OK.gov release
Do you like your current license plate? We hope so! Starting July 1, it’s going to be with you for quite a while.
With #KeepTagOK, Oklahoma motorists will keep their license plates when selling their vehicles as specified in SB1339. The process of registering a newly-purchased car with the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC) differs whether you are purchasing the vehicle from a dealership or an individual:
• If you buy a vehicle from a dealership, that car will come with a paper tag and you will have 30 days to register the vehicle in order to avoid penalties. When registering the vehicle, you will have a choice of placing your old tag on the vehicle or purchasing a new one from the OTC or your local tag agent.
• If you buy a vehicle from anyone other than a dealership and you do not have a tag from a previous vehicle, the car may be driven for five days without a plate. During these five days, you must have a copy of the bill of sale or the assigned title in the vehicle. If you have a tag from a previous vehicle, you may place the tag on the newly-purchased vehicle after it has been titled and registered. You have 30 days before incurring any penalties.
Under the new law, Oklahomans will now also be required to carry their annual certificates of registration in their cars at all times. This is issued at the time of initial registration and annually when the vehicle registration is renewed.
“Starting July, if you sell a vehicle, remove the tag,” said OTC Spokesperson, Paula Ross. “The tag will now stay with the person, not the car. When motorists purchase a new car, they will take the tag from their old car and place it on the new one. This will assist law enforcement in tracking current vehicle owners as well as cut down on past owners receiving turnpike fines, parking tickets or other issues involving their old vehicle.”
For more information, visit the OTC website at tax.ok.gov.