Georgia CommonsSenate · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SB 293: License Plates for Certain Veterans; the number of free license plates issued to certain veterans; increase
Last action July 1, 2026 · Effective Date
A Georgia Senate bill would raise fines and upgrade some license plate and title fraud crimes to felonies, raise dealer license plate fees, and create a new permit system for driving unregistered vehicles short distances for business use.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia law already bans making fake license plates, tampering with odometers, and misusing dealer plates, but this bill rewrites the penalties and rules around those offenses. Making or selling a counterfeit license plate becomes a felony instead of a misdemeanor, and odometer tampering with intent to defraud becomes a felony with a minimum civil penalty raised from $1,500 to $10,000. Several license plate offenses, like removing, altering, or obscuring a plate, now carry a specific fine of at least $750 or up to 12 months in jail instead of vague or lower penalties. The bill also raises the fees dealers, manufacturers, and distributors pay for dealer plates (from $62 to $80 for the first plate, $12 to $15 for each additional one), limits private use of dealer plates by employees to six months per vehicle, and requires dealer plates to be metal with raised, stamped text starting January 1, 2027. It creates a new permit, issued by the Department of Revenue for $150, allowing limited daytime operation of unregistered vehicles within two miles of a business, mainly for used vehicle dealers, and increases the required surety bond for used vehicle dealers from $35,000 to $50,000. Most changes take effect July 1, 2026, with the new unregistered vehicle permit program starting January 1, 2027.
What the bill does
- Raises the penalty for making, selling, or issuing a fake license plate or revalidation decal from a misdemeanor to a felony (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-4).
- Sets a specific fine of not less than $750, or up to 12 months in jail, for offenses like removing, altering, or obscuring a license plate, replacing older flat fines.
- Increases dealer, manufacturer, and distributor license plate fees and limits employees' private use of dealer plates to six months per vehicle (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-38).
- Requires dealer, manufacturer, and distributor license plates to be metal with raised, stamped text and designs starting January 1, 2027.
- Raises the minimum civil penalty for odometer tampering from $1,500 to $10,000 and makes intentional odometer fraud a felony instead of a misdemeanor (O.C.G.A. § 40-8-5).
- Creates a new Department of Revenue permit, costing $150, letting certain businesses operate unregistered vehicles within two miles of their location during daylight hours.
Who it affects
Georgia vehicle owners and drivers who could face steeper penalties for license plate or title fraud, car dealerships and manufacturers who pay higher plate fees and face new plate design rules, used motor vehicle and used parts dealers who must post larger bonds and may seek the new unregistered-vehicle permit, and dealership employees whose private use of dealer plates is now time-limited.
Why it matters
Georgians involved in buying, selling, or driving vehicles would face tougher consequences for license plate tampering, title fraud, and odometer rollback schemes, while dealerships would pay more for plates and follow new material and usage rules. The new permit option could let some businesses legally drive unregistered vehicles short distances without full registration.
Key provisions
- Section 1-1 changes the crime of manufacturing or selling fake license plates from a misdemeanor to a felony under O.C.G.A. § 40-2-4.
- Section 1-2 raises the fine for improperly transferring or using another vehicle's license plate from at least $500 to at least $750.
- Section 1-8 raises manufacturer, distributor, and dealer plate fees to $80 for the first plate and $15 for each additional plate, and limits employee private use of dealer plates to six months per vehicle.
- Section 1-8 also requires dealer license plates issued after January 1, 2027 to be metal with raised, stamped text and designs.
- Section 1-10 and 1-12 upgrade certain title fraud and intentional odometer tampering offenses to felonies and raise the minimum odometer fraud damages from $1,500 to $10,000.
- Part IA creates a new Department of Revenue permit system letting certain unregistered vehicles operate within two miles of a business address for a $150 fee, effective January 1, 2027.
- Part II raises the required bond for used motor vehicle dealers from $35,000 to $50,000 and adds a Georgia residency requirement for dealer licensure.
- Section 3-1 sets most of the Act effective July 1, 2026, with the new unregistered vehicle permit program (Part IA) effective January 1, 2027.
From the bill
“It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to make, sell, or issue any license plate or revalidation decal.”
“A permit issued pursuant to this Code section shall be for 12 months from the date the permit is issued and may be interchanged from vehicle to vehicle.”
“The department shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regulations concerning the issuance of permits pursuant to this Code section and charge a fee of $150.00 for the issuance thereof.”
Discussed in meetings (6)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Motor Vehicles Committee, March 11, 2026
From 0:15:18 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented a substitute drawn from HB 1267, saying the original veterans’ plate provisions had already passed elsewhere. The sponsor said it revised penalties involving plates, decals, temporary permits, titles, registrations and odometer alteration; raised the dealer bond to $50,000; required applicants to be Georgia residents or name a Georgia resident to receive legal papers; and authorized Department of Revenue investigators to inspect dealer records. The sponsor said state licensing investigators lacked sales data needed to verify those records. Asked what was new, the sponsor identified an increase from $100 to $750 for leaving a title blank, while retaining misdemeanor status. The sponsor described a former owner receiving towing bills after a dealer allegedly failed to transfer a traded-in vehicle’s title. One member questioned the size of the increase but accepted the sponsor’s explanation that it matched other penalties. Another member expressed concern about the substitute’s scope and limited review time. Responding to questions about oversight, the sponsor said the substitute removed proposals to move the dealer board and create an advisory council. The sponsor said board appointments, membership, powers and functions would remain unchanged, while Revenue investigators would gain access to records as a licensing condition. The committee approved the substitute by voice vote; no count was stated.
