AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texans who purchase a vehicle from a dealership will soon no longer have to go through extra steps to get their official, metal license plates.
Starting next month, motor vehicle dealers will begin issuing metal license plates directly to buyers of new and used vehicles, according to a release from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
The change complies with a new law that stems from House Bill 718, which was passed during the 88th legislative session in 2023. The bill addressed concerns related to the fraudulent use of paper license tags, the Texas DMV noted online.
For years, KXAN has investigated how phony paper tags can turn getaway vehicles into “ghost cars.”
The law will officially go into effect on July 1, the Texas DMV announced Tuesday. The bill was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott two years ago, on June 12, 2023.
According to the Texas DMV, here’s how license plate issuances will operate beginning July 1, depending on how the vehicle is purchased:
Buying from a dealer
Consumers buying a vehicle from a Texas dealer will receive metal license plates instead of paper temporary tags, driving off the lot with their plates already in place. Until their registration sticker arrives from their county office, customers must keep their buyer’s plate receipt in the vehicle to be able to verify the purchase and pending registration to law enforcement.
Trading in a vehicle
When consumers sell or trade in a vehicle with general issue plates, dealers may transfer the plates to another vehicle sold within 10 days, if the plates match the appropriate vehicle type, per Senate Bill 1902, passed by the 89th Legislature this year. Consumers with specialty license plates will keep their plates.
Buying/selling a vehicle in a private sale
The private party sales process remains unchanged, according to the Texas DMV:
- Sellers should remove their license plates and registration sticker from the vehicle when they deliver the vehicle to the buyer.
- The seller can request to transfer the plates to another vehicle they own—if appropriate for the vehicle type—by visiting their county tax assessor-collector’s office.
- Sellers should submit a Vehicle Transfer Notification to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles within 30 days of the sale of the vehicle.
- Buyers must submit a title and registration application at their county tax assessor-collector’s office and obtain new plates to register the vehicle in their name within 30 days of purchase.
More information about the changes and their impact on consumers, dealers, tax assessor-collectors, and law enforcement can be found on the Texas DMV’s website.