meets in person, by telephone, or by video teleconference with an officer or employee of the dealer designated by the motor vehicle dealer. At such meeting the applicant or licensee must provide a detailed explanation, with supporting documentation, as to the basis for each of the claims for which the applicant or licensee proposed a chargeback to the dealer and a written statement containing the basis upon which the motor vehicle dealer was selected for audit or review. Thereafter, the applicant or licensee must provide the motor vehicle dealer’s representative a reasonable period after the meeting within which to respond to the proposed chargebacks, with such period to be commensurate with the volume of claims under consideration, but in no case less than 45 days after the meeting. The applicant or licensee is prohibited from changing or altering the basis for each of the proposed chargebacks as presented to the motor vehicle dealer’s representative following the conclusion of the audit unless the applicant or licensee receives new information affecting the basis for one or more chargebacks and that new information is received within 30 days after the conclusion of the timely conducted audit. If the applicant or licensee claims the existence of new information, the dealer must be given the same right to a meeting and right to respond as when the chargeback was originally presented. After all internal dispute resolution processes provided through the applicant or licensee have been completed, the applicant or licensee shall give written notice to the motor vehicle dealer of the final amount of its proposed chargeback. If the dealer disputes that amount, the dealer may file a protest with the department within 30 days after receipt of the notice. If a protest is timely filed, the department shall notify the applicant or licensee of the filing of the protest, and the applicant or licensee may not take any action to recover the amount of the proposed chargeback until the department renders a final determination, which is not subject to further appeal, that the chargeback is in compliance with the provisions of this section. In any hearing pursuant to this subsection, the applicant or licensee has the burden of proof that its audit and resulting chargeback are in compliance with this subsection.

(26) Notwithstanding the terms of any franchise agreement, including any licensee’s program, policy, or procedure, the applicant or licensee has refused to allocate, sell, or deliver motor vehicles; charged back or withheld payments or other things of value for which the dealer is otherwise eligible under a sales promotion, program, or contest; prevented a motor vehicle dealer from participating in any promotion, program, or contest; or has taken or threatened to take any adverse action against a dealer, including chargebacks, reducing vehicle allocations, or terminating or threatening to terminate a franchise because the dealer sold or leased a motor vehicle to a customer who exported the vehicle to a foreign country or who resold the vehicle, unless the licensee proves that the dealer knew or reasonably should have known that the customer intended to export or resell the motor vehicle. There is a rebuttable presumption that the dealer neither knew nor reasonably should have known of its customer’s intent to export or resell the vehicle if the vehicle is titled or registered in any state in this country. A licensee may not take any action against a motor vehicle dealer, including reducing its allocations or supply of motor vehicles to the dealer or charging back to a dealer any incentive payment previously paid, unless the licensee first meets in person, by telephone, or video conference with an officer or other designated employee of the dealer. At such meeting, the licensee must provide a detailed explanation, with supporting documentation, as to the basis for its claim that the dealer knew or reasonably should have known of the customer’s intent to export or resell the motor vehicle. Thereafter, the motor vehicle dealer shall have a reasonable period, commensurate with the number of motor vehicles at issue, but not less than 15 days, to respond to the licensee’s claims. If, following the dealer’s response and completion of all internal dispute resolution processes provided through the applicant or licensee, the dispute remains unresolved, the dealer may file a protest with the department within 30 days after receipt of a written notice from the licensee that it still intends to take adverse action against the dealer with respect to the motor vehicles still at issue. If a protest is timely filed, the department shall notify the applicant or licensee of the filing of the protest, and the applicant or licensee may not take any action adverse to the dealer until the department renders a final determination, which is not subject to further appeal, that the licensee’s proposed action is in compliance with the provisions of this subsection. In any hearing pursuant to this subsection, the applicant or licensee has the burden of proof on all issues raised by this subsection. An applicant or licensee may not take any adverse action against a motor vehicle dealer because the dealer sold or leased a motor vehicle to a customer who exported the vehicle to a foreign country or who resold the vehicle unless the applicant or licensee provides written notification to the motor vehicle dealer of such resale or export within 12 months after the date the dealer sold or leased the vehicle to the customer.

(27) Notwithstanding the terms of any franchise agreement, the applicant or licensee has failed or refused to indemnify and hold harmless any motor vehicle dealer against any judgment for damages, or settlements agreed to by the applicant or licensee, including, without limitation, court costs and reasonable attorney fees, arising out of complaints, claims, or lawsuits, including, without limitation, strict liability, negligence, misrepresentation, express or implied warranty, or revocation or rescission of acceptance of the sale of a motor vehicle, to the extent the judgment or settlement relates to the alleged negligent manufacture, design, or assembly of motor vehicles, parts, or accessories. Nothing herein shall obviate the licensee’s obligations pursuant to chapter 681.

