Texas has redesigned and thus overhauled the controversial temporary paper license tags issued by auto dealers.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles will soon introduce a new look for tags issued by licensed Texas motor vehicle dealers, according to a news release.
It is the next step in the ongoing effort to fight against counterfeit, temporary paper tags that have increased in number on Texas streets in recent years.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has collaborated with law enforcement to identify opportunities to further reduce fraud related to counterfeit tags.
Criminals produce counterfeit tags using various tools outside TxDMV systems. The department has spent several months redesigning the look of official temporary tags with embedded security features.
The DMV said Thursday that dealers would begin issuing the redesigned temp tags on December 9.
“With the support of our law enforcement partners, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is setting a new standard for temporary tag security and design,” said TxDMV executive director Daniel Avitia in the release.
The new tags will be more complex and secure than the existing tags. They will include additional data and security features to help law enforcement identify counterfeit tags and increase the safety of traffic stops.
Texas has seen an increase in fraudulent temporary paper tags since criminals somehow gained access to the state’s system by registering as dealers. They quickly began selling tags online.
New features in the new tag design include:
- Texas flag watermark
- Enhanced depiction of the tag’s expiration date, vehicle year and make, and name of issuing dealer
- Identification of the specific type of tag issued
- Font selection and size that maximize readability of primary components
- Active and passive security features identifiable by law enforcement
- Numerous pieces of embedded data and text, linked to law enforcement databases, created only by internal TxDMV computer systems
On June 30, the board of the Texas department of motor vehicles voted to require all current and prospective Texas car dealers to submit fingerprint verification, as reported by The Dallas Express.