New law for temporary license plates

New law for temporary license plates

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles now has enhanced capability to further protect new vehicle owners and law enforcement officers.

The new law, effective July 1, requires all temporary tags to be displayed on the rear of the vehicle in the proper license plate bracket. Vehicle owners and dealers should not place the temporary tag in the rear window. Affixing the tag in the proper location allows for quick and easy identification, which will benefit law enforcement officers during routine stops. Improper display could result in a non-moving violation.

The information for the temporary tag will be assigned to the person registering the vehicle, just like a permanent metal plate. The Department will maintain the information in its secure database. Therefore, if a temporary tag is stolen off a vehicle, the owner needs to report it to the police immediately.

"The new law related to temporary license plates is a great tool for law enforcement officers. A stolen temporary tag can be used to mask a vehicle and used for illicit purposes. The new electronic system will give officers and troopers the ability to retrieve the registrant’s information in real time from the temporary tag. In the past, if a temporary tag was run, the officer would only be given information as to where the vehicle was purchased," said the Director of the Florida Highway Patrol Colonel John Czernis.

The Department advises drivers to keep the paperwork related to the purchase of the vehicle someplace safe inside the vehicle until their metal permanent plate arrives. This allows quick and easy proof of purchase to show law enforcement.