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Starting July 1, Texas car dealerships will stop issuing temporary paper license plates for vehicle purchases. Under a new state law, buyers will instead receive metal license plates when their vehicles are delivered, San Antonio Express-News said.
Motorists can immediately install the metal plates on their vehicles and start driving their new cars while waiting for their registration window stickers to arrive, according to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 718 into law in June 2023, following its approval by both the Texas House and Senate.
Temporary paper license tags are being eliminated because they allowed criminals to "conceal vehicles, evade prosecution, and exacerbate public safety issues in Texas," according to a bill analysis prepared for the Texas House Transportation Committee.
The new law mandates that the state motor vehicles department create, oversee, and maintain "a secure, real-time database" for law enforcement officials to track dealer-issued metal license plates and access information about the individuals registered to use and display them, San Antonio Express-News said.
By April 30, licensed car dealerships must complete webDEALER training to comply with the new law. Dealers who finish the training by the deadline will receive the new license plates ahead of those who don’t, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Starting in May, licensed car dealerships with active webDEALER accounts can begin ordering and receiving their stock of new license plates.
As of July 1, all licensed dealerships are required to issue metal license plates to buyers, with temporary paper tags no longer available. Dealers must also use webDEALER for processing title and registration applications for vehicle sales, San Antonio Express-News said.
License Plate Regulations In New York City
The New York City Department of Transportation has announced that new license plate regulations will take effect on April 16. This move aims to prevent drivers from evading tolls and traffic laws, The U.S. Sun said.
The rules will address any obstructions to a driver's license plate, including dirt, rust, or coverings. These regulations were approved earlier in March and will be enforced in just a few weeks, according to Time Out.
The new regulations are detailed, specifying that license plates must be positioned between 12 and 48 inches above the ground.
Additionally, New York City drivers must ensure their plates are fully visible to both people and cameras throughout the city. No materials should cover the license plates in a way that could obstruct cameras from clearly reading them, The U.S. Sun said.
Drivers who fail to comply with the new law could face a $50 fine.
Front License Plates Could Soon Be Mandatory In Florida
Florida is poised to become the next state to require front license plates on all vehicles, making it the 30th state in the U.S. to adopt this policy, Coaches Database said.
As the bill is set to pass, lawmakers question whether this change will help reduce hit-and-run incidents on Florida roads.
Last week, an amendment to the bill was introduced, making both front and back license plates mandatory in the state, Carscoops said.
Similar laws in states like California have led to a reduction in such incidents.
The bill could establish the "Lilly Glaubach Act," named after a 13-year-old girl from Tampa who was tragically killed by a car while riding her bike.
Under this law, motor vehicle repair shops would be required to obtain a written crash report from a customer before beginning any repair work on a vehicle involved in a collision, provided the repair costs are $5,000 or more, Carscoops said.
An amendment to the bill was introduced at a Senate committee meeting last week, requiring the use of both front and rear license plates, according to Click Orlando.
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