SB 293: License Plates for Certain Veterans; the number of free license plates issued to certain veterans; increase

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.

• 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.

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.

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.

• 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.

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
• vehicle registration
• car dealers
• odometer fraud
• motor vehicle titles