SB384: SB384 Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide

Currently, most Georgia vehicle owners renew their registration every year. This bill lets owners of 'eligible motor vehicles' (generally passenger vehicles that have paid the alternative ad valorem title tax, excluding commercial and alternative fuel vehicles) choose a five-year registration and revalidation decal instead. Owners who pick the five-year option still must submit emissions inspection certificates during each required inspection term, and the bill sets up electronic notice systems to warn owners before their registration could be suspended for missing an inspection. The bill also updates fees: owners with prestige or specialty license plates pay higher five-year renewal fees (often five times the annual fee), and it bars refunds or credits for registration fees once a plate is canceled or transferred. It requires emission inspection stations to electronically report completed inspections to the Department of Revenue within seven days, and creates a process to suspend five-year registrations and charge a $60 restoration fee if inspections are missed. The changes take effect July 1, 2027.

• Creates an optional five-year vehicle registration and revalidation decal for 'eligible motor vehicles' that have paid the alternative title ad valorem tax (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-20), starting July 1, 2027.
• Requires owners who choose the five-year option to still submit a valid emissions inspection certificate during each inspection term, and allows the state to suspend the registration if they don't.
• Bars any refund or credit of registration fees once a registration is canceled, transferred, suspended, or revoked (new O.C.G.A. § 40-2-10.1).
• Sets five-year renewal fees for prestige and specialty license plates, generally five times the annual fee (for example, $175 instead of $35, or $125 instead of $25).
• Requires emission inspection stations to electronically report completed inspections to the Department of Revenue within seven days, and lets the department suspend a five-year registration and charge a $60 restoration fee if a required inspection isn't verified.
• Allows the Department of Revenue to send electronic notices about missed emissions inspections and possible suspension to owners who choose the five-year registration.

This bill affects Georgia vehicle owners, especially those who have paid the state's alternative title tax and want longer registration periods, including holders of prestige or specialty plates (veterans, National Guard members, sheriffs, legislators, and others). It also affects county tag agents, the Department of Revenue, and licensed emission inspection stations.

Eligible owners could avoid an annual trip to renew registration by paying once for five years, but they would still need yearly emissions checks in counties that require them, and missing one could suspend the registration and require a $60 fee to fix. Specialty plate fees would rise proportionally for the longer term.

• Section 5 defines 'eligible motor vehicle' as one for which state and local alternative ad valorem taxes (O.C.G.A. § 48-5C-1) have been paid, excluding commercial and alternative-fueled vehicles.
• Section 7 (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-20) creates the five-year registration option starting July 1, 2027, and requires continued compliance with emissions inspection rules.
• Section 6 (new O.C.G.A. § 40-2-10.1) prohibits refunds or credits for registration fees after cancellation, transfer, suspension, or revocation.
• Section 4 (O.C.G.A. § 40-1-9) authorizes electronic notices about emissions compliance failures for five-year registrants, with warnings 30, 20, and 10 days before suspension.
• Sections 11-28 revise fees across numerous specialty and prestige license plate statutes, generally setting the five-year renewal fee at five times the annual fee.
• Section 29 (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-151) sets the five-year registration fee at five times the normal annual fee for eligible motor vehicles.
• Section 30 (new O.C.G.A. § 40-2-139) requires emission inspection stations to report completed inspections electronically within seven days and creates a suspension and $60 restoration fee process for missed inspections under five-year registrations.
• Section 31 sets the effective date as July 1, 2027.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2027-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 505
3. 2026-05-11Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-20House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-03-20House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-03-18House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-02-12House Second Readers (House)

• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)Primary sponsor
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Martin Momtahan (R, HD-017)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 10, 2026

   45 yea, 0 nay (4 not voting, 5 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #533

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 20, 2026

   151 yea, 7 nay (6 not voting, 12 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #736

• vehicle registration
• emissions inspections
• license plates
• motor vehicle fees
• DMV rules