House Rules Committee, March 16, 2026
From 0:25:45 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2699
Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter said SB 293 was being used to carry revised language from a House proposal that did not reach the floor before crossover. The presenter said the original license-plate language had passed through another bill the previous year. Under the revised proposal, the presenter said, the used-car board would remain under the Secretary of State and no advisory council would be created. The presenter also discussed seeking a dealer organization's support letter. There were no questions or calendar action.
House Rules Committee, March 17, 2026
From 0:43:34 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2699
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed SB 293 on the next day's floor calendar under modified structure rules. The motion was seconded, and no opposition was voiced. There was no discussion of the bill's contents.
House floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33)
From 2:27:32 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2726
Summary by Georgia Commons: Although the clerk read an original title about veterans’ license plates, the floor presenter explained that the substitute for SB 293 addressed vehicle dealer fraud. The presenter said it would revise penalties involving plates, permits, titles and odometer tampering; require vehicle identification numbers on temporary permits; restrict dealer tags to vehicles for sale for up to six months; require metal dealer plates after January 1, 2027; and permit Department of Revenue inspections of dealer records. The presenter described gaps between Revenue and secretary of state investigations, an alleged odometer fraud case, and dealers obtaining as many as 2,100 temporary permits while selling no cars. Asked whether the substitute was entirely different from the Senate version, the presenter confirmed that the original proposal had passed through other legislation and this substitute used a revised House proposal. The presenter said used-car dealers and online dealers supported it and would continue discussions outside the session. Other members praised the work to protect buyers and accommodate different dealers. The House adopted the substitute and passed it, 169 to 0.
Senate floor session, March 27, 2026 (legislative day 38)
From 8:14:18 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter said the House replaced SB 293's veterans' plate provisions with used-car dealer plate rules aimed at fraud. The presenter described increasing dealer bonds from $35,000 to $50,000, stronger criminal penalties, a six-month limit on using a dealer plate on one vehicle, stamped metal plates, fraud reporting and greater oversight. Amendment 1 raised plate-related fees from $62 to $80 and another payment from $12 to $15. Amendment 1A added temporary permits allowing vehicle rebuilders to test-drive unregistered vehicles, with insurance and bond requirements. Asked why raised metal lettering was required, the presenter said it would make duplication harder. One member supported the bill and fee amendment but opposed the test-drive amendment, citing safety concerns about rebuilt or totaled vehicles and the lack of committee review. The presenter said the provision would help a small group of businesses. Amendment 1A passed 43-3, and Amendment 1 as amended was accepted without objection. The Senate agreed to the House substitute as amended 41-2.
House floor session, March 31, 2026 (legislative day 39, part 1)
From 1:56:47 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter asked the House to agree to Senate amendments to the House substitute for SB 293, describing the earlier House version as addressing temporary operating permits and dealer-tag fraud. The presenter said one amendment would slightly increase dealer-tag fees because of higher material, labor, and shipping costs. The other would authorize limited operation of unregistered vehicles described as rat rods. According to the presenter, authorization would last 12 months, cost $150, require a listed departure point, and limit travel to daylight hours within two miles of that point. The presenter also described liability-insurance and surety-bond or motor-vehicle-parts-dealer requirements. No members asked questions. The House agreed to the Senate amendments 168 to 1.
Status timeline
- Effective Date
- Act 503
- Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
- Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
Show full history (20 actions)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Lee Anderson (R, SD-24)
- Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)
- Steve Gooch (R, SD-51)
- Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)
- John F. Kennedy (R, SD-18)
- Matt Brass (R, SD-6)
- Marty Harbin (R, SD-16)
- Carden Summers (R, SD-13)
- Billy Hickman (R, SD-4)
- Rick Williams (R, SD-25)
- Russ Goodman (R, SD-8)
- Sam Watson (R, SD-11)
- Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-31)
- Timothy Bearden (R, SD-30)
- Shawn Still (R, SD-48)
- Larry Walker, III (R, SD-20)
- Max Burns (R, SD-23)
- Brian Strickland (R, SD-42)
- John Albers (R, SD-56)
- Harold Jones II (D, SD-22)
- Ed Harbison (D, SD-15)
- Freddie Powell Sims (D, SD-12)
- Emanuel Jones (D, SD-10)
- Drew Echols (R, SD-49)
- Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-52)
- Michael 'Doc' Rhett (D, SD-33)
- Jason Esteves (D, SD-35)
- Greg Dolezal (R, SD-27)
- Bo Hatchett (R, SD-50)
- Mike Hodges (R, SD-3)
- Ben Watson (R, SD-1)
- Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
- Clint Dixon (R, SD-45)
- Ed Setzler (R, SD-37)
- Josh McLaurin (D, SD-14)
- Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-5)
- John Corbett (R, HD-174)
Votes
- Senate voteMarch 6, 2025
56 yea, 0 nay
- House voteMarch 18, 2026
169 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 6 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 27, 2026
43 yea, 3 nay (0 not voting, 8 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 27, 2026
41 yea, 2 nay (3 not voting, 8 excused)
- House voteMarch 31, 2026
168 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 5 excused)
Topics
- license plates
- vehicle registration
- car dealers
- odometer fraud
- motor vehicle titles