No More Paper License Plate Tags On Texas Roads

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• Texas Legislature has been busy
• It takes effect in 2025
• Metal tags for new cars

I always know when it's tax time in Texas. I see paper tags just flapping in the breeze on every vehicle on the road in front of me.

It's the only time of year that most Texans have enough cash all at once to put a down payment on a vehicle or buy one outright. Now those paper tags are going to be a thing of the past.

I always thought it would be just too easy to fake those tags, and I was correct. Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill on Monday that will make all those unregistered vehicles a thing of the past.

Texas Tears Up Paper Tags

Texas House Bill 718 is a new law that will replace all paper tags with real metal license plates at the dealer level. According to KXAN, it goes into effect on July 1, 2025.

There will be some time in the next few years to get the system ready for statewide rollout. Here is how it's all going to work.

Car dealers will be issuing metal plates straight from the Texas DMV at the time of sale. A $10 metal license plate will be issued instead of the paper "one trip" and the 30-day temporary paper plates.

Dealers are being promised that they will get plenty of plates in advance so they can sell cars without interruptions. Texas Department of motor vehicles is being taxed with helping dealers make it work.

Counterfeit paper plates are being used in all kinds of crimes. This should put an end to many of the black market paper plates from Texas soon.