SB293: SB293 License Plates for Certain Veterans; the number of free license plates issued to certain veterans; increase

This bill amends Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the state's motor vehicle and traffic laws, in several ways. It raises fines for a range of license plate offenses, such as improperly transferring, altering, or obscuring a plate, generally increasing minimum fines from $500 to $750, and raises the odometer fraud minimum damages award from $1,500 to $10,000. It also raises the fees manufacturers, distributors, and dealers pay for master and additional license plates, from $62 to $80 for the base fee and $12 to $15 for each additional plate, and requires those plates be made of stamped metal starting January 1, 2027. The bill repeals and rewrites the law on unregistered motor trucks, creating a new statewide permit system letting certain unregistered vehicles operate within two miles of a business address for a $150 fee. It also updates licensing rules for used motor vehicle and used motor vehicle parts dealers, adding a training or exam requirement and raising the required surety bond for used car dealers from $35,000 to $50,000. Most changes take effect July 1, 2026, with the unregistered vehicle permit section effective January 1, 2027.

• Raises minimum fines for several license plate crimes (illegal transfer, alteration, obscuring a plate to block cameras) from $500 to $750, while keeping jail terms up to 12 months as an option.
• Increases manufacturer, distributor, and dealer license plate fees from $62 to $80 for the first plate and $12 to $15 for each additional plate, and requires stamped metal plates starting January 1, 2027.
• Limits private use of a dealer's plate on a vehicle by an employee or officer to no more than six months per vehicle.
• Creates a new Department of Revenue permit letting certain unregistered vehicles operate within two miles of a business address for 12 months, for a $150 fee, with authority to suspend or revoke the permit.
• Raises the odometer fraud civil damages floor from $1,500 to $10,000 and adds new fraud offenses (like falsifying a title application date) to the felony list.
• Adds a training or exam requirement for new used motor vehicle and used motor vehicle parts dealer licenses and raises the required bond for used car dealers from $35,000 to $50,000.

Georgia drivers who violate license plate laws, motor vehicle dealers, manufacturers, and distributors who buy dealer plates, businesses that operate unregistered vehicles locally, used motor vehicle and used motor vehicle parts dealers, and the Department of Revenue and county tag agents who administer these programs.

Drivers convicted of license plate offenses would face higher minimum fines, dealers and manufacturers would pay more for plates and follow new material rules, businesses using unregistered vehicles would get a new legal permit option, and used car dealers would face a bigger bond requirement and new training rules before getting licensed.

• Sections 1-1 through 1-5 raise fines for license plate offenses (illegal manufacture, transfer, alteration, and concealment) generally from $500 to $750 and reclassify one offense from a misdemeanor to a felony.
• Section 1-8 raises dealer, manufacturer, and distributor plate fees ($62 to $80 base, $12 to $15 per additional plate) and requires metal, stamped plates starting January 1, 2027; it also limits an employee's private use of a dealer plate to six months per vehicle.
• Section 1-10 adds new fraud-related offenses to the felony list under O.C.G.A. § 40-3-90, including falsifying a title application's sale or acquisition date.
• Section 1-12 raises the odometer tampering civil damages floor under O.C.G.A. § 40-8-5 from $1,500 to $10,000 and reclassifies the general violation as a felony.
• Part IA rewrites Article 5 of Title 40 to create a new 12-month, $150 Department of Revenue permit for operating certain unregistered vehicles within two miles of a business address.
• Section 2-2 adds a training seminar or exam requirement for used motor vehicle and used motor vehicle parts dealer license applicants and raises the surety bond for used car dealers from $35,000 to $50,000.
• Section 3-1 sets the general effective date as July 1, 2026, except Part IA (the unregistered vehicle permit), which takes effect January 1, 2027.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 503
3. 2026-05-11Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-31House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-03-27Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senate)
7. 2026-03-18House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
8. 2026-03-18House Third Readers (House)

• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)Primary sponsor
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
• Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
• Emanuel Jones (D, SD-010)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-014)
• Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-005)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2025

   56 yea, 0 nay

   Passage: Senate Vote #192

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 18, 2026

   169 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 6 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #715

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2026

   43 yea, 3 nay (0 not voting, 8 absent)

   Adoption Of Amend #1a By Sen From The 6th To Amend #1 By Sen From The 6th: Senate Vote #860

4. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2026

   41 yea, 2 nay (3 not voting, 8 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #861

5. PassedHouse voteMarch 31, 2026

   168 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 5 absent)

   Agree To Senate Amend To House Sub: House Vote #799

• license plates
• motor vehicle dealers
• vehicle registration
• odometer fraud
• used car dealer licensing