End of paper license plates in Texas could make police work easier

The state of Texas is getting rid of paper license plates for everyone.

Using a paper license plate was something you could do under certain circumstances.

But that’s over now.

The reason is understandable, but there’s something else worth noting.

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The reason why Texas is getting rid of paper license plates

As confirmed by CBS Texas, the state of Texas is getting rid of paper license plates.

Beginning on July 1, 2025, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles will no longer issue paper tags, which used to be available for temporary vehicle registrations.

From now on, even temporary registrations will require regular metal plates.

So, as of July 1, the state will issue one of four different metal tags every time a car is sold, depending on a few different factors.

The reason behind this decision is pretty straightforward.

Because every new license plate, including temporary ones, will be associated with a name and an address, it will deter criminals.

That’s what the Lone Star State believes, anyway.

License plate loopholes in the US

Texas is getting rid of paper license plates, but other states (albeit with several caveats and exemptions and so on) still allow them.

Then again, the US has a license plate system that’s unique.

For starters, until very recently, some states allowed drivers to drive without a license plate for a short period of time, which is unheard of.

This is a loophole that Steve Jobs famously exploited with both his Porsche and his Mercedes.

Now all 50 states require license plates, but some don’t require a front registration plate.

And again that’s quite rare, because that’s illegal in just about every other country in the world with only a few exceptions.

Also, the U.S. is one of the countries where you can get a free-form license plate.

Custom plates are available (nearly) everywhere, but you generally have to stick to a certain format or layout, something you don’t have to do here in the States.

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