The New Oklahoma License Plate Law

A new Oklahoma license plate law is scheduled to take effect beginning on July 1. The law will affect all drivers in Oklahoma when they sell or purchase cars in the state. In the past, vehicle owners who sold their cars sent the tags with the vehicle, but the new law will change that practice. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Craig L. Cook want to ensure that everyone is aware of the change and prepared for it.

What Is the New Oklahoma License Plate Law?

On May 3, 2018, Governor Mary Fallin signed Oklahoma Senate bill 1339 into law, and it is scheduled to be effective on July 1, 2019. The bill was proposed by former state representative Josh Cockroft, who worked on the bill for a couple of years. This law made a number of changes to vehicle registration procedures. The biggest change is that vehicle owners will now retain their Oklahoma license plates when they sell their cars instead of the tags remaining with the vehicles. Registration will now stay with the owners rather than with the vehicles. If the owners subsequently purchase new vehicles, their old license plates will go on the new cars. So when the new law is enacted on July 1, you will not be able to transfer your tags to another driver.

Why was the change made?

Lawmakers enacted this law for several reasons. One reason is that it will make it easier for law enforcement officers to track people by their license plates. For example, if you sell your car now to someone who subsequently fails to pay his or her tolls on the Oklahoma Turnpike, you might receive a ticket instead of the driver who purchased your car. The change will allow law enforcement officers to keep better track of who owns different vehicles and help prevent you from receiving tickets or fines for an infraction involving your old vehicle.

What happens if you sell your vehicle between now and June 30, 2019?

If you sell your vehicle between now and June 30 in Oklahoma, you will send your tags with the car. If you sell your vehicle after July 1, you will instead keep the tags to place on your new car. If you purchase a vehicle after July 1, you will be responsible for placing the tag from your former vehicle onto your new one.

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The Oklahoma Tax Commission has rolled out a campaign to educate all drivers in the state about the new Oklahoma license plate law. In a press release on the agency’s website, it reports that Oklahoma is joining 42 other states that have similar registration and license plate laws. In all of these states, the registration remains with the person instead of the vehicle. The educational campaign is also using the hashtag #KeepTagOK to try to inform the public about the change.

The attorneys at the Law Offices of Craig L. Cook believe that it is important for everyone to keep abreast of changes in the laws. Knowing what to do when the laws are changed can help to keep you in compliance with them. The Oklahoma license plate law is just one of the numerous laws that are changed every year. If you have any questions about the law and how it might impact you, schedule a free consultation with the Law Offices of Craig L. Cook today by calling our office at 479-783-8000 or contacting us online.