(28) The applicant or licensee has published, disclosed, or otherwise made available in any form information provided by a motor vehicle dealer with respect to sales prices of motor vehicles or profit per motor vehicle sold. Other confidential financial information provided by motor vehicle dealers shall not be published, disclosed, or otherwise made publicly available except in composite form. However, this information may be disclosed with the written consent of the dealer or in response to a subpoena or order of the department, a court or a lawful tribunal, or introduced into evidence in such a proceeding, after timely notice to an affected dealer.

(29) The applicant or licensee has failed to reimburse a motor vehicle dealer in full for the reasonable cost of providing a loaner vehicle to any customer who is having a vehicle serviced at the motor vehicle dealer, if a loaner is required by the applicant or licensee, or a loaner is expressly part of an applicant or licensee’s customer satisfaction index or computation.

(30) The applicant or licensee has conducted or threatened to conduct any audit of a motor vehicle dealer in order to coerce or attempt to coerce the dealer to forego any rights granted to the dealer under ss. 320.60-320.70 or under the agreement between the licensee and the motor vehicle dealer. Nothing in this section shall prohibit an applicant or licensee from reasonably and periodically auditing a dealer to determine the validity of paid claims, as permitted under this chapter, if the licensee complies with the provisions of ss. 320.60-320.70 applicable to such audits.

(31) From and after the effective date of enactment of this provision, the applicant or licensee has offered to any motor vehicle dealer a franchise agreement that: (a) Requires that a motor vehicle dealer bring an administrative or legal action in a venue outside of this state; (b) Requires that any arbitration, mediation, or other legal proceeding be conducted outside of this state; or (c) Requires that a law of a state other than Florida be applied to any legal proceeding between a motor vehicle dealer and a licensee.

(32) Notwithstanding the terms of any franchise agreement, the applicant or licensee has rejected or withheld approval of any proposed transfer in violation of s. 320.643 or a proposed change of executive management in violation of s. 320.644.

(33) The applicant or licensee has attempted to sell or lease, or has sold or leased, used motor vehicles at retail of a line-make that is the subject of any franchise agreement with a motor vehicle dealer in this state, other than trucks with a net weight of more than 8,000 pounds.

(34) The applicant or licensee, after the effective date of this subsection, has included in any franchise agreement with a motor vehicle dealer a mandatory obligation or requirement of the motor vehicle dealer to purchase, sell, or lease, or offer for purchase, sale, or lease, any quantity of used motor vehicles.

(35) The applicant or licensee has refused to assign allocation earned by a motor vehicle dealer, or has refused to sell motor vehicles to a motor vehicle dealer, because the motor vehicle dealer has failed or refused to purchase, sell, lease, or certify a certain quantity of used motor vehicles prescribed by the licensee.

