Texas Says Goodbye to Temporary Paper License Plates This July

Texas drivers, get ready for a big change! Starting July 1, 2025, car dealerships will no longer print or issue temporary paper license plates. Instead, vehicles will come with metal plates right from the start.

Fake paper tags have increasingly become problematic as criminals are using fake paper tags to throw off law enforcement.

Under the new law, car dealerships will be skipping the paper and going straight to metal.

Dealerships will be keeping a stash of metal plates ready to be slapped on your new, or new to you, vehicle instead of having to wait weeks for one in the mail.

Understanding the Bill

This new bill basically means your license plate will travel with you.

Senator Robert Nichols explains,

"So if you go trade in your car and buy a new one—whether it’s brand new or used—you just take your plate off your old car and put it on your new one. The DMV will have all the updated information, including the owner’s name and address."

If you choose to buy a vehicle through the private market, the process is different. The buyer will keep the plates that are on the vehicle they are buying and register the vehicle in their name at their local tax office.

However, the seller still needs to do their part. Within 30 days of making the sale, a Vehicle Transfer Notification needs to be filed.

Paper tags will no longer be issued starting July 1, 2025

Speaking of vehicles, see if your car is one of the most targeted vehicles for theft.