Texas Paper License Plates Phased Out July 1: New Law and What Drivers Need to Know

End of Paper License Plates in Texas

• 📌 As of July 1st, paper license plates are no longer issued in Texas, with new vehicles now receiving permanent metal plates.
• 💡 This change, driven by House Bill 718, aims to curb crime by eliminating a loophole exploited by fraudulent dealerships.

Exploitation of Paper Tags

• ⚠️ A key motivation for the law was the exploitation of paper tags, including a tragic case in 2021 where a visitor was killed, and the suspect used fake paper tags.
• 🎯 Criminals previously used fraudulent paper tags to hide vehicle identities, leading to issues like toll violations and crimes committed in drivers' names.

Law Enforcement's Perspective

• 🚔 Police believe using metal plates is a step in the right direction but acknowledge criminals will seek new methods to conceal vehicle identities, such as stealing hard tags.
• 🛠️ To combat potential theft, law enforcement advises drivers to use tamper-resistant screws on their metal plates, requiring a special tool for removal.

New Temporary Metal Plates

• 🚗 Four new types of temporary metal plates will be used in place of paper ones.
• ❓ These will be issued for situations such as test drives where a purchase isn't finalized, loaner cars, vehicles being registered in another state, and for limited-use driving restrictions.