New Law On Temporary Tags Takes Effect

AVON PARK - Putting a temporary license tag in the rear window or anywhere other than the bracket provided for a license tag could result in a non-moving violation in the state of Florida, since a new law took effect July 1.

The law is supposed to help law enforcement officers make a quick and easy identification during routine traffic stops.

The new law has many great applications for law enforcement, said Avon Park Police Chief Matt Doughney, on Wednesday.

"It's just another enforcement tool," Doughney said. "People will take a temporary tag and put it in the back window. When our officers got out of their cars and look at the tag, they will now be able to see if it had been altered. Criminals may change the date on the tag and use the window tint to mask that it's been changed."

But putting the paper tag inside the bracket may cause the temporary tags to fade when they get wet.

"They may have to make them out of something more durable or cover them with plastic," Doughney suggested.

The information for the temporary tag will be assigned to the person registering the vehicle, just as it would be with a permanent metal plate, according to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The highway safety department will keep the information in its secure database.

Therefore, if a temporary tag is stolen off of a vehicle, the owner will have to report it to the police immediately.

"The new law related to temporary license plates is a great tool for law enforcement officers," said the Director of the Florida Highway Patrol Col. John Czernis. "A stolen temporary tag can be used to mask a vehicle and used for illicit purposes.

"The new electronic system will give officers and troopers the ability to retrieve the registrant's information in real time from the temporary tag. In the past, if a temporary tag was run, the officer would only be given information as to where the vehicle was purchased."

The department advises drivers to keep the paperwork related to the purchase of a vehicle some place safe inside the vehicle until their permanent metal plate comes in. This allows quick and easy proof of purchase to show to law enforcement.

Avon Park Police Sgt. Jason Lister couldn't think of any instance where immediate identification of a vehicle with a temporary tag would have made a difference, but he thinks it could come in handy some day.

"When running license plates now, the metal plates, you can instantly identify who the owner of the vehicle is," he said. "We are going to be able to identify the owner of the vehicle, if they are wanted, the status of the driver's license. A lot of times the registered owner or the spouse of the registered owner of the car is going to be the driver of the vehicle.

"If you've got a vehicle riding through a neighborhood aimlessly at three in the morning, you want to be able to find out who that vehicle belongs to before you stop that vehicle. You couldn't do that before with temporary tags."

Joe Seelig can be reached at 863-386-5834 or jseelig@highlandstoday.com.