For more than 100 years, Texas has been issuing license plates to vehicle owners. With more than 26 million vehicles registered in Texas today, plates are ubiquitous in the Lone Star State.

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But what is their purpose? Where do the fees you pay go? And what about their design?

Here’s everything you need to know about license plates in Texas:

The basics

License plates are issued to drivers as proof of their registration. Fees associated with license plates and registration fund the building and maintenance of public roadways. The state  in vehicle registration, title fees and vehicle sales taxes in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV).

The current design, which has been in use since 2012, is called “The Texas Classic.” The design, according to TxDMV, was the first in the country to feature two embedded high-visibility security threads to help law enforcement identify legitimate plates.

In addition to plates, drivers are issued windshield registration stickers which must be replaced yearly when registration is renewed. The annual registration fee for passenger vehicles 6,000 pounds or less is $50.75 to the state plus additional fees including local county fees. These fees vary by county with Dallas, Collin, Denton, Kaufman and Rockwall counties all adding an additional $11.50 while Tarrant and Ellis counties charge an additional $10.

License plates are a standard 12 inches wide by six inches tall with rounded corners. Texas drivers are required to have two plates: one in the rear and another in the front.

How do you register your car?

In order to register a car in Dallas County, you’ll need two key things: car insurance and a vehicle emissions inspection.

For insurance, Texas requires minimum coverage of $30,000 per injured person, up to a total of $60,000 for everyone injured in an accident and also $25,000 for property damage. An emissions inspection is only required in certain counties in Texas, mostly those around major cities, including Dallas and Fort Worth. Inspections can be done at any station certified by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and can be done quickly —  often under half an hour  —  at a cost of $18.50 in North Texas.

Once you have both of those, you’ll need to go to your county tax-assessor collector office. You’ll need your insurance card, a passing emissions inspection and proof of ownership such as the title or, if moving to Texas, registration from a previous state in order to complete the registration process. 

Why does Texas require two plates?

According to the Texas Administrative Code, the two-plate requirement serves various purposes:

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• Law enforcement:Two plates make it easier for police to identify vehicles from either direction, which helps during traffic stops and investigations.

• Automated systems: Toll roads and red-light cameras often rely on front plates to accurately capture vehicle information.

• Public safety: Visible plates help identify vehicles involved in accidents or illegal activities.

Make sure you’ve got both since failure to display a front plate is a misdemeanor in Texas and a driver can be fined up to $200 for it, according to Texas Transportation Code Section 504.943.

What are the requirements for people new to Texas?

You have 30 days from the time you move to Texas to register your vehicle in the state and get Texas plates, according to TxDMV. It is not required to title a vehicle in Texas to register it in-state, but first-time registrants have to complete an for Texas title and/or registration (Form 130-U).

New residents are also required to pay sales tax-related fees. These can be $90 or the difference between your previous state’s sales tax and the Texas sales tax.

Are there other design options?

Yes, but it’s going to cost you.

In addition to the standard design, Texas offers specialty license plates, also known as vanity plates, through MyPlates. There are over 500 designs to choose from, and pricing varies by design. A simple restyle will cost you a one-time $50 fee while a premium embossed option costs up to $570 over a 5-year term.

There is a wide variety of designs available, ranging from collegiate logos to others honoring military veterans, national parks and more.

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Staff writer Maria Salette Ontiveros contributed to this report.