---
title: HB 257. Motor vehicles; issuance of metal fleet motor vehicle license plates to certain owners prior to registration of a vehicle; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb257
cite_as: HB 257, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb257
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb257.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb257/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69870
date: 2025-02-10
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 179
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb257.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 257
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-04
last_action: House Withdrawn, Recommitted
sponsors:
- Bruce Williamson
- Shaw Blackmon
- Trey Kelley
- Brian Prince
- Scott Hilton
- Chuck Efstration
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB257/2025
upstream_id: 1955669
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- motor vehicle registration
- license plates
- rental car industry
- Department of Revenue
---
# HB 257. Motor vehicles; issuance of metal fleet motor vehicle license plates to certain owners prior to registration of a vehicle; provide
## Text
House Bill 257
By: Representatives Williamson of the 112th, Blackmon of the 146th, Kelley of the 16th,
Prince of the 132nd, Hilton of the 48th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 2A of Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to registration and licensing of fleet vehicles, so as to provide for the issuance of
metal fleet motor vehicle license plates to certain owners prior to registration of a vehicle;
to provide for application for the issuance of such license plates; to provide for the
development of a system by the Department of Revenue that enables certain owners to assign
and register fleet vehicles; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to
provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 2A of Chapter 2 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
registration and licensing of fleet vehicles, is amended by adding a new Code section to read
as follows:
"40-2-53.1.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Eligible rental vehicle fleet owner' means a corporation or firm enrolled in a fleet
registration plan pursuant to this article and which is certified as a rental motor vehicle
concern by the commissioner.
(2) 'Rental motor vehicle concern' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code
Section 48-5C-1.
(b) Within 15 days of receipt of a proper application by an eligible rental vehicle fleet
owner for the issuance of metal fleet motor vehicle license plates prior to vehicle
registration upon a form and in a manner determined by the commissioner, the department
shall provide such applicant with metal fleet motor vehicle license plates for the operation
of vehicles in a fleet enrolled pursuant to this article.
(c) The department shall develop and provide a system for the assignment and registration
of motor vehicles by an eligible rental vehicle fleet owner from the metal fleet motor
vehicle license plates provided pursuant to this Code section.
(d) An eligible rental vehicle fleet owner issued metal fleet motor vehicle license plates
pursuant to this Code section shall ensure the metal fleet motor vehicle license plates are
securely stored. The license plates issued pursuant to this Code section shall be revoked
and confiscated upon a determination after a hearing that an eligible rental vehicle fleet
owner failed to comply with the requirements of this subsection."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 257 would let certified rental car companies in Georgia get metal fleet license plates before they register individual vehicles, letting them assign plates to cars as they add them to their rental fleets.
### Plain-language summary
Under current Georgia law, fleet vehicle owners generally register vehicles first and then receive plates. This bill creates a new process specifically for rental motor vehicle companies (a category already defined in Georgia tax law) that are enrolled in the state's fleet registration plan. It lets these companies apply to the Department of Revenue for metal fleet license plates before any specific vehicle is registered.
The Department of Revenue would have 15 days to issue the plates once a proper application is filed. The department must also build a system letting these rental fleet owners assign and register vehicles using the plates they already hold. Companies must securely store unused plates, and the state can revoke and confiscate plates if a hearing finds the company failed to store them properly. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.
### What it does
- Creates a new process letting certified rental motor vehicle fleet owners get metal fleet license plates before registering a specific vehicle.
- Requires the Department of Revenue to issue the plates within 15 days of a proper application.
- Directs the Department of Revenue to build a system for rental fleet owners to assign and register vehicles using pre-issued plates.
- Requires eligible rental fleet owners to securely store unused plates, with revocation and confiscation possible after a hearing finds noncompliance.
- Defines 'eligible rental vehicle fleet owner' and ties the definition of 'rental motor vehicle concern' to an existing tax code section (O.C.G.A. ยง 48-5C-1).
### Who it affects
Rental car companies operating fleets in Georgia that are enrolled in the state's fleet registration plan and certified as rental motor vehicle concerns, as well as the Georgia Department of Revenue, which must process applications and build the new plate assignment system.
### Why it matters
Rental car companies would be able to get license plates in hand before a car is registered, potentially speeding up how quickly new vehicles can be put into service. The state gains a new enforcement tool, plate revocation, if a company does not securely store unused plates.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code Section 40-2-53.1 to Georgia's fleet vehicle registration law (O.C.G.A. Title 40, Chapter 2, Article 2A).
- Defines 'eligible rental vehicle fleet owner' as a corporation or firm enrolled in a fleet registration plan and certified as a rental motor vehicle concern by the commissioner.
- Requires the Department of Revenue to issue metal fleet plates within 15 days of a proper application, on a form set by the commissioner.
- Requires the department to develop a system for eligible owners to assign and register vehicles using the pre-issued plates.
- Requires secure storage of unused plates and allows revocation and confiscation after a hearing finds noncompliance.
- Section 2 makes the law effective immediately upon the Governor's signature or upon becoming law without signature.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-04)
- Last action: House Withdrawn, Recommitted (2025-02-10)
- Sponsors: Bruce Williamson, Shaw Blackmon, Trey Kelley, Brian Prince, Scott Hilton, Chuck Efstration
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69870
> The history, votes, and amendments (179 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb257.md?full=1