Texas license plate laws require most vehicles to display two plates, keep them clean and legible, and stay currently registered. The biggest recent shift took effect on July 1, 2025: dealers no longer hand out paper temporary tags. Buyers now leave the lot with permanent metal plates already attached. The two-plate rule, the rules against obscured or covered plates, the transfer procedure when you sell a car, and the penalties for expired registration all remain in force, and each one carries a specific fine structure worth knowing before a traffic stop or a toll camera does the reminding.
No More Paper Temporary Tags From Dealers
House Bill 718, passed in the 88th Legislative Session in 2023, ended the paper temporary tag system. As of July 1, 2025, every licensed dealer in Texas must issue metal license plates to the buyer at the time of sale.1Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. House Bill 718 Implementation The old cardboard or paper insert, valid until the registration application processed or 60 days passed, is gone.2Texas Legislature Online. Texas Transportation Code HB 718 – Relating to the Issuance of Temporary Tags and License Plates by a Motor Vehicle Dealer
The change came after years of counterfeit paper tag fraud. Fake tags were used to disguise stolen vehicles, evade tolls, and skip registration fees, and law enforcement had few reliable ways to tell a real tag from a forgery during a stop. Tying every dealer sale to a metal plate closes that loophole.
If you buy from a licensed dealer today, you should drive off with your permanent plates already mounted. If a dealer tries to send you home with a paper tag, that is no longer legal.1Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. House Bill 718 Implementation
The Two-Plate Requirement
Texas requires most passenger vehicles to display two license plates, one on the front and one on the rear. Under Transportation Code Section 504.943, driving on a public highway without both plates properly displayed is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200.3State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code Section 504.943 – Operation of Vehicle Without License Plate Motorcycles, trailers, and road tractors need only a rear plate. Standard cars and trucks are not exempt, and it does not matter whether the vehicle came from the factory with a front mounting bracket.
If you get cited for a missing plate, the court can dismiss the charge if you fix the problem before your first court appearance and pay a reimbursement fee of up to $10.3State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code Section 504.943 – Operation of Vehicle Without License Plate That dismissal is a one-time option.
Plate Visibility and Legibility
Transportation Code Section 504.945 makes it an offense to display a plate that has been altered, obscured, or coated in a way that impairs legibility. Aftermarket plate frames sold at ordinary auto parts stores often cover just enough of the plate to create a violation.
The statute targets several specific problems:
- Reflective or blurring material on the plate that significantly impairs readability of the state name or the plate number, including spray-on coatings sold as “camera blockers.”
- Coatings, covers, or protective substances that alter or hide half or more of the word “Texas.”
- Any material that alters, covers, or obscures the letters, numbers, or color of the plate.
Most violations under Section 504.945 carry a maximum fine of $200. Covering or obscuring the plate’s letters, numbers, or color triggers escalating penalties: up to $300 for a first offense, up to $600 for a second, and a Class B misdemeanor for a third or later conviction.4Texas Statutes. Texas Transportation Code 504.945 – Wrong, Fictitious, Altered, or Obscured License Plate A Class B misdemeanor in Texas can carry up to 180 days in jail.
Practical check: if you use a decorative frame, make sure it does not cover any part of the plate number, the letters, or the word “Texas.” Clear covers can distort a plate’s appearance under the infrared illumination automated readers use, and the statute does not require intent.
Transferring Plates When You Sell or Buy
Plates in Texas belong to the owner, not the vehicle. When you sell a car, you have three options:5Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Buying or Selling a Vehicle
- Transfer them to another vehicle you own or plan to buy, as long as both vehicles are in the same classification. The transfer itself is free.6Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. License Plates
- Keep them for a future vehicle. The registration sticker does not carry over.
- Dispose of them by defacing the plates with permanent black ink or a similar method to prevent fraudulent reuse.
The TxDMV recommends transferring your plates off the vehicle you are selling, because leaving them on can expose you to liability if the buyer delays re-registering.6Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. License Plates A buyer who takes delivery on a weekend and needs to drive to the county tax office can download a Vehicle Transit Permit from the TxDMV website. It is valid for five calendar days, and only one may be issued per sale.5Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Buying or Selling a Vehicle
A replacement plate, if yours is lost, stolen, or damaged, costs $6.50, made up of a $6 plate fee and a $0.50 automation fee.6Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. License Plates
Registration Deadlines and Expired-Plate Penalties
The base registration fee for a standard passenger vehicle or truck weighing 6,000 pounds or less is $50.75 per year. Your county tax assessor-collector adds a local fee that varies by county, from nothing in some rural counties up to $21.50 in Bexar and Cameron counties.7Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Schedule of Texas Registration Fees
Driving with expired registration becomes an offense after the fifth working day following your expiration date. A court can dismiss the charge if you renew within 20 working days of the offense, or before your first court appearance if that comes later, and pay the registration fee. The court may also assess a reimbursement fee of up to $20 for the dismissal.8State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code Section 502.407 – Operation of Vehicle With Expired License Plate Miss that 20-day window and you lose the easy dismissal, and you also owe a 20 percent late registration fee when you renew.
Digital License Plates Are Limited
Texas authorized digital license plates through Senate Bill 604 in 2019, but they are not open to the general driving public. Only three vehicle categories qualify: commercial fleet vehicles, government-owned vehicles, and vehicles not registered as passenger cars.9Texas Legislature Online. Texas Transportation Code SB 604 – Digital License Plates If you drive a personal passenger vehicle, you cannot legally use a digital plate in Texas.
Vehicles with a digital rear plate still need a standard metal plate on the front, unless the vehicle class only requires one plate. The digital display must show all the information on a standard plate and remain legible in all light conditions, though the type can shrink when the vehicle is parked.10Texas Legislature Online. Texas Transportation Code 504.151 – Digital License Plates On top of the provider’s charges, the TxDMV collects a $95 annual administrative fee per digital plate.11Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Digital License Plate Program