Florida Statute 559.903 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title XXXIII
REGULATION OF TRADE, COMMERCE, INVESTMENTS, AND SOLICITATIONS

Chapter 559
REGULATION OF TRADE, COMMERCE, AND INVESTMENTS, GENERALLY

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559.903 Definitions.—As used in this act:

(1) “Advanced driver assistance system” means any motor vehicle electronic safety system that is associated with motor vehicle glass and is designed to support the driver and motor vehicle in a manner intended to increase motor vehicle safety and reduce losses associated with motor vehicle crashes.

(2) “Customer” means the person who signs the written repair estimate or any other person whom the person who signs the written repair estimate designates on the written repair estimate as a person who may authorize repair work.

(3) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

(4) “Employee” means an individual who is employed full time or part time by a motor vehicle repair shop and performs motor vehicle repair.

(5) “Final estimate” means the last estimate approved by the customer either in writing or orally, as evidenced by the written repair estimate.

(6) “Motor vehicle” means any automobile, truck, bus, recreational vehicle, motorcycle, motor scooter, or other motor powered vehicle, but does not include trailers, mobile homes, travel trailers, trailer coaches without independent motive power, watercraft or aircraft, or special mobile equipment as defined in s. 316.003.

(7) “Motor vehicle repair” means all maintenance of and modifications and repairs to motor vehicles, and diagnostic work incident thereto, including, but not limited to, the rebuilding or restoring of rebuilt vehicles, body work, painting, warranty work, calibration or recalibration of advanced driver assistance systems, and other work customarily undertaken by motor vehicle repair shops.

(8) “Motor vehicle repair shop” means any person who, for compensation, engages or attempts to engage in the repair of motor vehicles owned by other persons and includes, but is not limited to: mobile motor vehicle repair shops, motor vehicle and recreational vehicle dealers; garages; service stations; self-employed individuals; truck stops; paint and body shops; brake, muffler, or transmission shops; and shops doing glass work. Any person who engages solely in the maintenance or repair of the coach portion of a recreational vehicle is not a motor vehicle repair shop.

(9) “Place of business” means a physical place where the business of motor vehicle repair is conducted, including any vehicle constituting a mobile motor vehicle repair shop from which the business of motor vehicle repair is conducted.

History.—s. 1, ch. 80-139; s. 3, ch. 93-219; s. 25, ch. 97-250; s. 13, ch. 99-307; s. 20, ch. 2001-214; s. 79, ch. 2016-239; s. 1, ch. 2023-136.

F.S. 559.903 on Google Scholar

F.S. 559.903 on CourtListener

Amendments to 559.903

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 559.903

Total Results: 9 | Sort by: Relevance | Newest First

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Osteen v. Morris, 481 So. 2d 1287 (Fla. 5th DCA 1986).

Cited 21 times | Published | Florida 5th District Court of Appeal | 11 Fla. L. Weekly 259

...The "justice" argument in this situation should be presented by motor vehicle repair shops to the legislature. The trial court's determination in favor of the defendant is affirmed. AFFIRMED. ORFINGER and UPCHURCH, JJ., concur. NOTES [1] A customer is defined in § 559.903(3), Fla. Stat. [2] A motor vehicle repair shop is defined in § 559.903(2), Fla....

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Perez-Priego v. Bayside Carburetor & Ignition Corp., 633 So. 2d 1190 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994).

Cited 2 times | Published | Florida 1st District Court of Appeal | 1994 Fla. App. LEXIS 2673, 1994 WL 94201

1985). Petitioner’s claim was brought under section 559.903, Florida Statutes (“The Florida Motor Vehicle

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Am. Atl. Transmission v. Nice Car, Inc., 112 So. 3d 639 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013).

Cited 2 times | Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal | 2013 WL 1748538, 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 6556

...tor vehicle repair shop for repair work performed under a written repair estimate by filing with the clerk of the court in the circuit in which the disputed transaction occurred a cash or surety bond.... § 559.917(l)(a), Fla. Stat. (2012). Further, section 559.903 defines “customer” as: [T]he person who signs the written repair estimate or any other person whom the person who signs the written repair estimate designates on the written repair estimate as a person who may authorize repair work. § 559.903(1), Fla....