(36)(a) Notwithstanding the terms of any franchise agreement, in addition to any other statutory or contractual rights of recovery after the voluntary or involuntary termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal of a franchise, failing to pay the motor vehicle dealer, as provided in paragraph (d), the following amounts: 1. The net cost paid by the dealer for each new car or truck in the dealer’s inventory with mileage of 2,000 miles or less, or a motorcycle with mileage of 100 miles or less, exclusive of mileage placed on the vehicle before it was delivered to the dealer. 2. The current price charged for each new, unused, undamaged, or unsold part or accessory that: a. Is in the current parts catalog and is still in the original, resalable merchandising package and in an unbroken lot, except that sheet metal may be in a comparable substitute for the original package; and b. Was purchased by the dealer directly from the manufacturer or distributor or from an outgoing authorized dealer as a part of the dealer’s initial inventory. 3. The fair market value of each undamaged sign owned by the dealer which bears a trademark or trade name used or claimed by the applicant or licensee or its representative which was purchased from or at the request of the applicant or licensee or its representative. 4. The fair market value of all special tools, data processing equipment, and automotive service equipment owned by the dealer which: a. Were recommended in writing by the applicant or licensee or its representative and designated as special tools and equipment; b. Were purchased from or at the request of the applicant or licensee or its representative; and c. Are in usable and good condition except for reasonable wear and tear. 5. The cost of transporting, handling, packing, storing, and loading any property subject to repurchase under this section. (b) If the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal of the dealer’s franchise is the result of the bankruptcy or reorganization of a licensee or its common entity, or the result of a licensee’s plan, scheme, or policy, whether or not publicly declared, which is intended to or has the effect of decreasing the number of, or eliminating, the licensee’s franchised motor vehicle dealers of a line-make in this state, or the result of a termination, elimination, or cessation of manufacture or reorganization of a licensee or its common entity, or the result of a termination, elimination, or cessation of manufacture or distribution of a line-make, in addition to the above payments to the dealer, the licensee or its common entity, shall be liable to and shall pay the motor vehicle dealer for an amount at least equal to the fair market value of the franchise for the line-make, which shall be the greater of the value determined as of the day the licensee announces the action that results in the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal, or the value determined on the day that is 12 months before that date. Fair market value of the franchise for the line-make includes only the goodwill value of the dealer’s franchise for that line-make in the dealer’s community or territory. (c) This subsection does not apply to a termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal that is implemented as a result of the sale of the assets or corporate stock or other ownership interests of the dealer. (d) The dealer shall return the property listed in this subsection to the licensee within 90 days after the effective date of the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal. The licensee shall supply the dealer with reasonable instructions regarding the method by which the dealer must return the property. Absent shipping instructions and prepayment of shipping costs from the licensee or its common entity, the dealer shall tender the inventory and other items to be returned at the dealer’s facility. The compensation for the property shall be paid by the licensee or its common entity simultaneously with the tender of inventory and other items, provided that, if the dealer does not have clear title to the inventory and other items and is not in a position to convey that title to the licensee, payment for the property being returned may be made jointly to the dealer and the holder of any security interest.

(37) Notwithstanding the terms of any franchise agreement, the applicant or licensee has refused to allow or has limited or restricted a motor vehicle dealer from acquiring or adding a sales or service operation for another line-make of motor vehicles at the same or expanded facility at which the motor vehicle dealer currently operates a dealership unless the applicant or licensee can demonstrate that such refusal, limitation, or restriction is justified by consideration of reasonable facility and financial requirements and the dealer’s performance for the existing line-make.

(38) The applicant or licensee has failed or refused to offer a bonus, incentive, or other benefit program, in whole or in part, to a dealer or dealers in this state which it offers to all of its other same line-make dealers nationally or to all of its other same line-make dealers in the licensee’s designated zone, region, or other licensee-designated area of which this state is a part, unless the failure or refusal to offer the program in this state is reasonably supported by substantially different economic or marketing considerations than are applicable to the licensee’s same line-make dealers in this state. For purposes of this chapter, a licensee may not establish this state alone as a designated zone, region, or area or any other designation for a specified territory. A licensee may offer a bonus, rebate, incentive, or other benefit program to its dealers in this state which is calculated or paid on a per vehicle basis and is related in part to a dealer’s facility or the expansion, improvement, remodeling, alteration, or renovation of a dealer’s facility. Any dealer who does not comply with the facility criteria or eligibility requirements of such program is entitled to receive a reasonable percentage of the bonus, incentive, rebate, or other benefit offered by the licensee under that program by complying with the criteria or eligibility requirements unrelated to the dealer’s facility under that program. For purposes of the previous sentence, the percentage unrelated to the facility criteria or requirements is presumed to be “reasonable” if it is not less than 80 percent of the total of the per vehicle bonus, incentive, rebate, or other benefits offered under the program.

(39) Notwithstanding any agreement, program, incentive, bonus, policy, or rule, an applicant or licensee may not fail to make any payment pursuant to any agreement, program, incentive, bonus, policy, or rule for any temporary replacement motor vehicle loaned, rented, or provided by a motor vehicle dealer to or for its service or repair customers, even if the temporary replacement motor vehicle has been leased, rented, titled, or registered to the motor vehicle dealer’s rental or leasing division or an entity that is owned or controlled by the motor vehicle dealer, provided that the motor vehicle dealer or its rental or leasing division or entity complies with the written and uniformly enforced vehicle eligibility, use, and reporting requirements specified by the applicant or licensee in its agreement, program, policy, bonus, incentive, or rule relating to loaner vehicles.