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Raymar Constr. Co. v. Lopez-Soto, 547 So. 2d 282 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1989).

Cited 1 times | Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida | 14 Fla. L. Weekly 1854, 1989 Fla. App. LEXIS 4408, 1989 WL 86793

transaction” with other relevant terms in section 559.903, the legislature used more permissive language

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Gov't Employees Ins. Co. v. Glassco Inc. (Fla. 2024).

Published | Supreme Court of Florida

...all owed to the “customer,” a defined term in the statute. It means: “the person who signs the written repair estimate or any other person whom the person who signs the written repair estimate designates on [that form] as a person who may authorize repair work.” § 559.903(1), Fla. Stat. 2 2. A 2023 amendment to the Repair Act moved the definition of “customer” to section 559.903(2). -3- From its inception, the Repair Act has contained a “remedies” section that allows a “customer” who is “injured” by a violation of the statute to sue for “damages” or injunctive relief....

...As we have explained, section 559.921(1) creates a private right of action only for “[a]ny customer injured by a violation of [the Repair Act].” (Emphasis added.) And “customer” is a defined term in the statute: “the person who signs the written repair estimate” or that person’s written designee. § 559.903(1), Fla....

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Gov't Employees Ins. Co. v. Glassco, Inc. (11th Cir. 2023).

Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Argued: Sep 22, 2023

repair work. Fla. Stat. § 559.903(2). GEICO admits it did not request the repair

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Toyano's Auto Repair Servs. v. S. Auto Fin. Co., LLC & Dieuvert Joseph (Fla. 4th DCA 2021).

Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal

...Transmission v. Nice Car, Inc., 112 So. 3d 639 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013), to argue that section 713.585 does not give a lienholder the right to post a bond in order to obtain possession, and that the term “customer” in section 559.917(1)(a), which was defined in section 559.903(1), Florida Statutes (2012), does not include “any person claiming an interest in or lien.” The statutory language of section 713.585, referenced by the repair shop in America Atlantic Transmission, had been amended since July 1, 2016....

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United Am. Lien & Recovery Corp. v. Primicerio, 924 So. 2d 848 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006).

Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal | 2006 Fla. App. LEXIS 753, 2006 WL 167821

...The customer may also bring an action for injunc-tive relief in the circuit court. This section is part of the “Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act,” which limits its application “to all motor vehicle repair shops in Florida,” with certain exceptions. § 559.902, Fla. Stat. Section 559.903(6) defines “motor vehicle repair shop” as the following: (6) “Motor vehicle repair shop” means any person who, for compensation, engages or attempts to engage in the repair of motor vehicles owned by other persons.... It is clear that United is not a “motor vehicle repair shop” within the meaning of section 559.903(6) and therefore section 559.921(1) is inapplicable to it....

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Ago (Fla. Att'y Gen. 1990).

Published | Florida Attorney General Reports

...ify as "motor vehicle repair shop" or whether such work constitutes "repairs." While the statutory definition of "motor vehicle repair shop" enumerates the types of businesses included within the act, the listing of such businesses is not exclusive. Section 559.903 (2), F.S., in defining the term, specifically provides that the persons or businesses subject to the statute are not limited to those specifically enumerated....

...The term "repair" generally has been interpreted to mean to restore rather than to improve; 5 similarly, the term "maintain" generally refers to preserving from failure or decline. 6 The term "service," however, would appear to be broader in scope and may encompass maintenance, supply, repair or installation. 7 In addition, s. 559.903 (4), F.S., defines "Repair work" for purposes of the act to include "mechanical repairs, alterations, and maintenance services and any diagnostic work incident thereto, including, but not limited to, body work, painting, warranty work, and...

...559.909 , F.S., providing for notification of charges in excess of the estimate; and s. 559.907 , F.S., prohibiting a motor vehicle repair shop from charging to make a repair price estimate unless prior to making the estimate, the shop has complied with the requirements set forth in the statute. 4 Section 559.903 (2), F.S....

This Florida statute resource is curated by Graham W. Syfert, Esq., a Jacksonville, Florida personal injury and workers' compensation attorney. For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.