(40) Notwithstanding the terms of any franchise agreement, the applicant or licensee may not require or coerce, or attempt to require or coerce, a motor vehicle dealer to purchase goods or services from a vendor selected, identified, or designated by the applicant or licensee, or one of its parents, subsidiaries, divisions, or affiliates, by agreement, standard, policy, program, incentive provision, or otherwise, without making available to the motor vehicle dealer the option to obtain the goods or services of substantially similar design and quality from a vendor chosen by the motor vehicle dealer. If the motor vehicle dealer exercises such option, the dealer must provide written notice of its desire to use the alternative goods or services to the applicant or licensee, along with samples or clear descriptions of the alternative goods or services that the dealer desires to use. The licensee or applicant shall have the opportunity to evaluate the alternative goods or services for up to 30 days to determine whether it will provide a written approval to the motor vehicle dealer to use said alternative goods or services. Approval may not be unreasonably withheld by the applicant or licensee. If the motor vehicle dealer does not receive a response from the applicant or licensee within 30 days, approval to use the alternative goods or services is deemed granted. If a dealer using alternative goods or services complies with this subsection and has received approval from the licensee or applicant, the dealer is not ineligible for all benefits described in the agreement, standard, policy, program, incentive provision, or otherwise solely for having used such alternative goods or services. As used in this subsection, the term “goods or services” is limited to such goods and services used to construct or renovate dealership facilities or furniture and fixtures at the dealership facilities. The term does not include: (a) Any materials subject to the applicant’s or licensee’s intellectual property rights, including copyright, trademark, or trade dress rights; (b) Any special tool and training as required by the applicant or licensee; (c) Any part to be used in repairs under warranty obligations of an applicant or licensee; (d) Any good or service paid for entirely by the applicant or licensee; or (e) Any applicant’s or licensee’s design or architectural review service.

(41) Notwithstanding the terms of any franchise agreement, and except as authorized under subsection (25), a licensee may not deny a claim of a motor vehicle dealer, reduce the amount of compensation to a motor vehicle dealer, or process a chargeback to a motor vehicle dealer for performing covered warranty repairs or required recall repairs on a used motor vehicle due to either of the following circumstances: (a) Discovery by the motor vehicle dealer of the need for warranty or recall repairs during the course of a separate repair requested by the consumer. (b) Notification by the motor vehicle dealer to the consumer of the need for recall repairs after the licensee or an authorized governmental agency issues a notice of an outstanding recall for a safety-related defect.

(42)(a) The applicant or licensee, or a common entity thereof, has established, implemented, or enforced criteria for measuring the sales or service performance of any of its franchised motor vehicle dealers in this state which have a material or adverse effect on any motor vehicle dealer and which: 1. Are unfair, unreasonable, arbitrary, or inequitable; or 2. Do not include all relevant and material local and regional criteria, data, and facts. Relevant and material criteria, data, or facts include, but are not limited to, those of motor vehicle dealerships of comparable size in comparable markets. If such performance measurement criteria are based, in whole or in part, on a survey, such survey must be based on a statistically significant and valid random sample. (b) The applicant or licensee, or a common entity thereof, has implemented or enforced criteria for measuring the sales or service performance of any of its franchised motor vehicle dealers in this state without first making available and readily accessible, before such implementation or enforcement, a written description to each such franchised motor vehicle dealer in this state which describes, in detail, how the performance measurement criteria were designed, calculated, established, and uniformly applied.

(43) The applicant or licensee, or a common entity thereof, has engaged in an action, or implemented a policy, standard, rule, practice, or program, taken as retaliation against a motor vehicle dealer because the dealer invoked a statutory right created by ss. 320.60-320.70; asserted that the applicant, licensee, or common entity has acted in a manner that violates a provision of ss. 320.60-320.70; or has testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, a proceeding, or a hearing that may directly affect the applicant, licensee, or common entity.

A motor vehicle dealer who can demonstrate that a violation of, or failure to comply with, any of the preceding provisions by an applicant or licensee will or may adversely and pecuniarily affect the complaining dealer, shall be entitled to pursue all of the remedies, procedures, and rights of recovery available under ss. 320.695 and 320.697.

Legislative History

s. 5, ch. 20236, 1941; s. 4, ch. 59-351; s. 9, ch. 70-424; s. 1, ch. 70-439; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; ss. 16, 17, ch. 80-217; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; s. 1, ch. 83-105; s. 5, ch. 84-69; s. 15, ch. 87-161; ss. 8, 20, 21, ch. 88-395; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 371, ch. 95-148; s. 21, ch. 2001-196; s. 45, ch. 2002-1; s. 2, ch. 2003-269; s. 3, ch. 2006-183; s. 1, ch. 2007-195; s. 1, ch. 2008-62; s. 1, ch. 2009-93; s. 1, ch. 2016-77; s. 1, ch. 2017-141; s. 1, ch. 2017-187; s. 3, ch. 2023-233; s. 1, ch. 2025-38.